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Reservations for Florida State Parks are now made through Reserve America, toll free, at 1-800-326-3521 TORREYA STATE PARK The high bluffs overlooking the Apalachicola River make Torreya State Park one of Florida's most scenic. Rising more than 150 feet above the river, the bluffs have been shaped and divided by deep ravines that have been eroded by streams throughout the centuries. PLANT & ANIMAL LIFE The park is named for a species of rare Torreya tree that occurs only on the bluffs along the Apalachicola River. This once plentiful tree was nearly destroyed by disease in the early 1960s and may be doomed to extinction. Other rare plants found in the park include the Florida yew tree and the U.S. Champion winged elm. The forests of the park include river swamps, hardwood hammocks and high pinelands. Each community contains a different set of trees, shrubs and wildflowers which offer variety during each season of the year. The bluffs and ravines are forested by many hardwood trees that commonly occur in the Appalachian Mountains of Georgia. These hardwoods provide the finest display of fall color found in Florida. Over 100 species of unique and colorful birds may be seen throughout the area. An array of animals commonly found in the park include deer, beaver, bobcat, grey fox and the unusual Barbours map turtle. HISTORY Animals were not the only inhabitants known to exist in the area over the centuries. A number of Indian sites have been discovered here by archaeologists. During the first Seminole Indian War in 1818, General Andrew Jackson crossed the river here with his army. In 1828, when Florida became a U.S. Territory, the first government road across north Florida met the river here in the park. Throughout the 1800s, the Apalachicola River was an important interstate highway. More than 200 steamboats traveled the river during the great trading era, 1840-1910. During the Civil War, this important route was protected by a six cannon battery. ŒLocated on a bluff, the battery was in place to prevent Union gun boats from passing. The remains of the gun pit can be seen along the bluff trail. The Gregory House, built in 1849 by Planter Jason Gregory, stood across the river from the park at Ocheesee Landing. Gregory's plantation prospered until the beginning of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. In 1935, the house was dismantled and moved to its present location in the park by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was developing the park. ACTIVITIES The natural beauty of the park can best be enjoyed along one of the nature trails. The Apalachicola River Bluffs Trail, a National Recreational Trail, offers a view of the river, Confederate gun pits, bluffs and hardwood forests. The Weeping Ridge Trail provides a healthy and pleasant walk to one of the park's deep ravines. A seven-mile loop hiking trail meanders through the park, exposing the hiker to virtually all the park's natural features. Recreational activities available in the park include one of the state's most peaceful and scenic campgrounds, with two primitive campsites located along the hiking trail for registered hikers. A picnic area with covered shelters is provided. Ranger-guided tours of the restored Gregory House are available daily. Included in the tour are stories of early plantation life along the river. Torreya State Park is located off S.R. 12. on C.R. 1641, 13 miles north of Bristol. For more information, contact: Torreya State Park Route 2, Box 70 Bristol, Florida 32321 (850) 643-2674.   View Larger Map