Lately, Sundays have been so nice! Alex and I decided that since we both have off work every Sunday, we would go exploring somewhere new. It has been a revitalizing breath of fresh air from the non-stop work during the rest of the week.
This past Sunday, Alex and I decided to visit Ravine Gardens State Park located in Palatka, Florida (about a 45 minute drive from Saint Augustine). We didn't do much research on the place before we went. All we knew was it was famous for its Azalea gardens, although we didn't have high hopes to see those, since they bloom in late winter-early spring.
It was overcast and looked like it was about to rain. I didn't feel a drop in the barometric pressure so I took a risk and opted to travel light and not bring a raincoat - just my camera and a sense of adventure! We hiked both the Azalea trail and the Springs Trail which totaled close to three miles. The trails were marked but confusing because of the nearby multiple use trails (they had a biking trail and a 1.8 mile driving trail). It was sometimes difficult to differentiate between a connecting trail and the main trail. The map was useless until we hiked most of the trail and finally realized the "Suspension Bridge Trail" and the "Azalea Trail" were the same thing!
Despite the map frustration, we had a great time! At the end of our excursion, we were both soaked because of the high humidity in the ravine. We saw beautiful flowers, bugs, and plants along the way. The topography of the place felt like a mild Appalachia getaway - not the flatlands of Florida.
I'm looking forward to returning when the azaleas are blooming, but until then, I'm excited to see where we go this Sunday!
