12/24/2022 0 Comments Rainbow springs state park![]() ![]() The first thing that we learned was that Rainbow Springs State Park has three entrances. We got down the to State Park on Friday afternoon ready to set up camp. So we loaded up the camping supplies, kiddo kayaks, canoe, tubes, all the salvageable food from the fridge and freezer, and our family plus Mimi (my mom) into two cars and headed south! Mimi was also without power and food – so we convinced her that camping outside with food and access to hot water in the bathhouse was better than no food or power inside. It turns out that Rainbow Springs State Park had to close their park briefly due to the hurricane – even that far south and east they felt the outer bands of the hurricane – so when a few people canceled their trips, we were able to grab a last minute spot! Rainbow Springs has been on our “Florida Bucket List” for quite some time but there is too much to do for a day trip, and we’ve rarely seen campsites available (you can reserve campsites up to 11 months in advance here – sites do fill up fast, especially on the weekends). “In Florida we stay for the hurricane and evacuate for the power outage.” Rainbow Springs State Park Yes, in Florida we stay for the hurricane and evacuate for the power outage. We lost power on Wednesday during the storm, spent Thursday cleaning up debris, and left town on Friday. Florida Caverns State Park CCC statute (Marianna, Florida), before and after Hurricane Michael. While our neighbors not even an hour south and to the west were utterly decimated, with entire towns and communities destroyed, we suffered only minimal damage and the predictable power outage. Hurricane Michael – see Tallahassee? That’s us!Īs it turns out, we were some of the incredibly lucky ones. So when our area was forecast to be hit by an increasingly strengthening Hurricane Michael, we, of course, decided to hunker down and wait it out at home. Living in Florida you have to be a certain amount of tough – and a certain amount of crazy. hurricanes, and yet we still make our homes here. After all, Florida has alligators, several varieties of poisonous snakes, fire ants, sinkholes, sharks, tourists, heat, humidity, and. ![]() Ranger-led walks and guided paddling trips are offered, call for details.Stay for the Hurricane, Evacuate for the Power Outage Canoes and kayaks can be rented within the park. This park is also a launching point for paddling the Rainbow River Aquatic Preserve. Two miles of trails wind around old pasture (sparrows, American Kestrel) and through pine flatwoods and sandhills (Red-headed Woodpeckers, Eastern Towhee and Yellow-throated Vireo) and hardwood forest (Barred Owl, Hermit Thrush and Yellow-throated Warbler). Southeast of the garden is the trailhead, where three hiking trail loops lead to the quieter side of the park. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can be found along with over 40 species of butterfly including Red-spotted Purple, Whirlabout, Sleepy Orange and Cassius Blue. Follow the path east beyond the waterfall area to an extensive, native plant and butterfly garden. Great Egret, Green Heron, Anhinga and Pied-billed Grebe can be seen from the river overlooks. A series of paved and brick walkways around and above the scenic head springs can yield resident and migratory songbirds, such as Red-eyed Vireo and Northern Parula. Start by picking up a trail map at the visitor center. Famous for its first magnitude springs (fourth largest in Florida) and former site of a private theme park, this site reopened to the public in 1995. ![]()
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