Welcome to the Real Florida

A few weeks ago I participated in a 5k walk with my walking group at Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka, Florida. We hiked into the ravines and enjoyed the natural beauty of our state.

This stunning park was created in a natural ravine area in order to attract visitors to Florida during the Great Depression - long before DisneyWorld was established as an attraction! The gardens were formally opened in 1933 and featured over 270,000 plants which were planted in the formal gardens and in the two ravines. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, the ravine area has been allowed to revert to a natural state, but many azaleas still bloom there from the original plantings in the 1930’s. There are still formal gardens around the ravine.

There are two ravines within the park with depths of up to 120 feet. The banks are very steep in some areas - with up to 45 degree angles. Whitewater Branch is a spring-fed creek which has formed the ravines and it never runs dry because it is spring-fed.

The park with its four trails is a great place for hiking and picnicking. Also, a 1.8 mile road around the ravines is ideal for cycling and viewing the ravines by car.

So if you are thinking of visiting Florida, do remember that there is a lot more to see than the theme parks of Orlando!

Swim at your own risk!

Azalea buds.

Native spiderwort.

Wild dewberry flowers.

Native blanket flower.

Pink azaleas.

Pink Azaleas.

Welcome to the real Florida!

Whitewater Branch - a spring-fed creek.

Ravine Gardens Mural.

Whitewater Branch.

This says it all!

A suspension bridge on one of the hiking trails.

Steps to a hiking trail.

More azaleas.