Celebrate Tallahassee Trails! FTA Apalachee Chapter Meeting June 10, 2014

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1 Celebrate Tallahassee Trails! FTA Apalachee Chapter Meeting June 10, 2014

2 Welcome to the Best of Florida! With abundant wildlife, waterways, and public conservation lands, the opportunities for recreation are endless!! We re close to the coast, next to a vast National Forest, a National Wildlife Refuge, multiple State Parks, Wildlife Management Areas, State Forests, City & County Parks, and trails are everywhere! Let s go outside and play!!!

3 BIG BEND SCENIC BYWAY The Big Bend Scenic Byway will transport you to a different time and place through its Wildlife, Woods, Waterways and Way of Life

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5 BIG BEND SCENIC BYWAY Legendary American Byways: Blue Ridge Parkway Route 66 Pacific Coast Highway Big Bend Scenic Byway

6 BIG BEND SCENIC BYWAY 220 miles: Longest Scenic Highway in Florida Connects 1 National Forest, 1 National Estuarine Research Reserve, 2 National Wildlife Refuges, The Florida National Scenic Trail, 9 State Parks, 3 State Forests, Wildlife Management Areas & numerous County and City Parks 4 Waterfront Florida Communities and 3 Historic Lighthouses

7 BIG BEND SCENIC BYWAY Positive Impacts Economic engine for the state s tourism economy Creates jobs and businesses along the route Encourages preservation of natural resources and historic sites

8 BIG BEND SCENIC BYWAY Designations 2007 Florida Scenic Highway 6-year Application Process to Florida Department of Transportation 2009 National Scenic Byway 1-year Nomination Process to Federal Highway Administration

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11 Tell the Byway Story Interpret Themes Help Orient Visitors BIG BEND SCENIC BYWAY Wayside Exhibits

12 Enjoy a Scenic Drive On the way to your Favorite Trail! FloridaBigBendScenicByway.org Please Like Us on Facebook

13 HIKING TRAILS ON ST. MARKS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

14 MILES AND MILES OF TRAILS The refuge is +/- 70,000 acres Florida National Scenic Trail covers about 49 miles across the refuge east to west St. Marks Unit receives most visitor use 5 named trails Make your own trail on our levees and woodland roads All offer abundant opportunities for photography and wildlife observation

15 PLUM ORCHARD POND Behind the Visitor Center 1/3 mile loop with boardwalks, foot traffic only Animal Olympics for kids Spur trail to experimental burn plots

16 PLUM ORCHARD POND Boardwalks and benches Animal Olympics

17 Burn Plots demonstrate differences of burning by season and frequency

18 PRIMITIVE WALKING TRAILS Deep Creek: 12 miles ~ Stoney Bayou: 6.5 miles Both follow old logging roads through woodlands and levee roads Map at trailhead

19 Starts at restroom parking lot ¼ mile Observation tower Birds and other wildlife Accessible for all HEADQUARTERS POND Photo by Lou Kellenberger

20 TOWER POND TRAIL Starts at restroom parking lot and picnic area Approximately 1 mile easy walking loop Leaflet at trailhead

21 CEDAR POINT Starts west of salt water boat ramp parking ¼ mile; lots of cactus; foot traffic only Original location of the lighthouse probably near the end of this trail

22 CEDAR POINT Look out for cactus Trail ends at Apalachee Bay Salt marsh scene

23 Starts west of the lighthouse parking lot ½ mile Foot traffic only Plant leaflet at trailhead LIGHTHOUSE LEVEE

24 WE RE OPEN ALL YEAR! Entrance fee $5 or federal pass or federal Duck Stamp Potable water fountain in the Visitor Center Bring food, snacks, and water Sun protection Insect spray Camera, binoculars, field guides Great Florida Birding Trail Gateway Borrow free binoculars at the Visitors Center

25 Marti Miller Recreation Coordinator

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28 Multi-use Trail Scan with SMART phone bar code reader for trail map. t

29 Division of Recreation and Parks State Park Hiking Trails in Big Bend Region June 10, 2014, Apalachee Chapter FTA Meeting Doug Alderson, Assistant Bureau Chief Office of Greenways and Trails

