Gamble Rogers Recreation Area at Flagler Beach

This park is named for a Florida folk singer who was camping at Flagler Beach and lost his life there while attempting to save a drowning man. In honor of his heroism they renamed the park for him. Site 42

The park has two camping areas, ocean side or riverside. We were set to stay ocean side but the cold and wind had us moving to the larger more sheltered river side campground.

The park’s location allowed for more time with family and a chance to explore the marine scrub forest.

The curiously twisted trees are Sand Live Oak which are surrounded by Saw Palmetto.

While it was REALLY WINDY– we did walk the beach to enjoy the many shore birds as well as the surf and sun.

The river side campground had lots of bird watching opportunities. Without binoculars we had a hard time identifying what we were looking at. A quick trip to Daytona Beach solved that problem.

On one of our hikes we ran into this guy.

We also also came across this unusual fern like plant called a Coontie. Early settlers in Florida made arrowroot starch from the root of the plant. At the center of the plant a cobb like structure develops that produces a bright orange seed.

We saw a fungus growing under one the same color as the seeds.

After a few days at the beach we where ready to move on to Alafia River State Park with it’s 17 miles of mountain bike trails.