A Weekend at Florida's Lake Griffin State Park

We're back.  It's been over a year since we were here.  This time in the Spring and some warmer weather.  We thought.  A cold front moved through Friday, light rain, and left us with mid 40s Saturday morning.  But, previous warmer weather and rain greened up the park very well.

We got a different site this visit.  Further up the hill.  Better media reception they say.  Our site was in the shade all weekend.  Just to the left of us is the exit of a small sub-loop with four sites.  The far left is the main loop. Interesting set-up, but works well.

First stop, the marina.  Put your boat in or rent a canoe or kayak and traverse the Dead River Marsh on the way to Lake Griffin.

Or, fish off the dock.  Dad teaching daughter the art of casting.

Then, it's off to the nature trail loop that starts and ends at the picnic area adjacent to the marina. 

Passing by a rather wet area. Part of Dead River beyond the fishing dock. This was all a dry gulley on our last visit.

Moss has found a home on a downed limb.

This is a well marked trail about half a mile long.

Macho Fern?  In abundance along the trail.

Bent Trees. Lot of fascinating sights on the trail.

While the trail is much greener and more water around one thing remained the same.  The natural piece of mother nature's art.  A little more worn, but still sitting in the middle of the trail.

Near the ranger station is the beginning and end of a short trail leading to the fifth largest recorded Live Oak in Florida.

The trail is short, but, still, is an interesting walk.

Believed to be over 300 hundred years old the tree measures 10 feet in diameter, 83 feet tall and has a spread of 131 feet.

Since our last visit one of its huge limbs came down alongside the trail.  The ferns still flourish.

Down at the marina early in the morning.......

 ......watching the mist rise as the warm sun hits the water of the Dead River.

Reflections in the still water.

As we were sitting on the dock gazing at the still water around the bend came a rush of ripples as if a wave from the lake forced water down the river.  It stopped short of the boat house and in a few minutes all was smooth as glass again.  Fascinating.  Looked neat as the sun reflected off the moving ripples.  Should of had a video of this.

Other things we observed while at the marina and park area:

Apatelodes torrefacta...caterpillar to  me.  One of three varieties we saw.

Red-shouldered hawk

Ruby throated hummingbird looking for nectar from a Coral Bean. Also known as the Cherokee bean, Red Cardinal, or Cardinal Spear.

The sun reflecting off the brackish river water.  The smaller "lights" are water skeets and algae floating on the surface.