Florida's LARGEST State Park Is Not What You'd Expect
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 12. 09. 2024
- Join us for a day of exploring Florida's largest State Park, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve. At 85,000 acres, this massive state park is offers expansive trails and opportunities to spot endangered plants and animals, some of which can only be found here. We'll take you on a 12 mile scenic drive through the park and also down one of its most popular hiking trails in search of the parks estimated 10,000 or more alligators and other wildlife.
In this episode we were riding the Heybike Mars, fat-tire, foldable e-bike. If you are considering purchasing a Heybike, we'd appreciate it if you'd consider using our affiliate links, which help to support the channel. We've had our Mars e-bikes for over 1 year and still love that we can fold them up and take them with us around Florida!
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#explorcation #fakahatchee #everglades #jamieandskylar
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Websites:
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park - www.floridasta...
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Music Credits:
Biz Baz Studio / Apprehensive at Best / courtesy of the CZcams Audio Library
Silent Partner / The Only Girl / courtesy of the CZcams Audio Library
The Mini Vandals / Over The Mountain / courtesy of the CZcams Audio Library
King Canyon / Keep On Movin / courtesy of the CZcams Audio Library
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Unicorn Heads / Lazy Boy Blues / courtesy of the CZcams Audio Library
Unicorn Heads / Rolling Heads / courtesy of the CZcams Audio Library
Xack / Odi / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com
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Explorcation consists of Jamie and Skylar, a couple who typically shares their experiences traveling and staying active via blogs and travel videos.
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Explorcation can be contacted at explorcationblog@gmail.com
For those watching who also love Florida State Parks, we did visit this park a few weeks before The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced their 2024-25 Great Outdos Initiative. While this park will not be affected, the initiative proposes further development at several state parks throughout Florida. Public meetings to discuss each park were initially scheduled almost simultaneously, but due to "overwhelming interest" the meetings have been postponed to find new venues to accommodate more attendees to discuss concerns. According to the Florida DEP X account, they want public feedback, so if protecting Florida's parks and natural habitat is of interest to you, be sure to keep an eye out for those meeting dates in order to share your feedback.
Thank you so much for watching
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Hornets đ... gators đ... snakes đ... rabbits đ... butterflies đŠ... mosquitoes đŠ... more bugs ... hot đ ... seems like a nice nature trip đ
đthat's what we get for going to the swamp in the summer, it sure wasn't the most relaxing day. We'd love to go back in the winter, maybe sign up for one of the swamp walk tours with "Friends of Fakahatchee". That would be a whole different experience!
Dang that was a bit intense of a park! I may have to bike that but still Iâll know to expect some RUGGED riding conditions! Thanks for documenting it and putting yourselves through that đ
Yeah, it was not quite what we had anticipated. We knew we'd have to deal with the heat and the inevitable afternoon storm... but the hornets and the lack of maintenance on the trails were both not so nice surprises đ
Another entertaining adventure from you! đ Seeing your adventures always evokes beautiful memories of Florida. Hopefully we can visit Florida again one day. I saw the movie Adaptation, but it's been so long that I hardly remember. Greetings from Switzerland đšđ
Thanks guys! We're always happy to here when our videos help bring back memories! We still have not watched Adaptation, but we're gonna make it happen one of these days!
I appreciate the vieo. Even I may never go there, I can feel the vibe. Your videos describe how I would feel. Thank again for all your work!
Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment. It makes us really happy to hear that you can enjoy watching our videos, even when its not somewhere you would consider going yourself!
Go in the winter..
You must buy bear spray! Much larger can 12 ft range About $35 Forest rangers carry it The brand I have is Guard Alaska Mace bear spray
Thanks for the recommendation, we should probably get some before our next adventure when we are in black bear territory!
@@Explorcation 9 oz can. You both need one Homeless sometimes dangerous people are in remote areas. Stay safe!
â@@nancyling8976 Yep, I agree. There's far more dangerous things than the animals.
