Waterfalls – Page 5 – Wandering Dawgs

Florida’s Tallest Waterfall

March 26, 2016December 15, 2016Posted in Butterflies, Florida, Nature, RVing, State Parks, Waterfalls, WildflowersTagged Carolina Jasmine, Falliing Waters State Park, Florida's Tallest Waterfall, Honeybells, Long Leaf Pine, Nature, Plant City Strawberries, Spring, Wild Azalea, zebra swallowtail18 Comments

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 — 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 Park

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.

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.

Falling Waters State Park is located south of Chipley, Florida just a couple of miles from I-10.

My review of Falling Waters State Park can be found on Campendium.

Waterfalls and Wildflowers at Natural Bridge, Virginia

April 12, 2014August 21, 2017Posted in Parks, Road Trip, RV Parks, RVing, Tourist Attractions, Virginia, Waterfalls, WildflowersTagged Lace Waterfall, Lost River, Natural Bridge Virginia4 Comments

Our mountain journey continued at Virginia’s Natural Bridge where we walked along the nature trail beside Cedar Creek to the Natural Bridge and Lace Falls. The bridge and trail are privately owned and beautifully maintained.

The arch is 215 feet high, 55 feet higher than Niagara Falls. It is 40 feet thick, 100 feet wide, and is 90 feet between the walls. Highway 11 crosses over the bridge.

George Washington surveyed the bridge and the surrounding area in 1750. What is believed to be his initials can be seen high up on one of the walls.

The warm, sunny spring day was perfect for walking along the nature trail.

Natural Bridge, Virginia

Small waterfall beside the trail at Natural Bridge, Virginia

The trail next to Cedar Creek

Blondie got to play in the creek

The trail ends at beautiful Lace Waterfall

The Lost River flowing from the mountain

Another small waterfall in the creek

Relaxing at Lace Waterfall

View of the bridge as we returned from our hike

Waterfall on Cedar Creek

Survey Marker with George Washington’s initials from 1750

Wildflowers were blooming all along the trail

I think this is Dewberry

Moss surrounds this wildflower growing in the rock wall

Perriwinkle

Daffodil beside the trail

Yellow wildflower beside the trail

Wildflowers beside the trail

We camped for 2 nights at the Natural Bridge KOA, about 5 miles from the Natural Bridge.

Day 81: Wildlife and Glacier Cruise from Valdez

August 6, 2013June 19, 2015Posted in Alaska, Birds, Glaciers, Waterfalls, WildlifeTagged Bald Eagle, Columbia Glacier, Killer Whales, Orcas, Puffins, Sea Otters, Stan Stevens Cruises, Stellar Sea Lions2 Comments

Day 81: Sunday, August 4, 2013

The day was overcast with a chance of rain but it was our last opportunity to take a cruise so off we went on the Glacier Spirit with Stan Stephens Cruises. The boat had a nice, warm comfortable cabin and plenty of viewing areas outside. We left the Valdez Harbor about noon for our 6 hour cruise.

We went out on the Glacier Spirit

One of the crab boats from “Deadliest Catch” tv show

A boat heading out of the harbor

Foggy day for a boat ride

The scenery was breathtaking and there was plenty of wildlife. As we cruised close to shore we saw too many eagles to keep count. A pod of Dall Porpoise bow surfed for a while. They’re too fast to get a picture but beautiful to watch.

Sea Otters on Columbia Glacier tour from Valdez

We stopped to watch the sea otters on our way out into the bay

We spotted this pair of Bald Eagles as we cruised by on a wildlife and glacier cruise from Valdez

Henry enjoying the view from the bow of the boat

Hundreds of juvenile Stellar Sea Lions

Puffins on the Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez

The highlight of the day was seeing a pod of Orcas with a calf.

Pod of Orcas with calf

We finally saw Orcas!

A pair of Orcas on Columbia Glacier tour from Valdez

The captain navigated through huge chunks of ice to get into Columbia Bay for a close up look at 10 mile wide Columbia Glacier.

