🥾Hiking on water

Brooker Creek Preserve 2021 September, Pine Flatwoods

The beauty of the Brooker Creek Preserve is in a few hours a person can experience four unique Ecosystems. Most of us with out a thought will hike down a Pine Flatwoods trail or enjoy the shade under an Oak Hammocks habitat. And then when on the days hike the ecosystem changes and you see Cypress Domes and you are knee deep in a Forested Wetlands. Sometime people stop and do not press forward.

If you have gear that does well in wet environments. And you have learned what to watch for and how to stay safe. Then your time hiking in water can be magical. In 2021 September I hiked the loop connecting Wilderness Trail + Pine Needle Path + Blackwater Cutoff + Flatwoods Trail = 4 miles

Blackwater Cutoff of the Brooker Creek Preserve hiking trail 2021 September

Gear

clothing pretreated with Sawyer Permethrin Insect Repellent
Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent spray for exposed skin
Smartwool Merino Sport 150 Tech Tee
ExOfficio Men’s Sol Cool Cryogen Plaid Long Sleeve Shirt
Saxx Quest Long Leg underwear
Arc’Teryx Palisade Pant
Smartwool Over the Calf Socks
Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof (I should have worn my non waterproof Arete Mid hiking shoes)
Leki trekking poles

inside & on my backpack

Sawyer water filter
Nalgene water bottle
rain shell
Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent spray for exposed skin
Smartwool Over the Calf Socks
The Original Tick Key
Adventure Medical Kit Glacier Gel for blisters
NOLS Wound Kit available from Landmark Learning
SnowPeak Titanium cup
snacks

Treasures found

First thing in the morning I saw three deer. During the day butterflies bounced around the flowers. Small fish swam in the water along the trail. Newts appeared and disappeared around the fallen trees. No alligators were seen nor water moccasins.