As an undergrad, I attended the University of Florida in Gainesville. Sadly, during the two years I spent there, I never visited this park, only about 15 minutes away from campus. It is only $4.00 a carload to get in, so it would be a great way to spend an afternoon or take someone on a cheap date.Basically, the park is a giant sinkhole, 117 feet de
ep. Why, you may ask, would you want to see a giant sink hole, particularly this giant sink hole? Because it is like desending into another culture, even another time. Fresh spring water cascades down the rock formations, causing the calming sound of a rainforest. Or, at least the sound they put in Rainforest Cafe. All of the different types of plant life were very unlike Florida. Since a boardwalk was installed for visitors, the life in the sinkhole has been restored -- there are no human footprints to be found.
ep. Why, you may ask, would you want to see a giant sink hole, particularly this giant sink hole? Because it is like desending into another culture, even another time. Fresh spring water cascades down the rock formations, causing the calming sound of a rainforest. Or, at least the sound they put in Rainforest Cafe. All of the different types of plant life were very unlike Florida. Since a boardwalk was installed for visitors, the life in the sinkhole has been restored -- there are no human footprints to be found.To desend in 
the sinkhole, the staircase is 232 steps. When the park was first declared a geological site in the 1930's, the Civilian Conservation Corps put in railway board to climb down on, which meant humans had the ability to go off the normal path. That was remedied in the 1970's with the boardwalk. There is also a bench at the bottom of the staircase, but I felt as though the park could do with another. It was almost as if they did not want you to stay down there.
the sinkhole, the staircase is 232 steps. When the park was first declared a geological site in the 1930's, the Civilian Conservation Corps put in railway board to climb down on, which meant humans had the ability to go off the normal path. That was remedied in the 1970's with the boardwalk. There is also a bench at the bottom of the staircase, but I felt as though the park could do with another. It was almost as if they did not want you to stay down there.Other amenities in the park include a 1/2 mile trail around the sink hole, an informative and fairly short video, and picnic tables for lunch. There seemed to be a lot of room by the picnic tables, so I was curious as to why they did not have a pavilion. When I went back to the ranger station, the park ranger had left so I wasn't able to ask. In case you were curious, the park is named for its funnel-like shape -- farmers used to grind their grain in a "hopper" that was a similar shape. In the walls of the sinkhole, it is said you can see the fossils of many animals. Therefore, early settlers saw this as a place the devil himself dragged people and animals into.
It was a quick trip, we were only there about an hour and a half, but worth it to see a sinkhole for the first time.
Til next time,
The camping bug
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment