A “Catwalk” Through A Cypress Swamp May 23, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Exercise & Fitness, Nature, Travel & Leisure.trackback
When we lived in NC, we spent many wonderful weekends camping and hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Smokies.
We loved to pack a picnic and hike to a waterfall where we could park our butts on a big boulder mid-river to enjoy the rushing water (and an adult beverage, or two). Here, there is plenty of water but waterfalls are few and far between.
BFF misses our mountain meanders ~ not enough to hike the Appalachian Trail, but enough to wander in the woods and set a spell. We came close earlier this month.
Wanting to fit in another road trip before Florida temps rose from warm to steamy, we headed to Sebring for a short visit.
Emphasis on short.
We enjoyed a quick peek at Lake Jackson . . .
And strolled around the Circle Shops, stopping to visit a pottery studio, before bidding adieu to Sebring.
With Sebring in our rear view mirror, we headed to nearby Highland Hammock State Park to do some hiking in the woods.
Our first hike started out as an easy flat walk along an elevated boardwalk.
High above the muck and mire. Just the way I like it!
Without warning, our easy hike turned into a balancing act along a narrow “catwalk” suspended over the murky Cypress Swamp.
The catwalk had a handrail on one side and NOTHING between us and the swamp on the other.
The people who built it must have had a good laugh at the one-sided structure they left in their wake.
To make matters worse, stuff kept falling out of the tall tall trees because a big storm had blown through the night before.
Every time a big limb dropped with a CRACK, we jumped.
Especially after seeing the creature from the black lagoon rising from the swampy soup.
To claim the boardwalk for lunch.
We didn’t see any gators or snakes.
We were OK with that.
We did see some interesting hoo doos.
And pixies hiding among the primordial ferns.
Eventually the canopy gave way to blue sky and we climbed down from the catwalk to terra firma.
Happy we lived to tell the tale, we readied ourselves to hike another trail.
Which turned out to be a very gnarly one.
After meeting up with this wise old oak . . .
We continued along the trail until we heard “a bear” crashing through the forest in our direction.
Deciding we’d had enough nature for one day, we fled the trail.
Aah . . . that’s better!
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Strange how those trees grow. That seems like my kind of hike-with just enough danger to keep things interesting.
Cypress trees and their “knees”
Gnarly old oaks telling twisted tales
Creatures claiming the boardwalk for lunch
Hoo Doos and pixies neath primordial ferns
Nature is full of wonders
So much better (for us) to walk the catwalk than it would have been to slog through the sludge and build it.
I’ll go along with that!
If only the pixies could talk! Fabulous photos – thanks.
We enjoyed the sights and sounds echoing around.
Hearing pixies speak while being regaled with tall tales from ancient oaks ~> bliss!
Great photos, Nancy!
My camera captured a bit of the magic of the forest primeval.
We’ll have to send Helen out to HIghland Hammocks to get shots of the “moving targets.” She might have managed to stand her ground and capture “the bear” on film!
You two have been doing some fun day trips lately! Love the old Oak.
We go through “fits and spurts” of day trips, hibernating when it’s too H~O~T to enjoy being out and about (or when chilly temps require too much bundling up ~ sightseeing is not fun if I feel like the abominable snowman).
Last night, we went to Perico Preserve for the first time since it’s Grand Opening last week. The weather was PERFECT ~> 80 degrees with an evening breeze. Bliss!
I thought you might enjoy the Pixies best. 😉
Looks fascinating. Some great shots there – especially the gnarly ones 🙂
Florida has done a good job of setting aside land for state parks. It’s good for the planet, good for the wildlife, and good for us.
Nature nurtures!
That’s my kind of walk Nancy! I’ve always been fascinated with boardwalks and catwalks … As long as they aren’t too high. Thanks for sharing the gnarls pixies and monsters 😀
This was a marvelous walk . . . but it felt a bit precarious when one of the handrails went MIA mid-way through the marsh.
Mid-way often brings an unexpected moment of mindfulness 🙃
Happily, we stayed in the NOW throughout the entire hike ~ mindful of the present moment.
Beautiful photos. Now seeing Florida is on my bucket list. I didn’t know oak trees grew like that.
Hi Kathy! Florida is such a huge state with tons of diversity, even if the elevation is essentially “FLAT.”
These trees could be posters for the idea of “gnarly old oaks.”
Looks beautiful except I’d be fearful of the gators.
If I saw a gator, I’d be wary . . . but I haven’t seen many in the 7 1/2 years we’ve been here.
Snakes, I’ve seen. But they’re mostly heading the other way by the time I see them
Now that’s an adventure! That bridge tho!!! Great pictures to go with the story, too!
Just the right speed of adventure for us, Kate. The crashing limbs kept us on our toes as we marched through the marsh.
That was wild, Nancy!! And your pictures of the spirits of the woods are great! Now the weather is great for such adventures.
We’ve been taking advantage of as many days with cooler temps and lower humidity as we can . . . before we hibernate from the scorching sizzling summer sun.
Went outside just now. The breeze was up and the dewpoint was down. Delightful.
All that gorgeous green canopy looks like it could have been the set for one of the Jurassic Park movies! Beautiful, but it would be easy to let my imagine get the best of me. 🙂 The tree trunks are really spectacular and I can see why you’d enjoy the hike. Good thing you both have good balance. Not a place to hike if you suffer from vertigo, right?
That’s what I thought, Deb ~ in fact, I believe I started singing the chorus “I’m so dizzy. My head is a spinning. Like a whirlpool, it never ends.” The missing handrail must have de-railed a few hikers, causing them to turn around and retrace their steps. For us, it added to the sense of adventure . . . and caution.
That gnarly old oak is huge! I love this walk – it has my name written all over it, Nancy (minus the bear) 😉
Would love to have you join us. Good thing we didn’t need your hiking knife to make it through the underbrush this time.
There are bears there. And signs with explanations about how to deal with them. “The bear” we heard might have been something else. We didn’t stick around to identify it.
I like the gnarly wood things. Isn’t nature amazing. But like you, I’d prefer a bit of a safe distance from some of it! Great photos. Thanks for taking us on your hike with you. Delightful.
I love nature and try to get a dose of it daily. But I’m not about to go live off the grid in a cabin in the woods where I have daily dealings with snakes, gators, and bears. I’m too “soft.”
This looks like a cool adventure. Green and gnarly. I forget how the real FL looks, having visited so many well-manicured places that have removed all traces of swamp. But this, for a hour or two, looks fascinating.
I’m right there with you, Ally ~ an hour or two in the swamps is plenty for me. I need “wide open spaces” to be at my happiest.
Ah, communing with nature! Looks like it was an interesting hike and I’m glad you didn’t wind up in the swamp, Nancy.
Me too! I prefer being in water that’s a tad more transparent.
Although I liked the photographs. The great thing about Highland Hammock State Park is all that lush foliage affording plenty of hiding places for the velociraptors.
Yes. Another perfect setting for a Jurassic Park . . . and only an hour or so from that Hotbed of Theme Parks ~> Orlando!
Sounds like a lovely outing. You survived with photos as proof!
Nice day with just enough “adrenaline” flowing.