Movin'... to Highland Hammocks State Park

http://floridastateparks.org/highlandshammock/default.cfm

This Florida State Park is near Sebring and features acres of old Florida hammock, with huge native oak canopies, an abundance of native birds and reptiles and fragrant wild orange trees. It has a small campground and, due to its interior location, was the only place the snowbirds had not landed and a campsite was available. So, we packed The Mothership, Harriet and Harriet's loungechair and took off!

This photo captures one of our very first adventure enroute. It is one of Frank's famed shortcuts which took us on a single-laned DIRT road with steep shoulders to soft sand through an orange ranch. We saved 8 miles, loosened our fillings and arrived about 30 frazzled minutes later.


After all that, cocktails were in order. Harriet lost no time setting up her loungechair and ordering a Bloody Mary from the MotherKitchen.


Cassie lost no time getting filthy in the dirty sand chasing squirrels and armadillos (which are NOT native and being captured and relocated). Here she is begging me not to put her in the bath.


Frankie looks grim but will soon be giggling; I gave his Bloody Mary a Triple shot.


Here is a rare picture of Sue and Cassie on one of the trails in the park; dogs are permitted on all trails except the raised boardwalk through the cypress lagoon.















This is a wild orange tree; you could smell it before you saw it. Orange peels littered the hammock floor where wild pigs "pigged out" on oranges.
















Frank points out cypress knees to Harriet along the boardwalk trail through the cypress lagoon.
















On the tram ride, Frank is surprised by the unexpected affection offered by the Park Ranger's pet squirrel.















The Ranger pointed out alligators (see red arrow)...















...and I almost caught the ENTIRE owl but the Ranger must've had a hot date cuz that tram did Not slow down!




















Finally, we stopped at WP Franklin Dam & Locks near LaBelle and Frank fixed hot sandwiches for lunch. Afterwards, we walked over to the river and locks and watched boats go though the lock and saw a manatee.