February 25
End: Rock Creek Road, AL
Miles: 31.8
Total: 1281.3
After packing up from my last night in Florida, I hit the trail. The Blackwater River was just as dark as ever, and the route took me along hills and down across small creeks and streams. Overall, the scenery was beautiful, but there were a few challenges.
There were many spots at which the trail was blocked by several large branches and trees. Usually I was able to step on them without issue, but sometimes the detour would take me through thorns and other painful plants. Also, there were signs that old burns had damaged several of the boardwalks and bridges, which were charred in places or were missing planks. Finally, there was a recent burn that completely destroyed a boardwalk in a marshy area, making for a rough passage.
All of these things were a pain to navigate, but I was excited to be done with the Florida Trail. So excited, in fact, that in my haste I tripped on a log and took my first fall of the whole trek. Only my ego was hurt.
I stopped at the last campground before the border and picked up water. It was a nice place with showers, but I was not stopping. I traversed the last few miles to the end of the Florida Trail, signed the register, and decided to move up into Alabama. It was a great day, it also being my Mom’s birthday!
I was unsure of how far I would go, and after walking up to the first paved road, decided to camp on the high ground there. Sleeping in the Conecuh National Forest went well; there was almost no traffic on nearby Rock Creek Road.
