My first 'real' herping trip to the Apalachicola National Forest (ANF) was in September 1984 along with Ron Dupont who was already an expert on the place at that time. I had been through the area a few times before with my wife but we didn't do any hunting so the trip in '84 would be the one burned into my brain. Ron and I spent the morning hours road cruising and then the afternoons canoeing the Chipola River from the Hwy 20 boat ramp west of Blountstown. At dusk we took my canoe up to the Magnolia Bridge boat ramp where we would paddle upstream in the fading light and then spend the next few hours drifting back downstream scanning the shallows with headlamps. I can tell you that such a canoe trip is absolutely one of the coolest things you can do on the Chipola. The river is much clearer here than way downstream near Hwy 20. Just the calling owls and the bats flying in front of our faces to snatch the flying insects attracted to our headlamp beams made for a neat trip. But the countless spring crayfish that emerge after dark, the sleeping fish (including the Chipola bass) and turtles is what made it really unique. We also encountered both brown and red-bellied water snakes and even several three lined salamanders that had emerged at a small spring seep next to the river. I found my first queen snake that night too as it was prowling the tree branches just above the waterline.
Practically everything on that trip was a lifer for me and we found a lot. I've been back at least once a year ever since.
Over the years there have come to be certain things about the area that for me are the most evocative of the place. Oddly, most are views of the various roadways. For some reason the seemingly endless miles of road that traverse the ANF are what come to mind most often for me.
Here are a few photos of what I mean.
Highway 65 N. of Sumatra
Early morning on forest road 111 (FR111) August 1986. Later that morning I would meet up with Dick Bartlett, Bill and Kathy Love, Art Meyer and Bruce Means at Bruce's house N. of Tally. Bruce treated us to a long slideshow of his Apalachicola kingsnake findings that included many of his first patternless, lineated, high oval blotch and otherwise bizarre wild caught kings. What a day!
Of course, a gulf coastie sitting in the road. Highway 379 just N. of Kennedy Creek.
Not all are views of the roadways however. I love this place, the FR 13 bridge over the Ochlockonee River just W. of Hwy 375. A great place to listen to owls late at night. Scarlet snakes seem to like crossing the bridge too--for some strange reason.
Mound Spring, just off the Chipola. Not a great place for turtles but worth a cold dip on a hot day.
The awesome cypress tree near the confluence of Spring Creek and the Chipola River.
Another great cypress tree. Spring Creek downstream from the CSXT train trestle.
Into the Chipola, upstream from the confluence with Spring Creek.
Usual suspects from the Chipola
NOT your usual loggerhead!
And sometimes these. Neonate Macrochelys in situ, Chipola River upstream from Spring Creek.
Another. Chipola upstream from I-10 bridge.
Slightly larger version. Spring Creek, September 2012. This is absolutely the most colorful Macrochelys I've ever seen. She actually had pink and orange stripes on her neck.
She was hiding under some downed trees in only about six feet of water.
As far as snakes are concerned, these are what I see the most.
Or maybe it's these?
Lots of these too.
If you're up on the roads look for this car...
If you're on the river, look for this person...
Finally, I-10 on the way home.
Most evocative Apalach photos
Moderator: Scott Waters
- BillMcGighan
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Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
I can tell you that such a canoe trip is absolutely one of the coolest things you can do on the Chipola. The river is much clearer here than way downstream near Hwy 20. Just the calling owls and the bats flying in front of our faces to snatch the flying insects attracted to our headlamp beams made for a neat trip. But the countless spring crayfish that emerge after dark, the sleeping fish (including the Chipola bass) and turtles is what made it really unique. We also encountered both brown and red-bellied water snakes and even several three lined salamanders that had emerged at a small spring seep next to the river. I found my first queen snake that night too as it was prowling the tree branches just above the waterline.
Practically everything on that trip was a lifer for me and we found a lot. I've been back at least once a year ever since.
Over the years there have come to be certain things about the area that for me are the most evocative of the place. Oddly, most are views of the various roadways. For some reason the seemingly endless miles of road that traverse the ANF are what come to mind most often for me.
This is wonderful, Carl, capturing the magic.
The more you look into this region, the more you appreciate its uniqueness of fauna and flora. The well-known Kingsnake attracted me to this region at first, but very soon, as with any person interested in the natural world, I couldn’t help but appreciating the whole experience.
For herping, it also has the traits of all of the really special herping areas in this country, like SW Texas, S AZ, Everglades, etc., etc. in that there are miles and miles of habitat to support healthy populations of herps.
- Josh Holbrook
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Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
Got me pumped for April!
- Daniel D Dye
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Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
Carl, as many times that I've been to the ANF region, I don't believe I've ever been as excited about a trip as this one...I can hardly contain myself!!
I want to go now! Turn off the computer, get out of my seat, put the bugs back in the jar, turn off the microscope, grab my wife, load the Jeep and go! But...I can't do that.
See you all in April.
I want to go now! Turn off the computer, get out of my seat, put the bugs back in the jar, turn off the microscope, grab my wife, load the Jeep and go! But...I can't do that.
See you all in April.
Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
Great post. You forgot the giant man eating flies that chase the car that we always forget about until the next
trip when they greet you with open wings.
Chris
trip when they greet you with open wings.
Chris
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Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
Excellent photos, especially the in situ Macrochelys. The Chipola River is close to my heart. I used to do an annual overnight kayak trip down there near Marianna. Unfortunately, I never saw any 'gator snappers there but have seen plenty of loggerhead musks and barbouri. This post reminds me that I'm overdue for another trip down the Chip'.
-Robb
-Robb
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Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
Oh man, you got me there. The yellow flies can be terrible!Darkhorse wrote:Great post. You forgot the giant man eating flies that chase the car that we always forget about until the next
trip when they greet you with open wings.
Chris
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- Joined: June 7th, 2010, 11:42 am
Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
Cannot wait til the April trip. What an inspiring post! The alligator snappers are wonderful, especially.
Re: Most evocative Apalach photos
Awesome pics. I always like staring at the clear water and all of a sudden you see movement on the bottom and a baby snapping turtle appears.