Florida's Appalachians: Torreya State Park

Florida's Appalachians: Torreya State Park
By Christopher Harper

Early morning, the sun slowly starts to shed light, as a soft fog drifts across the ground .Standing on 150-foot bluffs overlooking the Apalachicola River as it winds through the red-, yellow- and orange-leafed forests below, it’s easy to see why some refer to Torreya State Park as the Appalachians of Florida. With the undulating topography, along with ravines, streams, rivers and dense forests, look like they belong in the Appalachians, not in Florida.
Standing on 150-foot bluffs overlooking the Apalachicola River, as it winds through the red-, yellow- and orange-leafed forests below, it is easy to see why some refer to Torreya State Park as the Appalachians of Florida.
It is the beauty of this 12,000-acre state park, rich in natural and Civil War history, which makes it an U.S. National Natural Landmark and historic site. It is located in northwestern Florida thirteen miles north of Bristol and 47 miles west of Tallahassee. It is located north of S.R 12 on the Apalachicola River. Some may call it the Garden of Eden, not because of its natural beauty, but here that grows a rare tree that dates back to biblical times.
One hundred years ago, great stands of Torreya trees – some three feet around and 60 feet tall – grew along the eastern shore of the Apalachicola River. In 1875, Harvard botanist, Asa Gray, took a journey to Florida just to see these fabled evergreens. . Sorrowfully, in the early 1950s, Torreya trees began gradually disappearing. One by one, the old giants fell. Fifty years later, there are less than 1,000 of these magnificent trees; survivors of a rare tree fungus that scientists are still trying to understand.



Foresters understood the symbolic value of the Torreya tree, and took steps to protect it. In the 1930s, men from the Civilian Conservation Corps (an organization started by FDR) , camped beneath its bows, blazed roads and trails out of the dirt and built one of Florida’s first state parks (1939). The Torreya tree, along with the stands of beech, hickory and stubby needle palm that grow within the park would now be safe.
The majority of the Torreya trees remaining in the region are from seeds deposited since the disease first hit. There are still around 1000 of these rare trees growing in the region, but you have to be willing to hike. That is the beauty of Torreya State Park: The longer your visit, the more you will discover.
Many visitors come to Torreya for more than the well-known tree. Including Noah’s tree, there is the rare Florida yew, the queen magnolia, as well as cypress and tupelo.

Near the Gregory House parking area, you will find this plaque with a brief narrative on the Torreya Tree.
One wildlife survey recorded more than 100 types of birds, a variety of Florida natives including the Suwannee cooter (A turtle with yellow stripes on its head), five species of tree frogs, are just a few of the many animal species that are distinct to this region. Enjoy challenging trails for hiking and backpacking, camping, wildlife watching and more. With your imagination, the possibilities are endless!
So come and experiences Torreya State Park, Florida’s Appalachians today, and walk away with an appreciation of all that nature has to offer.

For more information contact: Torreya State Park @ Phone: 850-643-2674, or visit them on the web @ http://www.floridastateparks.org/torreya/default.cfm




Directions: Take I-10 from Tallahassee W to Exit 166, and Follow signs 14 miles to park.