30 Florida State Park App 30

31 Torreya State Park Often called the Florida mountains ; 16 miles of trails and two loops 31

32 Torreya State Park 32

33 Torreya State Park Rare Plants Torreya Tree Florida Yew 33

34 St. George Island State Park 2.5-mile Gap Point Trail and 1-mile East Slough Trail 34

35 St. George Island State Park View from Gap Point Primitive Campsite at end of trail 35

36 Ochlockonee River State Park 2.6 miles of nature trails through longleaf pine flatwoods 36

37 Bald Point State Park Miles of hiking along forest roads and a 1.7 mile trail along the coast 37

38 Wakulla Springs State Park 6 mile trail (one direction) of marked footpath and jeep roads 38

39 Wakulla Springs State Park 2-mile loop trail through River Sinks Unit and 1-mile trail to Cherokee Sink. 39

40 Maclay Gardens State Park 5 miles of trails around Lake Overstreet 40

41 Combo Trail Opportunities Paddle a river and hike back to initial launch area, eliminating need for extra vehicle 41

42 New Online Trail Guide 42

43 NW Florida Land Trails NW Florida Land Trails 43

44 NW Florida Land Trails 44

45 Comprehensive To date, guide includes: 345 land trails 84 paddling trails 429 total trails 45

46 Division of Recreation and Parks Paddling Trails in Big Bend Region June 10, 2014, Apalachee Chapter FTA Meeting Liz Sparks, Paddling Trail Coordinator Office of Greenways and Trails

47 Finding Paddling Trails 47

48 Local Paddling Trails Ochlockonee River-Upper Ochlockonee River-Lower Sopchoppy River Apalachee Bay Maritime Heritage Paddling Trail System Lafayette Passage Wakulla River Wacissa River Aucilla River 48

49 Panhandle Paddling Trails Apalachicola River Blueway Apalachee Bay Maritime Heritage Trail Apalachicola Paddling Trail System Escambia River Coldwater Creek Juniper Creek Blackwater River Choctawhatchee River Yellow River Shoal River Holmes Creek Econfina Creek Chipola River Florida Circumnavigation Saltwater Trail 49

50 OGT Trip Planning 50

51 USGS Water Levels 51

52 Local & State Paddling Clubs 52

53 Apalachee Bay Maritime Heritage Paddling Trail System Visitwakulla.com

54 Local Paddling Trails The Rivers of AWE Aucilla, Wacissa, and Econfina are some of the area s most beautiful and unspoiled waterways Order map online: Wildlife Foundation of Florida 54

55 Lake Lafayette Passage Did you know you can paddle from Tallahassee almost to Chaires through a wild, cypress-ringed swamp near Super WalMart and US 27!? 55

56 Lake Lafayette Passage 56

57 New National Recreation Trail Apalachicola River Blueway just named one of the nation s 21 trails selected as 2014 designated National Recreation Trails by the Department of the Interior. 57

58 Future Paddling Trails Lake Jackson Blueway Leon County Future State Designated Trails: Upper Chipola Silver River Choctawhatchee River Steinhatchee River Ocheesee Pond Merritt s Millpond Dry Creek 58

59 Dawn Griffin Apalachee FTA Chapter Activity Coordinator

60 Florida Trail Association In 1966 Jim Kern, a real estate broker and hiking enthusiast, became fed up with driving all the way to North Carolina to hike the wilderness simply because there were no hiking trails in Florida. Today, thanks to dedicated volunteers there are more than 1,000 miles of the continuous trail have been completed, as well as more than 365 miles of loop trails in state parks, state forests, and other public lands close to urban areas. Land acquisition continues for the Florida Trail, with a goal of protecting a wilderness corridor the length of Florida. What was once considered a far-fetched dream is now reality: following the orange blazes, you can walk the length of Florida from Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve to Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island.

61 Apalachee Chapter Since 1982 Serves Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties Maintains the first certified section of the Florida National Scenic Trail, certified by the USDA Forest Service in Maintains over 150 miles of the Florida Trail from the Aucilla River west to the Apalachicola River, including the Aucilla River & Sinks Water Management Areas, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and the Apalachicola National Forest.

62 Apalachicola National Forest East (includes Bradwell Bay and Sopchoppy River) From Medart to Porter Lake 32.4 miles

63 Sopchoppy River Section Apalachicola National Forest - East wild azaleas - Springtime

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69 Bradwell Bay Wilderness Area yes, you may want to pack your mask and snorkel!

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72 Apalachicola National Forest West (includes Camel Lake) From Porter Lake to the Apalachicola River 46.3 miles

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75 Apalachee Chapter Maintains loop trails at Fort Braden (Lake Talquin State Forest), Phipps Park, and Torreya State Park Organizes fun activities throughout the year..

76 What was once considered a far-fetched dream is now reality: following the orange blazes, you can walk the length of Florida from Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve to Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island.

77 A spur trail connects the Florida Trail with another long-distance trail under construction in Alabama, which will connect to the Appalachian Trail. Long distance hikers have already walked 4,000 miles and more from Key West to Quebec, utilizing the Florida Trail as part of their journey. Contact FTA Today!

