When I first read about Florida’s tallest waterfall at Falling Waters State Park my first thought was “I didn’t know there were ANY waterfalls in Florida!” I had to see it with my own eyes.
So off we went to Falling Waters State Park to check it out. The campground sits at 324 feet above sea level on top of one of the highest hills in Florida.
An easy trail down the hill leads to a small pond and boardwalk trails to the waterfall and around several sinkholes. We observed the 73 foot tall waterfall from a platform above the falls but construction on the platform near the bottom of the falls prevented us from seeing the water dropping into the sinkhole at the bottom.
Florida’s Tallest Waterfall at Falling Waters State Park
The trails meander through a long leaf pine forest with southern magnolias scattered among the pines. A few wildflowers blooming along the trail let us know that spring was almost here.
Boardwalk trail at Falling Waters State ParkCarolina JessimineWild Azalea
While exploring the trails we did some more geocaching and found two in the park. We’re getting better at this!
A Zebra Swallowtail became fascinated with my shoes when we stopped to take a break along one of the trails.
Zebra Swallowtail
We continued our quest for good local food and stopped at the Main Street Market in downtown Chipley for some Plant City strawberries. These wonderful, sweet strawberries are only available for a short while and although we had been getting them at grocery stores I had to have some more. While we were there I was thrilled to see some Florida Honeybells. These strange looking orange citrus fruits are sweet and juicy. The also have a very short season so of course I grabbed some of those, too.
Florida Honeybells
Falling Waters State Park is located south of Chipley, Florida just a couple of miles from I-10.
Our week at Fort Pickens Campground in the Gulf Islands National Seashore sped by. When we weren’t walking on the pure white sand at the beach, exploring Fort Pickens and the batteries, or visiting the National Naval Aviation Museum we were wandering around the Florida Gulf Coast.
One day we took Blondie outside of the National Seashore to go to the Pensacola Beach Dog Beach. A small section of beach has been set aside to allow dogs on a leash to enjoy the beach.
Blondie went for a swim at the Pensacola Beach Dog Beach
A Legendary Beach Bar
One day we took a drive along the Gulf to the Florida-Alabama state line to visit the famous Flora-Bama Bar. The bar has been called the “Last Great American Roadhouse” and ranks among the “Best Beach Bars” in the world. The wooden building is located on the beach between high rises and we almost missed it as we drove along the Gulf road. Originally built in 1964, it has survived fires and hurricanes. After suffering a direct hit from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the building was restored.
Flora Bama Bar
It was quiet the day we went. Their busy season starts with spring break. Their “Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party” brings huge crowds in April.
Besides the famous beach bar, there are two restaurants, a liquor store, a marina, and plenty of parking across the road on the bay. We enjoyed a lunch of shrimp po’boys at their Old River Bar and Grill overlooking the bay before heading back to our campground.
Flora Bama BarFlora Bama Bar beach side view
Gulf Coast Good Eats
For us, no trip to the Gulf Coast would be complete without a trip to a seafood market. In our quest for Stone Crab Claws we stopped at Joe Patti’s Seafood Market in Pensacola. The huge seafood market has been in business in Pensacola for many years and sells every kind of fresh seafood and related items you can imagine. Iced down in the display cases were fresh grouper, redfish, snapper, other fish, gulf shrimp, scallops, stone crab claws, oysters, and seafood of every kind. Also available are made in house shrimp and other salads, smoked mullet dip, seafood spreads, seafood chowder and other specialty items. Then there were smoked sausages and other specialty meats along with many Cajun specialties. In another room were sauces, condiments, and kitchen items to help prepare and eat the seafood.
The place was packed but we were served quickly and left happy with Jumbo Stone Crab Claws, shrimp salad and smoked mullet dip for dinner. Best meal we had on the entire trip.
Joe Patti Seafood in Pensacola
Located just a short drive from the entrance to the Gulf Islands National Seashore, Peg Leg Pete’s in Pensacola Beach was recommended to us by several of our friends so of course we had to give it a try. Our friends didn’t steer us wrong. The Cajun fried shrimp appetizer and Grouper Sandwiches were excellent.
Peg Leg Pete’s in Pensacola Beach, Florida
Wildlife and Sunset Vewing
Even sitting in our own campsite we were entertained. One day an armidillo walked into our campsite driving Blondie wild.
Armadillo in our campsite
We walked out on the fishing pier at Fort Pickens to see what the fishermen were catching. One fisherman was reeling in a stingray as we arrived and we saw another catching Drum in a cast net. As we walked along the pier a Great Blue Heron walked right in front of me before hopping up on the railing to put on a show. There were actually two herons on the pier and when the first one flew off, another took his place on the railing.
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
We enjoyed more beautiful sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.
Sunset over the Gulf
Evacuating the Campground
As the week went on the winds picked up and the waves got bigger.
