Journal Entry – Princess Place Preserve, Flagler County
Today I visited Princess Place Preserve, one of my favorite semi-wild areas in the Palm Coast vicinity. The trail I had picked out isn’t one with scenic views, just wide mowed trails passing beneath towering Slash Pine and Live Oaks, bordered by saw palmetto. It was peaceful. The trail is a combined hiker/horse trail. It has mostly sandy/grass surface, but there were a few muddy spots. I had to do a green belay off of some saw palmetto to get by a particularly deep pool and still got my old walking shoes soaked through. The past “wet” season has been… wet, really wet. The hammocks show it, with standing water in every low spot. Mosquitos are an issue, too, and will be until it gets cold enough to stop the latest hatch.
The trail was a 1.5 mile loop and I took it in a leisurely fashion, having hiked several miles the previous day.
The trail curves around the edge of Pellicer Creek, but there are few views due to the heavy scrub at the water’s edge.
About half way through this hike, I sat for a long time on a bench, just relishing being in the woods, with the distant sounds of airplanes, birds, and a light breeze playing through the tall slender pines. I really relish the time spent in nature.
After I finished the hike, I drove to another part of the Preserve. Being Saturday, there were campers and fisherpeople everywhere. I snapped a few photos and moved on.
The area has changed physically as a result of hurricanes, which is to be expected. For example, the turn-around and picnic area on Moody Point has been truncated. A new fence stops cars and a new bench was just erected. A couple of guys were talking and fishing so I didn’t bother them. There are a few small parking pull-offs available on the dead-end road.
A couple of days ago, I hiked the Legacy Trail. A good portion of it was sticky mud and standing puddles. I didn’t feel like handling it today and instead choose the easy one mile stroll around Artesian Trail, which goes by a natural spring-fed pond on one portion of the trail.
Having completed my second hike of the morning, I headed home, but I’ll be back. Eventually I will be strong enough to connect several of these trails together in a long and satisfying hike. Right now, I am grateful to have the time and opportunity to visit these beautiful spots in Flagler County.
Eliza
Camera: Nikon Coolpix L830
COMMENTS ON
Sunny's Journal 
That white fork tree is very interesting…tree beings…makes me want to hug it! 😉
LikeLike
The photo is a little washed out due to the low angle morning light. Oak trees aren’t white, but I understand what you’re saying. For many years I was a devoted reader of Tolkien’s works. And I love trees. There are several different kinds of oaks in Flagler County and Princess Place has some beautiful specimens. ~Eliza
LikeLike
Peaceful, thank you. My fave pic is “View near Moody Point”, though all exude calmness and beauty. Wanted to ask, being as I’m not near any oceans/tides, is the water that this vegetation grows in, salt water? If so, that makes their proliferation even more intriguing. Much love, thanks Eliza, Altea
LikeLike
The water is brackish… I believe, and yes, the plants are very salt tolerant. Nearby, years ago, I saw two dolphins swimming in the “creek” and within moments, saw an otter. It is a very viable ecosystem. Pellicer Creek widens out into a great salt marsh that is edged by the Intracostal Waterway… an artificial canal that linked together these salt marshes and created permanent barrier islands on the oceanside. The waterway is also called “a river”. I would have to check on the map where it connects up with St. John’s River, which is a huge body of water that penetrates deep into Florida nearly to Orlando.
All the vegetation you see in these photos, especially at Princess Place, are occasionally subjected to flooding especially during high tides and storm surges. The plants are extremely tough and enduring. The water levels have been pretty high this year due to all the rain. Also, Hurricane Tammy is sending huge waves our way on the coast, which causes beach erosion, a constant factor on the Atlantic coast. ~Eliza
LikeLike
It’s wonderful to read your getting out and about in nature again.. I enjoy your tales and pictures.. much love.. 💛🌼💛
LikeLike
Thank you, Fiona! And thanks to everyone for the comments supporting these outings. I do enjoy a walk (even through a little mud) with camera in hand. ~Eliza
LikeLiked by 1 person