For an awesome drive, take Loop Rd. Its right off Rt. 41. Highly recommend it. We always see tons of gators.
Thanks so much for the recommendation. Sounds like our type of drive!
âCominâ through, gators!â đ Not gonna lie, Iâm with you Jamie - Iâd be way too scared to brave this park in summer! Canât believe how overgrown the trail was đ± Iâd be worried about ticks and chiggers, on top of the wild beasts- just constant anxiety đ Good thing you had e-bikes to race to safety if needed! That semi-abandoned cabin was a bit creepy too. Yâall definitely earned the after-trail treats!
đ yeah I definitely was not gonna be the first one to drive through that super overgrown area. I agree that the cabin was a little bit creepy. Tics are definitely a concern when out on trails like that... thankfully we at least both remembered to bring our hats!
oh my word! Here I am thousands of miles from where you live (MN) and you are making me so nervous!! You are both a lot braver than I am! :)
It was definitely a little bit sketchier than I generally prefer out there too, Kim!
BWCA has bird sized mosquitos....I seen 'em !
awesome! I need to get down there soon!
We'd recommend it... But definitely wait untill rainy season is over!
This one is on our list as we are trying to video all 175 state parks. More to come soon!
Great video and loved the Crappy Choose Your Own Adventure line. đ
That is going to keep you busy for quite awhile! We do hope it is less buggy when you do visit this one...and that you don't have the CCYOA experience đ
Cool video. I've been on that scenic drive and it is super bumpy. If you're still in the area, The Loop Road is another really cool drive.
Thanks, Steve! It's definitely a bumpy drive. We've received few recommendations on the Loop Road since posting this video, so we'll definitely check it out next time we're in that area!
Awesome video, sorry about the bug bites, but definitely a top notch video. That beautiful colored âGrasshopperâ bug, is an eastern lubber, and they wreck havoc on our plants! đ„”đ€
Thanks Jennifer. Those bugs are so pretty, bummer to hear that they are such a nuisance.
Great video! I love orchids and may have to check out that park (and the movie)! Thanks again đ
Thanks so much for watching, it would be a great place to go to look for orchids. We would highly recommend going when it is less buggy. I (Jamie) was hoping we'd have some time to walk more of the trails to try to spot the orchids, but it got too buggy too fast for us to to that on our visit. From looking at the park's website, you can book swamp walks with the "Friend of Fakahatchee" group and they will point out flora and fauna.
@%9F%98%80%F0%9F%98%80nel/UC5WSENwO7aWA5goA-rzBi2w I also enjoy a less buggy environment so will check this place out in the Florida "winter"! Love that they have a guided tour like that :)
LOVE your videos!
Thank you for doing what you do!
And thank you for being here!!!
Thank you so much for this one. Easy to see it wasnât easy. Fakahatchee is on my FLA bucket list. Maybe because of the TV show âThe Finderâ but more likely because I love the swamp. You guys always find the best parts of Florida. Color me homesick and grateful.
Our pleasure, John. You're right, this one was not easy and was quite uncomfortable the majority of the time, but we're still glad that we did it! That said, next time we visit it will definitely NOT be in the middle of summer đ
@@Explorcationlol!Thatâs a good plan.
Yikes! Lots of critter possibilities there! I think I'd stock up on some more of the gear others have suggested in the comments.
Yeah no doubt. It's the bugs that scare me the most... but a bear or panther encounter would definitely be a bit terrifying too. We should definitely invest in some legit bear spray.
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always đ€â„ïž
Of course. Thanks for watching!
Fun video keep up the good work
Those of us who love to explore the Everglades, know June-Sept are âno-goâ months for all the reasons you discovered!
Perfect park for Gov DeSantis new golf course/pickleball court/playground plan. Kidding!
LOL exactly. Not sure they could have found more effective way to rile up nearly the entire state đ
OMG! Those yellow flies are merciless!! Hope you didn't get too chewed up out there. â€â€â€
They sure are! Thankfully they didn't get us too bad, although the mosquitos did get Jamie a bit.
