By Doug Alderson, Apalachicola Riverkeeper Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator
Here’s another opportunity to explore the magic of the Apalachicola Basin from your desktop…
Among the many unique places in the Apalachicola Basin is the Garden of Eden just north of Bristol. It was named many years ago by a Bristol preacher who laid out his claim that the bluffs and ravines along the east side of the Apalachicola River was the original Garden of Eden. He laid out his arguments in a now rare book called “In the Beginning.”
Whether you believe the theory or not, the Garden of Eden in springtime is a gorgeous place, best accessed by a trail of the same name managed by the Nature Conservancy. In the cool ravines, tall white spires of titi flowers stand alongside the spidery red flowers of Florida anise. The hillsides feature cascading cup-shaped blossoms of sparkleberry, the blazing red blooms of Indian pink and sometimes a pyramid magnolia in bloom. Everywhere, there is the hum of bees.
Of course, a highlight on any hike on the Garden of Eden Trail is Alum Bluff where the vast floodplain forest stretches in the distance, bright with new foliage. Blooming oakleaf hydrangea can be seen along the bluff’s steep sunny slopes. No other Florida vista compares.
On any Garden of Eden hike, be on the lookout for wildlife. The uplands can feature deer, wild turkey and gopher tortoise and a host of other animals while the ravines can harbor water snakes and salamanders. If turkeys are not visible, the males can often be heard gobbling in springtime, trying to attract a mate. These are just some of the many wonders of the Garden of Eden. Every season showcases something new.
Stay tuned for a fall Apalachicola Riverkeeper outing into the Garden of Eden, along with other hiking and paddling adventures in the Apalachicola Basin with our Eco-Educational Outings.
2014 WFSU Ecology Video Blog of Hiking the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines
2017 WFSU Ecology Video Blog of the geology of Alum Bluff with geologist Harley Means
Pyramid magnolia flower by Doug Alderson