Top Florida State Parks | Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- One of my favorite State Parks and places to explore in Florida is Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park by the Suwannee River located in the town of Live Oak. It's a very nice park, a beautiful and ancient place with scenic nature. Besides the trails to explore where you will learn a lot about the geological past of the park, there is also refreshing springs to cool off in. It’s also a popular place for divers to explore the underwater caves which flow into the springs. Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park provides a way to experience the same thrilling adventure of mapping an underwater cave system, but above the ground! I cherish this wilderness and glad it's been preserved. Hopefully it is for future generations to come. The springs and clarity of them can change throughout the year depending on the amount of rainfall we get and how high the Suwannee River reaches. So it's best to check conditions before visiting but it's also just a great place to hike and experience the amazing scenery as well. Around the springs, four major plant communities are represented in the mature forest stands. An award-winning nature trail leads visitors on a path tracing the twisting tunnels of the caves far below their feet, educating hikers along the way.
Here is some information on the park: It was formerly known as Peacock Springs State Park, however in 2011 the park’s name was amended to honor the late Wes Skiles, a cave diver, explorer, photographer, documentary filmmaker and springs advocate who worked tirelessly throughout his life to protect this park and all of Florida’s water resources. The park features one of the longest underwater cave systems in the continental United States. Only divers who show proof of their scuba certification are permitted to explore the underwater caverns. Whether you just come for snorkeling, swimming or cave diving please use extreme caution.
"During the Eocene period, Florida as we know it was covered by a vast ocean. Over time, the shells, sand and coral that existed here were crushed down to form the limestone that crops up throughout the park. Limestone, which is naturally basic, is easily eaten away by acid rainfall, forming fissures and hollows through which water can flow. This was the beginning of the Peacock Springs world-renowned cave system. After the ocean receded and the dinosaurs met their end, mammals roamed this area, as underwater fossil evidence shows. Now-extinct giant sloths, camels, saber-toothed cats and mastodons were hunted by nomadic Paleo-Indians who showed up around 12,000 BCE. They were followed by multiple cultures of Native Americans including the McKeithen Weeden Island culture, who left behind pottery and tools for us to find. Spanish missions brought the first Europeans to Florida, including one thought to be located near this spot. Unfortunately, such missions brought diseases to the native peoples, and many of them were wiped out. Dr. John Calvin Peacock moved from Troy, North Carolina, with his family to the area near Peacock Springs, settling in 1855 near the Suwannee River. The family grew cotton and raised cattle on about 1,600 acres. Dr. Peacock practiced as a physician, making house calls in town on his horse and buggy. The town of Luraville grew up around the lumber and brick-making industries, and expanding transportation. Railroads crisscrossed the area and goods were transported via steamship on the Suwannee River. The freshwater springs became a well-loved swimming hole, providing a place to relax and cool off for the town’s residents. It wasn’t until 1956, however, that the first recorded cave dive into the Peacock system was made. In the subsequent 60-plus years, divers have explored and mapped much of the underwater world here and continue to do so today."
Enjoy the adventure and thank you for watching! Explore and preserve Florida's history and nature these places are very important.
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park Link: www.floridasta...
Recreational activities along the Suwannee River check out this link: www.mysuwannee...
Learn about the history of Suwannee River: www.suwanneeri...
Suwannee River Basin Maps: www.mysuwannee...
Suwannee River Basin: www.researchga...
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Awesome scenery! Lots of variety out there!
There's so much nappy flint there. Many generations of tool makers worked within those woods
Yea I saw what looked like to be a “tool”
Enjoy the adventure and thank you for watching! Explore and preserve Florida's history and nature these places are very important.
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park Link: www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/wes-skiles-peacock-springs-state-park
Previous Video: ruclips.net/video/ifXHnMOwAcE/видео.html
Recreational activities along the Suwannee River check out this link: www.mysuwanneeriver.com/62/Recreational-Opportunities
Learn about the history of Suwannee River: www.suwanneeriverrendezvous.com/the-suwannee-river/
Suwannee River Basin Maps: www.mysuwanneeriver.com/138/Maps
Suwannee River Basin: www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Suwannee-River-Basin-in-north-central-Florida-The-portion-of-the-watershed-where-the_fig4_260491079
Consider contributing to Florida Trailblazer it helps support this channel and the adventures, thank you so much and all the best!
Donate with Super Thanks on this Video (Heart icon below the video)
Florida Trailblazer Merch: florida-trailblazer.creator-spring.com
Donate on PayPal: www.paypal.me/floridatrailblazer
Donate on Patreon for exclusive content: www.patreon.com/floridatrailblazer
Website: floridatrailblazer.com
wow very good men brother very go dow very deep in water
It's amazing there are so many springs to visit in Florida. I'm finally visiting next month and it's so hard to pick which ones to visit. Planning to go to Manatee Springs and Alexander Springs. I wonder if the manatees are at Crystal Springs since the hurricane?
Manteles usually are in the springs in the winter. Water is ~72F all year . The water is too cold for the manatees in the winter.
Me and my girlfriend went to peacock again a couple days ago the hurricane Damage was INSANE, at least 50+ downed trees the trail was almost completely hidden, and we were crawling through and climbing over fallen trees to get through to the spring, orange grove looked good, signs were mangled and a pavilion got messed up too, spring 1 has a massive limb sunken in it and a lot of matter, spring 2 was clear and we were there alone! Like 6 rangers came later on to clear the park out and they didn’t realize we were there until we walked by oops we left pretty quickly after that 😅 how did you get to bonnet spring btw??