Torreya Challenge

Cypress Spring is only accessible by water due to it being surrounded by private property, so bring your canoe, kayak, SUP, or boat to one of the many landings along Holmes Creek. The shortest and easiest way to get to the spring is to launch your vessel at Cotton Landing. From there, it is a short quarter-mile float downstream to the spring turnoff. The turnoff will be on your right and is mar...

Starting at Cotton Landing, you paddle about a quarter of a mile downstream until you encounter the spring run to the right/north. Another tenth of a mile or so up the run will take you to one of the most beautiful spring-fed swimming holes you will ever find. Fed by a 2nd magnitude spring, this circular shaped swimming hole is over 100 feet wide and approximately 26 feet deep. It's surrounded ...

You can park by some nice picnic areas with ample, well-lit parking. The bay is very shallow; in the pictures featured above, my friend and I were probably 100 yards out into the water and were still standing at waist height. Crabs underfoot and are not scared to bite (we know this now).

There are multiple out-and-back and loop hikes in this wildlife refuge, but the main attraction is the lighthouse along the Gulf Coast. Right next to the lighthouse is a pond where you are guaranteed to see several alligators. If you hike to the end of the levy across from the lighthouse you can catch an amazing sunset and the occasional dolphin sighting.A great place to take your family to sho...

Parking is open and free for all designated spots within the state park.At the end of the parking area, there is a gate with a large brown sign. This sign reads "St. Joseph Peninsula State Park / Wilderness Preserve Access." This is where the trail begins.The trail is easy to follow with yellow markers as guides. Along this main trail, there are several smaller trails. The smaller trails on the...

This spectacular tree is located at the corner of Monroe and Crawford st. This is a must for every visitor is a stop at Thomasville's oldest and most cherished natural landmark, The Big Oak. This is massive tree that only started out as an acorn dated from 1685. This tree is currently over 330 years old with its limbs spanning over 26 feet with the trunks circumference of over 26ft. This tree i...