While researching Exploring Florida’s Botanical Wonders, I had the honor of a visit to Angus Gholson’s herbarium in Chattahoochee, as well as a guided hike through the new Gholson Nature Park, a wonderland of rare wildflowers.
Apalachicola River
There is something magical about the Apalachicola River, from its beginning at the Georgia/Florida border to its broad flow out to the Gulf of Mexico. In the deeply folded landscapes along its upper shores, ravines host some of the rarest plants in Florida.
Angus Gholson Nature Park
Above the Apalachicola River, the community of Chattahoochee hides a natural treasure in its deep ravines—a park named for its native son, botanist Angus Gholson.
Apalachicola
Around Apalachicola, the “Forgotten Coast” is dotted with parks, forests, and refuges along US 98 and the barrier islands, none of which are easily accessed from Tallahassee or Panama City.
Apalachicola National Forest
The Apalachicola National Forest is the largest National Forest in Florida, sweeping around the southern edge of Tallahassee. It is noted for its botanical beauty.
Blountstown
A small town along the Apalachicola River, Blountstown got its start as a riverboat destination. It is the seat of Calhoun County and sits upriver from where the Chipola River meets the Apalachicola River at Dead Lakes.
Blountstown Greenway
Connecting neighborhoods, parks, and services within a historic Apalachicola River town, the paved 3.9-mile Blountstown Greenway includes a segment of the Florida Trail
Bristol
A small rural community on the eastern bluffs of the Apalachicola River, Bristol is the northwest gateway to the Apalachicola National Forest and a trail town on the Florida Trail.
Chapman Botanical Garden
Chapman Botanical Garden honors the memory of Dr. Alvan Wentworth Chapman, a noted botanist who in 1860 published Flora of the United States. Adjoins the Orman House
Chattahoochee Nature Trails
Chattahoochee Nature Trails system treats hikers to an exploration of botanically-rich habitats along bluffs and ravines near the Apalachicola River and an archaeological site towering over the river’s edge.
Florida Trail, Bristol Roadwalk
11 miles. One of the narrowest high-speed highways that the Florida Trail follows, CR 12 into Bristol connects the Apalachicola National Forest with the Apalachicola River.