78 Celebrate Tallahassee Trails Division of Parks & Recreation June 10, 2014

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80 7 Community Parks 1 Regional Park 2,663 acres of Greenways 3 Campgrounds 25 Boat Landings 6 Community Centers Administration of Youth Sports Programs

81 Nearly 40 miles of maintained trails Disbursed throughout the County Two categories: defined/loop trails hiking/recreational trails

82 Alford Greenway Apalachee Regional Park Fred George Greenway and Park (opening in 2015) Gil Waters Preserve (aka Lake Munson) J. Lee Vause Park Jackson View Park Lake Henrietta Martha Wellman Park Miccosukee Greenway Pedrick Pond Park St. Marks Greenway (opening TBD)

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85 Leon County Parks & Recreation 2280 Miccosukee Road Tallahassee, FL (850) Web Sources:

86 Hit the Trails with TallyParks introducing TallyParks A mapping app for your smart phone

87 Is your little one running circles around the house? Need to locate a park with a playground near your? Check out the new app from the City s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department. Tally Parks can show you a list of parks, pinpoint your current location, search by amenity and more!

88 You can find these by using a Smart Phone app or by This app will guide you in the right direction and show you new places to explore.

89 Tallahassee parks offer a wide variety of trail experiences from paddling and equestrian to some of the best mountain bike trails in the country. Paddling Trails (6.8m) The Lafayette Passage Paddle trail provides over 6 miles of paddling through cypress forests and scenic wetlands. Hiking Trails (7.5m) Hiking is available on many city park trails but one dedicated, 7 mile trail has been created in Elinor Klapp- Phipps Park for those who want a true hiking experience. Horseback Riding Trails (10.5) Equestrians may use all of the shared use trails in Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park (EKP) unless otherwise indicated. Shared Use Trails (36+m) are shared by walkers, runners, equestrians, bike riders, leashed pets and folks just going for a country stroll. Mountain Biking Trails (16 m) Tallahassee trails offer some of the best mountain biking in the area. Technical features provide more challenge but many have ride around options so riders of different skills can ride together.

90 Getting Started When you open the app, a map appears with your location so that you can tell where you are in relation to other parks, where you are within a park or where the closest amenities are to you. Once on a trail, a built-in scanner allows users to san QR codes on trail markers to figure out where they are. There is even a handy explanation of how to read trail markers.

91 Trail Markers Were created for locational purposes. They help users find their location on a park map or can be used to report problems. In case of an emergency, the numbers will help US find YOU on the trail. Take note of the nearest number and call (850) or

92 Search by Park, Trail or Feature If you re looking for a park or trail with a specific feature such as a basketball court, dog park, garden path, playground or shower facility the app has a list of all the amenities available. When you click on a specific amenity, a list of every park and trail that includes that amenity will appear, making it easy for you to find the perfect park.

93 Tallahassee parks offer a wide variety of trail experiences from paddling and equestrian to some of the best mountain bike trails in the country. Park A.J Henry Park Blair Stone Road Trail Brinkley Glen Park Capital Circle SE Trail Capital Cascade Trail Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park Goose Pond Trail Guyte P. McCord Park Indianhead Trail Lafayette Heritage Trail Park Lafayette Park Fitness Trail Lake Elberta Park Myers Park San Luis Park Tom Brown Park Shared Use Trail Description 1.3 miles of shared, natural surface trails,.5 paved. 1.8 miles of shared, paved trail..4 miles of shared, natural surface trails. 5 miles of paved surface trail. miles of concrete trails 10 miles of wide dirt road trails. 3.3 miles of paved trails stretch from Heritage Blvd to Apalachee Parkway.5 miles of shared (.3m paved &.2m natural) trails..9 miles of shared natural surface trails. 3+ miles of shared, natural surface trails..7 miles of shared natural surface trails..7 miles of shared paved and natural surface trails. 1.2 miles of shared, natural surface trails. 3.1 miles of shared, natural surface trails,.3m paved. 1.5 miles of the paved Goose Pond trail runs thru. Other fitness & walking trails can be found at the Betton Nature Center, Carter Howell Strong Park, Lake Ella, Speed Spencer Stephens Park and Dorothy B. Oven Park.

94 Mountain Bike Trails Red Bug Trail Magnolia Trail Cadillac Trail Loblolly Loop Fern Trail Kohl s Trail Description 3.7 mile intermediate to advanced, tight and technical trail with challenging rooty sections and short climbs. 3.5 mile trail is a flowing and somewhat challenging, intermediate skill level trail that provides a good workout and some interesting technical features 4.2 mile intermediate skill level trail with easy and advanced options to challenge your biking skill while allowing less adventurous riders to join the ride A short.8 mile, twisty, turning, easy trail that s fun to ride for beginners and advanced riders. 3.3 miles one way; beginner level; of urban single track connecting downtown Tallahassee to Tom Brown Park on the East. This is a green transit trunk trail..7 miles of single track from Kohl s connecting to the Fern Trail Whether you re new in town or have been here a while, TallyParks will guide you in the right direction and show you new places to explore. TallyParks is free and available for download from the App Store on Apple devices and Google Play Store on Android devices. You may also visit Talgov.com for download information.