A Morning at Maclay Gardens State Park

My partner and I took a much-needed hike through one of the local state parks this past weekend. Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park is a very cool piece of Florida history on the north side of Tallahassee. Alfred Maclay was a banker in New York who visited Tallahassee back in 1927 and decided to build a winter home here. Over the years, he and his wife established an amazing ornamental garden. In 1953, Maclay’s widow and family donated the grounds to the State of Florida and it was turned into a state park.

The gardens are amazing, but since it’s now winter, there isn’t much to see. The blooms have mostly fallen off and the plants are going dormant for the upcoming winter. However, the majority of the park is forest, ponds, lakes, and some fantastic walking trails. My partner and I love spending the occasional morning strolling the paths and taking time to admire the natural beauty.

We recently spend a cool, gray morning walking the Lake Overstreet trail, which coincidently, circles Lake Overstreet. It’s a mixed-use trail, meaning, there are occasional mountain bikers and horseback riders, but we usually get there early enough that we have the trail to ourselves for the majority of the walk.

Due to the storms we had earlier in the year (Hurricanes Debby and Milton), we found there were a lot of downed trees. The trail was clear, but there were large oaks and pines lying here and there. I find it interesting how one tree will come down in the wind, while the dozen or so others around it stay upright.

Of course, the fungus and mushrooms were making a meal out of the downed lumber. If you haven’t noticed, they are one of my favorite photography subjects. I tried to get some interesting shots and angles. 

We were disappointed to find the dwarf village deserted. There is a large oak tree that someone (not sure if it was park personnel or visitors) decided would be a great location for a dwarf village. On a previous visit a year or two ago, it was populated by dozens of little ceramic dwarf figurines, along with doors, platforms, and various signs of life. I don’t know if the storms had anything to do with its demise, but the site wasn’t the same. Still, the mailbox was there. People used to leave notes to the dwarves. Sadly, the box was empty.

Still, it was a fun walk and we got to immerse ourselves in an hour or so of natural Zen. I find that nature walks are a great way to escape everyday life. My partner and I don’t talk about work, politics, or anything from daily life. Instead, we focus on our surroundings, looking for those interesting mushroom colonies, majestic and ancient trees, and try to catch glimpses of wildlife. 

I highly recommend it. Spending time in nature can do wonders for your mental health. 

RB