By: Tara R.
DPchallenge, Photography, WP Writing, , ,

Happy trails

I’ve missed several weeks of photo hikes, and I can tell a difference in my general well-being. These outings were always a restorative exercise. A chance to spend time outdoors, with no worries, no deadlines, no plans other than to take pictures of anything and everything that catches my eye.

This weekend, I want need to get away for another peaceful walk in the woods. In-between holidays – diet-wrecking Thanksgiving and family circus Christmas – it will be the perfect opportunity to decompress and re-assess.

Running through previous photo shoots, I came up with a list of my favorite hiking venues. Some wend through the woods, a few take in wide expanses of white sand beaches, a few others take me back in history, and a few more seems to take me to completely other worlds.

My biggest problem will be deciding where to go…

In no particular order, I give you the best photo hike experiences in Northwest Florida.

Tarklin Bayou pitcher plants

1. Tarklin Bayou State Preserve – Pensacola

Wesley Houses Eden Gardens

2. Eden Gardens, Washington Point State Park – Santa Rosa Beach

Turpentine boardwalk

3. Grayton Beach State Park – Santa Rosa Beach

sand castle

4. Henderson Beach State Park – Destin

Camp Helen beach

5. Camp Helen State Park – Panama City Beach

St. Andrew's Gator Lake
6. St. Andrew’s State Park – Panama City Beach

St. Michael's Cemetery Pensacola
7. St. Michael’s Cemetery – Pensacola

pine seedling
8. Fred Gannon/Rocky Bayou State Park– Niceville

Big Lagoon State Park
9. Big Lagoon State Park – Pensacola

Fort Barrancas
10. Fort Barrancas – NAS, Pensacola

cannon at fort pickens Battery 234
11. Fort Pickens, Gulf Islands National Park – Pensacola

pelican flock
12. Deer Lake State Park –  Santa Rosa Beach

ibis in a marsh
13. Turkey Creek Nature Walk – Niceville

wordpress button grunge
Submitted to Weekly Writing Challenge: “breathe new life into the established genre of the end-of-year countdown list.”