The Beauty of Boardwalks!
Over the last year or so, I have slowly realized that I have an unusually strong affinity for boardwalks. Its something that I guess I always had in the back of my head, but on today’s hike, I got to thinking about the great boardwalks I have been on, and I realized that they are really the unsung hero of some parks.
I’m not sure if my love of the boardwalk is because I am a bit older than the average hiker, that I appreciate their ability to offer more accessibility to elderly or handicapped persons, or if I just don’t ALWAYS have to be looking at my feet while I’m walking. Regardless of the reason, I like them, and I’d like to share with you some of the nice boardwalk hikes that I have been on.
Florida
Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve (East)
This park is near Fort Myers Florida and offers a few hiking paths through palms of various types and wetlands. There is a small, no-fee parking area with limited facilities (ie, a one-hole outhouse with a composting toilet and a few picnic tables under a shelter). The grounds are well kept, and the day I was there (a Sunday morning in mid-January), there weren’t very many people and it was quiet and pleasant.
Maine
This boardwalk was a bit more difficult than most, but super interesting and fun and in a beautiful National Park, so what more could you want!? If you are doing the Jordan Pond Loop, I suggest that you hike clockwise around the lake, because the more difficult part is then at the beginning. The day I did this, it was about one hundred degrees out, so maybe that was a bit more important that particular day than on a “normal” day, but that’s my advice, nonetheless.
Wisconsin
The Horicon Marsh is a great spot to see native birds and to enjoy some serenity. The boardwalk takes you right through the middle of the marsh and out to a small island. The day I was there, I saw a gazillion ducks and geese!
Indiana
This boardwalk is NOT handicap accessible. But, it is absolutely amazing!! The Dune Succession Trail takes you over three sand dunes of varying ages. When you walk on a sand dune, it causes a lot of erosion to the area, and it is INCREDIBLY difficult and strenuous. This boardwalk trail allows you to see the sand dunes, walk over them and through them without harming the environment OR getting super out of breath. There are parts that are tough, since there are so many steps we lost count, but its amazing!
Louisiana
A beautiful boardwalk through wild wetlands. This is the only time on one of my hikes where I came across an alligator in the wild. It wasn’t really all that scary, because the rangers seemed to keep a close eye on the local gator population, and they had warnings up on where you would see them sunning themselves. Still – this 4-foot-long gator was hanging out only about 5 feet from the edge of the boardwalk. It seemed like the boardwalk was giving me a bit of a false sense of security, but the gator didn’t seem to care that I took his photo. A beautiful park!
South Carolina
I’m from the Midwest, and I was completely unprepared to see the cypress trees, and their “knees” in this park. The boardwalk guides you through a cypress forest that is like something from a different planet! I loved it, and kept an eye out for gators, but only saw a ton of little lizards.
Alabama
This is a gorgeous State Park in Northeast Alabama, and within it, there is a boardwalk hike that offers accessibility into the woods. Its beautiful, well maintained, and the day I was there, there were only a few people on it.
Georgia
This park, in northern Georgia is at the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. The park is named for one of the most beautiful falls I have seen in the south, and by far the largest! The boardwalk has a ton of steps, so it is not accessible, but it takes you down one side of the falls, across it, and up the other side. It’s beautiful!
Wyoming
Yellowstone is iconic for its geothermal features, but the National Park Service has made them accessible by building boardwalks that take you VERY close and over many of the features. They are beautiful, and weird!
These are a few of the great boardwalks I have been on in the last few years. What are your favorites?
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