Called the Pa-Hay-Okee or River of Grass by the local Seminole tribe. It's 97km/60mi wide and flows so slowly that I couldn't see the water moving, draining Florida's main lake into the state's southern coast. Ecologically it's fascinating, with like 4m/12ft of elevation gain across it representing multiple ecosystems linked to how much water persists throughout the year. In the Rockies the ecosystems change every 300m/1000ft, here it's whether the water is at your ankle or your knee.
Highly recommended. It's remarkable.
Beautiful. I must see this some day.
I'm in North Central Florida (plz don't dox but you know what that means). I've seen the prairie but not this. One day.
Honestly, it's easier to see Paynes Prairie for me too. I was going to go a few weeks ago but, it fell through. Never been there either.
It's about 6 miles from my home to multiple short trails on the prairie. I live in a swamp. I grew up with my father's paintings of landscapes and wildlife on the Suwannee and at Cedar Key hanging on the walls.
I'm glad we're not all Florida Men on the Internet. It's not all bad. The nature is beautiful, I just wish we had some natural forests, not just woods with briars and human planted pine trees
Have a good one comrade. Hit me up if you want to chat about the hell of states.
I'm jealous you get to live in a swamp. The one today was one of the most lush places I've ever been, and apparently those northern ones are where all the carnivorous plants and Psilocybe mushrooms are. My horticulture brain was overstimulated everywhere I looked just on the basic boardwalk trails of Big Cypress.