FIELD TRIP – Tiger Creek Preserve

This event is sold out. Please email RKinane@FlaWildflowers.org to be added to the waiting list.

Named after the pristine blackwater stream that forms its spine, Tiger Creek Preserve is an ancient gem that sits on the eastern edge of the Lake Wales Ridge. On this special trip, we will partner with The Nature Conservancy and the Florida Native Plant Society to explore the Creek Bluffs Loop Trail, a 2.6-mile loop that follows bluffs along Tiger Creek and traverses high quality longleaf pine turkey oak sandhill habitat.

This trail presents an excellent opportunity to see the blackwater seepage stream as well as rare pristine sandhill habitat. Fall blooms we hope to see include Florida paintbrush (Carphephorus corumbosus), Coastalplain honeycombhead (Balduina angustifolia), Dogtongue and scrub buckwheat (Eriogonum tomentosum, E. longifolium), Forked bluecurls (Trichostema dichotomum), October flower (Polygonum polygamum) and many grasses including Lopsided Indiangrass (Sorghastrum secundum). (A full plant list, birding list and trail map are available on the Tiger Creek website.)

The Creek Bluffs loop is located at 8339 Wakeford Rd in Lake Wales. This is a remote location with unreliable cell service. There are no bathroom facilities at the site.

Participants should be prepared for walking in soft sand and full sun exposure. Please bring plenty of water and a snack or lunch, and come prepared in appropriate field attire. A hat and/or other sun protection is also recommended.

Trip cost: Free for members and $10 for non-members. Email RKinane@FlaWildflowers.org to find out if your membership is current or needs to be renewed. To join as a member, visit www.FlaWildflowers.org/support.

All proceeds from this trip will be donated to The Nature Conservancy Florida.