(Also called the Green Swamp Trail- birthplace of the Withlacoochee River).

This is what we saw:

Cottonmouth on the side of the trail.

Alligator and about eight babies. Mom submerged, and left the bullhead-catching-and-eating-babies at the surface. The babies would croak or call or bark- I can't describe it- if they thought we were getting too close. I was afraid mom was going to run out at any moment, but she only peeked her eyes out a couple times.

TONS of gopher torts in all sizes, at home and out grazing.

Tons of squirrels.

Rabbit.

A pond with a four foot gator, baby gator, cooter turtle, small snake, big cottonmouth, and a fish who kept swimming so shallow its back was sticking out.

Raccoon momma and baby.

River otter, crossing trail.

Star Wars bird scene: We're riding through tall pines, and birds keep lifting off from the trees and flying down the trail ahead of us- vultures, white egrets, a big stork, more vultures, more egrets, a black-crowned night heron, more vultures, more egrets...I've never seen anything like it!!!

Hawk.

Cardinals.

Red-Headed Woodpecker.

Tons of small songbirds.

Passion Flowers.

Lantana in red, orange and pink.

Trumpet Flowers.

Some ten-foot tall thing with a spiky base, skinny stalk, and white bell-like flowers.

Cactus, flowering.

Blue and white Morning Glories.

I have so many pictures, plus movies of the baby gators. I hope I can hear them squeaking!