By Doug Alderson
January 1, 2020
Carrying on a tradition of first day hikes, a group of eight people enjoyed wintry views from Alum Bluff on a New Year’s Day Riverkeeper hike. The roughly four-mile Garden of Eden Trail is fun to view in all seasons. In winter, the views of the steephead ravines are more expansive since most of the trees have lost their leaves. The climbs and descents are not any less steep, 
however, and the group paused to catch their breaths on several occasions. One Calhoun County couple vowed to hike the trail at least once a week as they prepare to tackle the 500-mile French Way of Spain’s Camino Trail this spring. The Apalachicola bluffs and ravines offer the most challenging hiking in Florida and many Floridians use them to train for mountainous terrain while also appreciating their rich bio-diversity and uniqueness.
Author and naturalist Doug Alderson is a long-time Apalachicola Riverkeeper volunteer, leading eco-outings and coordinating the annual RiverTrek.
