Today I stayed closer to home, selecting the Graham Swamp Pond Trail which travels 2.18 miles between Old Kings Road and Colbert Road. This coquina and broadwalk trail connects up with the rest of the extensive trail system (hikers/bikers) within and around Palm Coast.

Being a weekday, I only saw about 8 people, one dog, and one cyclist. The main trailhead is off of Old Kings Road. There is an portion of the trail extending into a neighborhood, but I didn’t look that over today.

After leaving Old Kings Road and I-95 (which parallels Old Kings Road) the noise is also left behind until the trail approaches Colbert Road. Then you can choose several different destinations.

After returning to the car, I drove to Waterfront Park which fronts up on the Intracoastal Waterway. From an overlook, you can watch the boat traffic on the waterway or admire some huge houses across the river. There is a trail at Waterfront Park that travels north towards the Hammock Bridge and beyond.

After a 4+ mile hike, I had enough for the day. It was time to stop at the grocery store and pick up a few items.

I’ll go back to this Graham Swamp Trail. It is a pleasant walk. There is also a more primitive trail that encircles the pond near the trailhead, but it had some fallen trees on it and I didn’t feel like crawling on damp ground to get around them. The primitive trail does end at the wider Graham Swamp Trail. Having hiked for some 50 odd years, my eyes are attuned to spotting even the most vague trail. It is apparent the pond trail doesn’t receive a lot of usage.

Traffic is an issue in some areas of Palm Coast, as it is in any growing region in Florida, but there are ways to get around it which I am discovering.

Oh, I looked up the species/genus of the local pines, Pinus plaustris or Longleaf Pine. They used to grow from Florida to Texas and north into Virginia. Being especially tall (some up to 100 ft.) and straight, lumbermen were, of course, drawn to cutting them down so few original stands of Longleaf Pine survive. Fortunately, these pines are found still in the various preserves found in this part of Florida. The bark reminds me somewhat of the Ponderosa or Yellow Pine found in drier western forests. Both pines have 3-needle bunches, although the Longleaf pine’s needles are very long.

I’ve always have been curious about the natural world and look up things that come to my attention. Thus, I am always learning something new, which keeps the mind sharp and attentive to its surroundings.

So… there was my mild adventure for today. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Enjoy your week, everyone!

Eliza

Camera: Nikon Coolpix L830

Location: Palm Coast, Flagler County, FL

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