Chunk of ice from the Columbia Glacier

The Columbia Bay was full of ice as we approached the Columbia Glacier

We were about two miles from the Columbia Glacier when I took this photo

This piece of ice from the glacier is big enough to be called an iceberg

A small sailboat sails around the ice

A chunk of ice from the glacier

The ride back to Valdez was just as spectacular.

We saw waterfalls as we went by

An oil tanker leaving Valdez

A couple of the small rocky islands we passed

Do you see the profile of a face on the right side of the rock?

This waterfall looks like it is coming out of the clouds

The waterfall is actually below a glacier

Day 79: Waterfalls, glaciers and salmon in Valdez

August 5, 2013July 9, 2017Posted in Alaska, Glaciers, WaterfallsTagged Alaska Pipeline, Coho Salmon, Fish weir, Horsetail Falls, Keystone Canyon, Solomon Gulch Fish Hatchery, Valdez Gold Rush Days, Worthington Glacier1 Comment

Day 79: Friday, August 2, 2013

I love Valdez. It is a quaint fishing village with about 4500 year round residents. It is not too commercial or touristy and everything here revolves around the water. The harbor is surrounded by mountains and is the northern most harbor in Alaska that doesn’t freeze in the winter. The Alaska pipeline ends in Valdez.

Valdez is all about the fishing

View of the bay across from the campground

The sign says it all

Boardwalk next to the harbor

Really nice fish cleaning tables

Looking into the bay from the small boat harbor

A barge going out into the bay

Love the old wooden boat

Wooden boat at the Valdez Museum

Valdez Small boat harbor

On our drive into Valdez we descended a long steep grade on the highway past several glaciers and waterfalls without stopping so we took a drive back up the highway to do a little exploring in Keystone Canyon and at Worthington Glacier.

Horsetail Falls waterfall in Keystone Canyon

Bridal Veil Falls in Keystone Canyon

Bridal Veil Falls is next to another smaller waterfall

This old railroad tunnel was never finished when a feud interrupted progress and a gun battle took place

Near Thompson Pass on the road to Valdez

Beautiful green valley on the road to Valdez

Up close at the Worthington Glacier. With a state recreation area parking area and paved trail to an overlook, this is Alaska’s most accessible glacier.

The lake at Worthington Glacier

Henry and Blondie at Worthington Glacier

This sign explains the Solomon Gulch Hatchery Fish Weir

On the way back into town we took a drive to the other side of the bay to stop by the fish weir next to the hatchery to see if the salmon were spawning. There were fisherman on the banks catching salmon. At the fish weir by the hatchery the water was filled with thousands of fish.

Fishing for salmon across the bay from Valdez

Kids trying to touch the salmon as they swim upstream to spawn. You can see fins sticking up in the water.

Thousands of salmon in the water

The Fish Weir

Fish Weir at the Solomon Gulch Fish Hatchery

We arrived in Valdez during their Gold Rush Days celebration. The Klondike Gold Rush is an important part of Valdez history and the residents celebrate for several days with events for adults and kids. Friday night was the Wine Walk and start of a street fair. The ladies were all decked out in the 1890’s outfits having way too much fun!

Valdez Gold Rush Days

Gold Rush Days in Valdez during the Friday night Wine Walk around town.

If you haven’t looked at them lately, check out the maps of our journey.

Day 32: Father’s Day in Skagway

June 17, 2013February 10, 2015Posted in Alaska, Tourist Attractions, WaterfallsTagged Gold Rush, Skagway, Skagway Brewind Company2 Comments

Day 32: Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Henry’s Father’s Day present was he didn’t have to tow the RV anywhere! He got to relax and enjoy the day.

Blondie and I started the day with an early morning stroll through downtown Skagway. As I walked along the boardwalks gazing at the historic buildings I could imagine what it must have been like during the Gold Rush days in 1898.

This is what I saw when I stepped out of the RV this morning

Pullen RV Park Site 45, Skagway, AK

Looking down State Street toward the Harbor

Skagway Visitor’s Center is one of the most photographed buildings in Alaska

Skagway Centenial Statue. The sculptor was killed in a plane crass two days ago.

Later on, Henry and I enjoyed breakfast at the Sweet Tooth Cafe before going for a drive back up the highway to enjoy the views we couldn’t stop to look at on our way to Skagway.