My wife and I took our Heybikes to Fire Prarie Trail, which is fairly close to Fakahatchee. We rode for about 1 minute, and encountered a big old gator laying right along the trail. He wouldnt move. I mean, he was right there! We turned around and left. Lol. No thank you! I've heard that Fire Prarie Trail is a good one though.
A good idea for a heybike ride is the old 7 mile bridge at Marathon in the Keys. You can ride from Marathon to Pigeon Key on the old bridge. We're going to try it in September.
Yeah, there not much you can do but turn around in that situation! Better to encounter on your way down the trail than on the way back though! The bridge ride on Marathon Key sounds like a great idea! We're gonna be heading to the keys before too long, but unfortunately will probably not have our bikes. It's definitely getting added to our list of things to do though!
@Explorcation I hope you guys enjoy the Keys. If you don't have your heybikes, I'm pretty sure you can rent bikes to ride over to Pigeon Key.
Enjoy your time in the Keys. It's a special place. If you get the time, check out the beautiful water color in the canals on Duck Key, it's incredible, and the little white bridges that go over the canals.
It's excellent that you went there. I have wanted to go there but would definitely have to go with the right people since it's a rugged adventure.
Yes, definitely a bit rugged, but we'd say it's definitely worth it (just don't go in the middle of summer like we did đ)
If you want to see Gators and possibly other Wildlife under more safe conditions, you should go to Shark Valley in Everglades National park. It's a very popular Boardwalk area where people bike ride and walk and commonly see alligators on the trail.
We appreciate the tip, Laura! We will definitely check it out some day.
That place would make a great horror movie!
đ I would have to agree... especially if you have a phobia of hornets like Skylar does!
PepperSpray also has a shelf life..there's usually a date stamp/code on the can.
Ahh good to know. That stuff we have is probably pushing 4 years old... I did test it out before we left for the trip though. Sprayed a little in the kitchen sink... even that was enough to make me sneeze about 10 times and for my eyes to water... so I'd say it still works đ
Know that park will and you are right itâs much better in season
Thank you for confirming, Glenn. We'll definitely be back when it's much cooler and drier!
Any plans to offer memberships? They're another way for regular viewers and fans to show financial support to you for your hard work! Thanks for braving the wild, so we can see the great sunshine state!
We've thought about doing something like that, but aren't sure what type of demand there is for it or what people would want us to offer to our members. It's good to know that there is interest though! Do you have any thoughts on what you'd like us to offer our members if we do start offering memberships?
@@Explorcation Some channels use YT membership's for special access to things like your discord server, special channel emojis, and member only videos. Just a few examples. đđ
Lol going to this place in the summer and rainy season ... Dirka dirka
Live 45 minutes from park - yes a much better experience outside of summer - beautiful weather, no bugs & dry trails in winter with much more wildlife sightings. Try adjacent Big Cypress Preserve in summer (amazing in winter as well) as the roads are wide/high/dry. Gators in wild rarely have any interest in people as they are not typically fed by humans & have plenty to eat in their natural habitat - have walked around them many times in the wild (not what I prefer). A mama bear with cub(s) likely more dangerous to run into, as Panthers are rarely seen, especially daytime. Have fun exploring!
We figured the experience would be much better during the winter, but we appreciate you confirming. We definitely do hope to make it back down to Fakahatchee and Big Cypress when it cools down and dries up a bit! Jamie will definitely be glad to here that the Panthers are rarely seen!
Adaptation is one of my favorite movies. I read the book first. The movie is rated R (for several reasons, kind of raunchy) but it is very good, nonetheless. The movie is a different storyline than the book. I recommend reading the book first because the book is actually about the orchids and the place you visited from a series of essays published in the New Yorker magazine, which were serialized into the book The Orchid Thief. Adaptation is a movie about the author of the articles and the actual orchid thief, and about the screenwriter who gets hired to write a screenplay about the book, (hired to adapt the book The Orchid Thief into a screenplay.) You definitely want to read the book first or the movie won't make much sense. The movie shows a lot of Florida. You'll like it.
