Friday, April 15, 2016

Tomoka State Park–Ormond Beach, FL

One really nice thing about this park is that it is central to a lot of hiking trails.  It was a little too windy for kayaking while we were there, but there are some really nice spots for paddling if the weather permits.

Sunset-2
Sunset over the Halifax River

c025087On our first day, we explored the park hiking from our camping spot at the southern end all the way up to the Tomokie monument at the north end.  I have to admit that I was disappointed to to see how far the monument has fallen into disrepair.  The photo on the shows how the monument looked when it was presented in 1955.  The photo below shows what it looks like today after only 60 years.

Tomokie Memorial-1As you can see, the figures in the middle of the statue are completely gone, and the ones on he side are missing their weapons, limbs, and even a torso.  Back in the day, there was a reflecting pool in front of the statue, which is now just a low grassy spot.  In the back of the monument, there was a small room built into the base were some of the broken pieces have been placed (hopefully to be used if it is ever restored).  It’s a shame to see this allowed to fall into such disrepair.

Tomoka basin-2The Halifax River and Tomoka Basin around the park offer some really nice views.  In the summer this is where the manatees come to this area with their young, so we may have to come back in a few months to see how the young ones are growing.

Tomoka SP CampsiteOur campsite was number 56, down towards the southern end of the park; the campground is very family friendly and it was busy the weekend that we were there.  The sites are a closer together than the other state parks that we’ve visited but there is enough separation to keep one camper from infringing on another’s site.  I should mention that tick season is hitting Tomoka SP pretty hard right now, but the problem seems to be limited to the plants near the campsites and not the surrounding trails or other recreational areas.  That might be something keep in mind when setting up the site for your stay.

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Bulow Creek State Park to Bulow Sugar Mill Ruins

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Andy by Indigo production area Group picnic area Kayak rental
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