reason I prefer boardwalks ...

Devil's  Millhopper  Geological  State  Park

4732  Millhopper Road 

Gainesville,  Florida

...

120 feet  deep sinkhole

the grand daddy of all Florida  sinkholes.

exposing limestone layers that date back

34 million years.

...

1974 the state park system began to manage the site

and installed 236 steps to the bottom.

that number was reduced to 132 steps

after hurricane Irma (2017 ) .

park closed from  2017 until 2019 

for repairs.

...

1971 when Millhopper was 

unencumbered by fences, gates and  steps.

my dorm mates and I decided to take a break

from studying for exams and visit the site

after midnight with flashlights in hand.

I tripped and slid about 20 feet down the

ravine before catching onto some tree roots.

my flashlight made it all the way to the bottom.

...

scratched ,bruised and sore 

at least the HOT light was on 

at Krispy Kreme.

so not a wasted trip.