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch our video and write this comment, Lisa. We were already excited to watch the movie after our visit to Fakahatchee, but now were are even moreso! We still haven't found the time yet, but guess that's a good thing since we need to read the book first!
Im.glad that you moved on from the hornets.. those things are pretty hateful when you encroach on their territory! Why was that Park so desolate!? Kinda scary. Glad you made it out alive đ Great video! Love ya! â€
Yeah... hornets are one thing we do not mess around with. I think Skylar hates them even more than i do!
I think we'd have to stick to the boardwalk! But the more primitive and in its natural state condition is beautiful.
Yeah, I think that's what most sane people would do, at least in the summer months!
Several years ago, we saw a rare Everglades mink ran across the main road., Also, in the winter is more busy. The east tram trail has a huge standing natural royal palms..
Wow that would have been an awesome experience. We saw them identified as one of the endangered animals that you could possibly see in the park, but we were not fortunate enough to see one. We can't wait to get back out on those trails during the cooler/drier season!
If you ever in the Everglades listen to the John Anderson song Seminole Wind and get the deeper meaning of the song while wiping tears
Great tour of the park!
Thanks, Scully! It was a challenging one but it was still a lot of fun!
Crazy accommodations out in the middle of nowhere there!
That's what we thought!
You went there in JULY đđ đ
Yup... definitely not one of the better decisions we've made đ
Air Boat ride suggestions ?
We've only done the ones at Myakka River state park... but those are the big slow ones. We're definitely interested in doing a smaller/faster one in the Eveglades sometime, but haven't gotten around to it yet. If you find a good one, let us know!
Gators are chillin
Yup. Seems like that's what they are doing about 99.9% of the time.
đ„đ„đ„đ„đ„đ„đ„
Thanks for watching!
You in Everglades Florida.
Indeed! Such a great part of the state!
Hold on ! Wait up! Emergency!
Developers want to put in some golf courses! Yeah it's a bunch of non-elected officials want to allow developers to install golf courses, hotels, and pickleball courts. Help Florida stop the department of environmental protection agency from destroying our state parks!!!!
This was a most unappealing adventure. Lol. But I have experienced much worse. Luckily you didnât brush up against any sawgrass on that trail as you zipped by.
it was much more "wild" than I (Jamie) was anticipating for sure, but it could have been worse đ
Florida skunk Ape Territory!
You know it!
First!
Yea đ thanks for joining us this morning...and for coming along on another crazy adventure đ
Lived in Sarasota miles away.
.didn't want to see the park alone...any single women there? Food?
Yes loaded with single women, Steve. More than you could possibly know what to do with đ. Sadly no food though.
Wow. Thank you for doing that for the rest of us, yikes!
Where is your loud radio or anything creating noise? Gators can run 35 mph! Did you know to zig zag if you encounter a gator?
Wow, that's pretty fast! Thanks for the tip on the zig zagging, although I think that may have been debunked.
Imagine this park you're in paved over so rich people can golf and all the chemicals put into the groundwater. Help save Florida
Hurry up and visit the beautiful Florida state parks before DeFacist and his cronies carve it up for golf resorts and pickle ball courts.
If he was a fascist as you suggest there wouldn't be public meetings planned they just would've done it and/or ignored court orders as Biden/Harris have done for the last 3 1/2 yrs.
Yeah...public meetings are so fascistic. Unlike some current executive order, disregard Supreme Court orders administration does.
You forgot to mention Crockadile âŠâ áâ âÌ€â áâ á·
You are right! The park website does include crocodiles. I wonder how common it is to spot a croc there. Thanks so much for watching!
â@Explorcation I think that second one was a crocodile that you saw. That was my first impression because of the shape of its head.