1202 February 6, 2025 Wagonwheel Loop
It is easier to walk when it is beautiful outside. The warm sunshine is a balm. This place is so peaceful. The water was still.
We packed a picnic lunch and drove the Jeep. Our first stop was the H. P. Wiliams Roadside Park. From the boardwalk we saw lots of gators.
There was a common water snake coiled up on a rock.
We took Turner River Road into the outback. Big Cypress National Preserve covers and area about the size of Rhode Island. We drove about 20 miles.
We passed beneath Interstate 75. The underpass was designed to allow animals to migrate further north without crossing the busy roadway.
We drove to Bear Island Campground and found an isolated spot for our picnic.
This creepy looking running crab spider was in the bathroom on the ceiling.
We saw no bears and no Florida panthers. We did see a long and skinny black snake wriggling its way across the road. We saw a few turtles in the grassy verge. We saw tons of birds. Hawks, ospreys, egrets, herons, anhingas, storks, ibises…lots of birds!
We took Wagonwheel Road back to the highway. I love this drive. The scenery is wild and untamed. Big creatures live here and the possibility that we just might see them is enticing. As we went, we were reminded of the enormity of the wilderness here. Most everything south 75 is public land. This is “Real Florida.”
We got back to the RV and had our customary quiet time. We spent the remainder of the afternoon outside.
A kingfisher.
This alligator staked out a space on the grassy bank less than 100 feet from our site. He looks like he is about 10 feet long! He was still there went we went in for the night!
A ranger came to invite us to an evening program. We went to hear her speak about fire in the Big Cypress and the Everglades. Emily was young and smart and had great positive energy. She talked about the importance of fire in maintaining the ecological balance. The park service here is responsible for prescribed burns. The idea is that the entire preserve undergoes a burn every 5 years. Each year about 20% of the park is managed by fire. This is meant to simulate the cycle of natural fires that would occur as a result of lightning.
We returned to the campsite and grilled mushrooms and spinach which we enjoyed with some orzo. The sun went down as we ate. A few mosquitoes began to emerge and they chased us inside.