The seas were getting rough
When you check into the campground at Fort Pickens, you are taking a chance that you may have to leave early because of the road flooding. There is a low section of the road between the campground and the entrance to the park that is subject to flooding. During big storms, the campground has been known to flood. The winds had been picking up all week and storms were forecast starting on Thursday, March 10, our departure date.
On Wednesday afternoon we returned from our wanderings to find a notice on the door to our RV that the campground was closing at noon on Thursday. Several campers left that afternoon while everyone else (like us) started packing up and getting ready for an early morning departure. The luck of the Irish was with us since we were scheduled to leave anyway.
After leaving the campground we drove through a section of the Fort Pickens Road that was underwater.
We spent some time exploring Fort Pickens and some of the batteries that are located within the National Seashore.
Fort Pickens was the largest of four forts built in the 1800’s by the United States Government to protect Pensacola Bay and the Naval Yard. Although it never had to be used against foreign enemies, it was used by the Union Army during the Civil War to protect against the Confederates. Ranger led tours are available but we chose to go on a self-guided tour of the huge fort.
Fort PickensFort PickensEntering Fort PickensFort Pickens
Much of the fort is built using arches.
Arches at Fort PickensArches at Fort PickensArches at Fort PickensDouble ArchAnother view of the arches at Fort Pickens
Civil War era cannons and a mortar are also on display at the fort.
One of the cannons atop Fort Pickens
The American Flag waves behind a mortar
With clear views of Pensacola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Fort Pickens was in a great location to protect the area.
A great view of the Pensacola Lighthouse from the top of the fort
A great view of the Gulf of Mexico from the top of the fort
There are several batteries located throughout the area. Some were built in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
Endicott Batteries from the 1890’s
We explored Battery Worth where huge gun pits held twelve inch mortars that could launch 700 pound projectiles 7 to 9 miles away. After World War I all but four of the mortars were scrapped. In 1942 the battery became part of the Army-Navy Harbor Defense Command Post for the Pensacola area during World War II.
Battery WorthLooking down from Battery WorthOn top of Battery Worth
There were big guns lining the shoreline ready to protect against enemy ships.
Big Guns Along the Shoreline
Aimed over the Gulf of Mexico
One of the Batteries
This gun would pop up above the wall and come back down after firing
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” –Jacques Cousteau
A beach with perfect sugar white sand only a five minute walk from our campsite. I think I am in heaven!
Gulf Islands National Seashore at Ft. PickensThe beach at sunsetGulf Islands National Seashore
Our home for a week is Ft. Pickens Campground in Gulf Islands National Seashore on Santa Rosa Island. I’ve been doing a lot of walking on the beach and beach chair sitting.
Site A1 Ft. PickensReady for Beach Chair Sitting on the Gulf of Mexico
We’ve taken a couple of hikes on the half-mile Blackbird Marsh Nature Trail near the campground.
Along the Blackbird Marsh Nature Trail
It is nest building time for Ospreys and several nests can be seen in the area. Ospreys are frequently seen soaring over the campground and a few of the nests can be viewed close up from the nature trail.
Pair of Ospreys on the nature trailPair of Ospreys on the nature trailOsprey
And the sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico are breathtaking!
Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico
More of the Fort Pickens area coming up in my next post.
Our latest RV journey took us past many pecan orchards in south Georgia before we arrived at our first destination, Eastbank Campground on the banks of Lake Seminole. Although located in Georgia, the closest town is Chattahoochee, Florida. From our campsite we were treated to a beautiful sunset our first night.
Sunset over Lake Seminole at Eastbank Campground
The campsites are large and many are waterfront. It was a great place to wind down from the hustle and bustle of being at home.
Eastbank COE Site A01Loop A at Eastbank COE CampgroundFoggy morning on Lake Seminole at Eastbank
We tried geocaching in nearby Chattahoochee, Florida. Our first two attempts were a bust but we enjoyed looking around the train car at the Heritage Park.
Heritage Park in Chattahoochee, FloridaHeritage Park in Chattahoochee, Florida
We ended the day watching another beautiful sunset.
Another beautiful sunset over Lake SeminoleHenry checking the GPS
Our second geocaching excursion took us to part of the Chattachoochee Nature Trail along the Apalachicola River.
No amount of looking over, under, and around the boardwalk helped us find the geocache but I found something better. A baby alligator was sunning himself beside the boardwalk.
Palmettos beside the boardwalk on the nature trailI spotted this baby alligatorBridge over Apalachiacola River
We were determined to find the geocache at the train car so we returned there and Henry found it!
Henry with his first geocache find
Later we drove to the Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam to take a look. The dam and locks were constructed for navigation, hydro- power and recreation purposes on the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint River systems.
Wandering Dawgs 