Cone’s Dike Trail Part 1

We arrived at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park early. Check-in for the campground starts at 3:00 officially, and those leaving are required to depart by 1:00. We drove in just after noon. We talked to the ranger and checked in, with the understanding we planned to go to the Visitor’s Center and then on a hike until we could occupy the site.

Flooding still closed the right lane in each direction along US 441 where it cuts through the Prairie. This area, now a prairie but a lake earlier in its history, received a lot of rain from Hurricane Irma two months prior. The natural world takes time to recover. The high water caused much of the wildlife to spend more time in the higher areas, like near and on the trail.

As we headed to Cone’s Dike Trail, we met several groups of hikers returning, all talking about the wildlife they had seen including the wild horses. On the first part of the trail, dragonflies buzzed and zoomed by everywhere. My camera worked overtime as I tried to get a few stopped, or at least slowing down. Birds called all around, flew by, and dove into bushes looking for food. Plops into the water as we approached certain areas let us know that either frogs or turtles heard us coming and decided to take a swim. Plenty of vultures soared overhead, crows called almost constantly, and a Phoebe followed us darting in and out of sight.

The cloudless blue sky, bright sun, and lower temperatures and humidity made even this mid-day hike pleasant. At one point Karl stopped and pointed down on the trail. A ribbon snake slowly crossed in front of us, stopped and checking the air with its flicking tongue before continuing.