Lake Talquin State Park

For years, I’ve been passing a sign along SR 20 west of Tallahassee that made reference to a picnic area along Lake Talquin, the reservior created along the Ochlocknee River for a hydroelectric plant that serves the city of Tallahassee. On this last trip, I noticed the sign said “Lake Talquin State Park,” so not wanting to miss an opportunity to chalk up another state park visit on my tally (I’ve been to almost all of them), I stopped. And was I glad I did! There’s a beautiful nature trail through the slope forest above deep ravines that drop off to the lake, as well as the promised picnic pavillion.  Even better, a steep staircase drops down a ravine to the surface of the lake, where a boardwalk offers a place to sit and enjoy a novel … or cast a line. The view from the boardwalk reminds me of the Adirondacks of my youth.  This is a little gem for anglers, picnickers, and hikers to enjoy.