I read about Torreya State Park many years ago, located in the Apalachicola River Valley, but never got around to visiting there. The park is named for its Torreya trees, an endangered conifer that only grows naturally in that tiny area, due to its very specific geology and climate.

Rusty and I were on our way to Alabama, when I suddenly remembered the park. I had written the lyrics for a song for my grandchildren about the wonderful flora and fauna of Florida, that mentioned the Torreya. My good friend, Steve of Fernandina Beach, wrote the melody, performed it, and recorded it for me.

“Will you take me to the trees?” I asked Rusty, and of course he agreed. Torreya was just a few miles off our course, so we decided to visit the trees, and take a short hike along the Apalachicola River. But when we arrived, we realized we wanted to spend more time there, and as luck would have it, there was one remaining campsite. At only $8, with hot showers and a serene setting, we jumped at the chance.

The Torreya tree, once abundant, was added to the endangered plant species list in 1984. It’s estimated there were 600,000 Torreya trees living in the Apalachicola River Valley during the early 1800s. But over the last century, a blight and overharvesting (it was popularly used for fencepost and shingles) decimated an estimated 98% of the trees growing in the wild. Then in 2018, Hurricane Michael destroyed many of the remaining trees, along with much of the park itself.

The park is open again to the public, but the Torreya here appear to be headed for extinction. Only around 200 survive in the wild today. We were able to see several stunted Torreyas at the Gregory House and Visitor Center property, but didn’t notice any on our hike. None are said to be producing viable seed anymore.

On a brighter note however, there are several Torreya trees growing at botanical gardens around the country and at a few private residences, some as tall as 60 feet. Most of them seem to have avoided the blight and are producing seed. Some scientists are working on the problem with little success. But a group called Torreya Guardians (www.torreyaguardians.org) is helping with “assisted migration” of the trees, by planting their seeds farther north in Appalachia river basins and in other areas around the country where they will (hopefully) naturalize and thrive.

Our stop here wasn’t just about the Torreya tree, though. We also took a ranger-guided tour of the Gregory House, a relic of the plantation era that was relocated to the park by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. And, we went on a hike, of course. The trails were surprisingly challenging due to all the ravines and hills on this side of the Apalachicola River… and all the biting insects. But it was a beautiful day to be outdoors. We highly recommend that if you’re in the area to stop by Torreya State Park for a visit!

This is how magic happens on the road: you make a plan to do something, then spontaneity takes over, and you end up doing something completely different. As long as we have our little house on wheels, and occasional internet we need for work, we can step off the beaten path any time we want, and see where the day takes us.

~ Girl Hobo