• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel

Following Juniper Creek

On the third day of the 2013 Panhandle Trace Hike, we followed the Juniper Creek section of the Florida Trail away from the wildfires that burned to the north, experiencing beauty and absurdity along the way.

April 16, 2013    John Keatley

Day 3 of the Panhandle Trace Hike

Yesterday, while being shuttled back to camp, we drove through an area that was still burning. The forest was black and charred, filled with thick smoke. As we drove past, we watched for small flames still brightly burning. Our first thought was why would the forest service do a prescribed burn now, knowing that the local Florida Trail Association chapter was leading a hike along this area with people from all over the state?

Smoke on the water at Juniper Creek
Smoke on the water at Juniper Creek

Weirdly enough, they did. But that wasn’t the only fire in the neighborhood. Since Florida State Forests were burning their land, a local farmer decided to join in and burn his field. It got out of control and scorched the route of tomorrow’s hike, the southern portion of the Jackson Red Ground Trail. Worse, it burned one of the few AT-style shelters along the Florida Trail to the ground.

Not wanting to breathe in smoke all morning while walking, Sandy and I had our own plan. We would start hiking where the shuttle vehicles were left and hike back into the campground, doing part of tomorrow’s hike for most of our group. As they drove north, we headed south along Juniper Creek, with a touch of smoke in the air.

It wasn’t long before we took a side trail to the bluff over looking the creek. And I do mean ‘Bluff’! These beautiful red clay walls dropped sharply some eighty feet to the bottom. We had to be careful not to stand to close to the undercut edges of these eroded cliffs. This spot on the Florida Trail would be the highlight of the trip for me: I never imagined that I’d see anything like this along the Florida Trail!

Juniper Bluffs
Juniper Bluffs

We descended slowly to the creeks edge, walking past gigantic Atlantic White Cedar trees, some so large that I couldn’t reach halfway around them. The trail climbed up and down, through and along ancient bluffs from the creek’s side channels created by many generations of flooding. The trail dropped down to snow white beaches that would blind you when the the sun glittered off them, and circled around gum swamps in old oxbows of the creek.

Beach on Juniper Creek
Wet beach sand on Juniper Creek
Gum swamp along the Juniper Creek Trail
Gum swamp along the Juniper Creek Trail

After stopping at a very large sandy beach for the view we came to a shelter for a snack where we came across Trudy and Martina, two fellow hikers in our group. They’d decided to skip the smoky part of the hike, too.

Juniper Creek shelter area
Trudy, JK, and Martina at the Juniper Creek shelter area

 

Juniper Creek shelter
Juniper Creek shelter

We separated again while stopping to admire the amazing domed spider webs. With the shrubs all covered with dew, it was easy to see the intricate designs of these unusual webs. They reminded me of geodesic dome buildings. I may not remember all of my insects from earning and then teaching the Insect Merit Badge at summer camp decades ago. But I’m sure that I would have recalled if I had ever seen webs like these before.

Dome-like spider webs
Dome-like spider webs
Sandy and a very large cedar
Sandy and a very large cedar

Climbing away from the creek and into the pine forests, we met Peggy and the ladies stopping for a water break at Peggy’s van along Indian Ford Road. We could see an old house, all tumbling down, just before slipping back into the woods and on the trail.

Old house on Indian Ford Road
Old house on Indian Ford Road

Soon we were hiking through a recently burned area. The only green that we saw were young tufts of wiregrass emerging from the destruction, and the still-green titi bogs with their long bog bridges. Each of which led us back into the burnt forest.

Burned area along the Juniper Creek Trail
Burned area along the Juniper Creek Trail
Beach on Juniper Creek
Bog bridges through a titi bog

Knowing that this was once a pine plantation, I began my customary search for clay turpentine pots. They were used to collect the sap to be boiled down into turpentine. Remembering the catface scars on the trees of my youth, I have started watching for these clay containers. I’ve rarely had the chance to see a nearly unbroken one. Most of the time, all that’s left are just small bits and pieces. Today, finding the remains squared off clay turpentine pots was an unexpected surprise. I had never before see anything but round ones.

Square clay turpentine pot
Square clay turpentine pot

As we approached Blackwater River State Park, we started noticing a barbed wire fence. It separated the State Park land from the State Forest land. Thank goodness that it – and the “No trespassing” signs – were there to keep the forest and park from becoming intermixed. Sandy snapped a picture of me trespassing on the wrong side of the fence, which was the RIGHT side of the fence for me, as I was on the Florida Trail. A simple “No Hunting” sign would do.

Trespassing sign
Who’s trespassing while hiking the Florida Trail?

Apparently, the fence had a dual purpose. It could also deter some hikers from passing between state-owned lands. Not only was the opening much too narrow for anyone but a child to pass through, but the barbs had been left where they were wrapped around the post, making it like a vertical game of limbo, providing pain if you didn’t make it cleanly through. We decided to crawl under the gate instead.

Tight squeeze between Blackwater and Blackwater
Tight squeeze between Blackwater and Blackwater

Today’s hike ended inside the state park, along the Blackwater River, at a picnic area with restrooms. We caught a short ride back to camp with Peggy. It was time to move Primrose to our next campsite in the park!

Category: Articles, Florida Trail, Hiking, Travels with PrimroseTag: Blackwater River State Forest, Blackwater River State Park, Florida State Forests, Florida State Parks, Florida Trail, FT Blackwater, Milton, Panhandle Trace

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

Our Florida Trail Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideThe comprehensive mile-by-mile guidebook to planning section and thru-hikes along the entire length of the Florida Trail. 356 pages, $19.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail HikesFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail, plus nine of the best section hikes. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now
 


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
Our virtual walk along the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now


The Florida Trail

Florida Trail large coffee table book cover of trail down swamp causeway under ancient pines

Our history of the first 50 years of the Florida Trail, from its founding in 1966 to becoming a National Scenic Trail to volunteer efforts today.

Learn More

The Florida Trail App

Comprehensive logistics and offline maps all in one: The Florida Trail Guide is now also an interactive map-based mile-by-mile app by Guthook Guides.

Get the App!

Florida Trail Updates


Get periodic recaps of changes to the Florida Trail, which we accumulate between editions of our guidebook. Find all official Trail Closures & Notices here.

Hiking the Florida Trail

  • Florida Trail Overview
  • Plan your Hike
  • Choose the Right Gear
  • Best Scenic Hikes
  • Best Backpacking Trips
  • Section Hiking
  • Thru-Hiking
  • Eastern Continental Trail
  • Florida Trail in South Florida
  • Florida Trail in Central Florida
  • Florida Trail in North Florida
  • Florida Trail in Northwest Florida
  • Florida Trail for Scouting
  • Florida Trail Adventures
  • Florida Trail Updates

Florida Trail by Section

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

Florida Trail, Apalachicola
Florida Trail Big Bend view

Florida Trail, Big Bend

Florida Trail, Big Bend
Florida Trail Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Blackwater

Florida Trail, Blackwater
Florida Trail Nokuse

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
Eglin Weaver Creek

Florida Trail, Eglin

Florida Trail, Eglin
Florida Trail Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee
Florida Trail at Rice Creek

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida
Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Florida Trail, Ocala

Florida Trail, Ocala
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail
Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee
Florida Trail at Forever Florida

Florida Trail, Orlando

Florida Trail, Orlando
Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, Seashore

Florida Trail, Seashore
Florida Trail along a canal south of Clewiston

Florida Trail, Seminole

Florida Trail, Seminole
No Name Creek

Florida Trail, Suwannee

Florida Trail, Suwannee
Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2022, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact