Entire Visitor's Guide - Natural North Florida

WATER PLAY, CONTINUEDlongest underwater cave systems in thecontinental United States, about 28,000feet of underwater passages have beenexplored and surveyed by cave divers.Only divers who have proof of their scubacertification are allowed to explore theunderwater caverns. Mature forest standsaround the springs represent four majornatural plant communities. A nature trailleads visitors on a path tracing the twistingtunnels of the caves far below their feet.Swimming in Peacock Spring and OrangeGrove Sink are popular activities during thesummer. Grills and pavilions are availablefor picnicking. Located 16 miles southwestof Live Oak on State Road 51, two mileseast of Luraville on Peacock Springs Road.386-497-2511San Felasco Hammock PreserveState ParkThis preserve has one of the few remainingmature forests in Florida. The limestoneoutcrops and extreme changes in elevationprovide ideal conditions for many speciesof hardwood trees, including several championtrees. Bobcats, white-tailed deer, grayfoxes, turkeys, and many species of songbirdsmake their homes in the 18 naturalcommunities found in the preserve. Thepark offers outdoor adventure to hikers, offroadbicyclists, horseback riders, and naturelovers. To ensure solitude and quiet for atrue wilderness experience, the southerntwo-thirds of the park is designated forhiking only. The northern third of the parkhas horse trails, off-road cycling, and hiking.Equestrians must carry proof of a negativeCoggins test. The hiking trailhead is locatedfour miles northwest of Gainesville on StateRoad 232. The horseback and bicycle trailheadsare located off U.S. 441 just south ofAlachua. 12720 NW 109 Lane, Alachua,Florida 32615. 386-462-7905.San Marcos de Apalache HistoricState ParkThe many different flags welcoming visitorsto the park demonstrate the colorful historyof this site, from the first Spanish explorersto the present day. The history of thisNational Landmark began in 1528 whenPanfilo de Narvaez arrived in the area with300 men; however, the first fort was notbuilt until 1679. Andrew Jackson occupiedthe fort for a brief time in the early 1800s.The museum at the park displays potteryand tools unearthed near the originalfort and explains the history of the SanMarcos site. A self–guided trail is opento visitors and guided tours are availablewith two weeks advance notice. Open9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Thursday throughMonday, except Thanksgiving, Christmas,and New Year s Day. Located in St. Marks,off State Road 363, on Old Fort Road.Santa Fe RiverThe Santa Fe River has its origins in theSanta Fe swamp and wetlands of lakesAlto and Santa Fe in Bradford County. Itdisappears underground at O’Leno StatePark and, three miles later, reappears atRiver Rise Sate Preserve just north of Highphoto courtesy of visit FloridaSprings. The spring-fed Ichetucknee Riverjoins the Santa Fe River near Fort Whitebefore its confluence with the SuwanneeRiver just south of Branford. Because thelower Santa Fe River is fed by numeroussprings, and its waters are crystal clear, itis popular with canoeists and swimmersand offers productive fishing for anglers.The Santa Fe River Canoe Trail passesthrough hardwood hammocks and riverswamps and past numerous springs. It’sperfect for beginners, because the riverhas slow current and gentle curves. The26-mile long trail beings just below RiverRise Preserve and ends about three milesupstream of the confluence of the Santa Feand Suwannee rivers.Stephen Foster Folk Culture CenterState ParkSituated on the banks of the legendarySuwannee River, this center honors thememory of American composer StephenFoster, who wrote “Old Folks at Home,”the song that made the river famous. Themuseum features exhibits about Foster’smost famous songs and his music can beheard emanating from the park’s 97-bellcarillon throughout the day. In Craft Square,visitors can watch demonstrations of quilting,blacksmithing, stain glass making, andother crafts, or visit the gift shop. Hiking,bicycling, canoeing, and wildlife viewingare popular activities. Miles of trails windthrough some of the most scenic areas ofNorth Florida. For overnight stays, visitorscan camp in the full-facility campgroundor stay in a cabin. Every Memorial Dayweekend (last weekend in May), the parkhosts the Florida Folk Festival. Otherspecial events include concerts, weekendretreats, a monthly coffeehouse, a regionalquilt show, and an antique tractor show.Located in White Springs off U.S. 41 North.386-397-2733Suwannee RiverLargemouth and Suwannee Bass provideexcellent fishing opportunities. Both canbe caught along the shoreline near fallentrees or stumps. Several species of catfishare plentiful and offer real excitement foranglers young and old alike. Redbreastand spotted sunfish are the most abundantgame fish in the river and are easily caughtnear shoreline brush and stumps. Thepeak season is May through September,but good catches are possible year round.During the winter months, fish tend toconcentrate in the many deep holes foundalong the river bends. No formal trail existsalong this lower portion of the river, butboaters can plan their own journey. Becauseof the many boat ramps and canoelaunches along the river, paddlers can settheir own pace and vary the length of theirjourney. Access points include boat rampsat Hart Springs off of CR 344 and CR 232west of Bell; Eula and Wannee Landings,both off CR 341, Rock Bluff at the CR 340bridge and several other locations.Suwannee RiverWilderness Trail (SRWT)a unique experience for the outdoor enthusiast.The SRWT runs 207 miles from thenorthern most extent of rural north Floridato the Gulf of Mexico and encompassesactivities such as canoeing, camping, boating,hiking, biking, birding and horsebackriding. The Trail was designed to providenature-based recreationists a managedwilderness experience while educatingthem on protecting the natural, cultural andheritage resources in the Suwannee RiverBasin. The Suwannee River WildernessTrail is accessible from “hubs”, boat ramps,and public parks along its entire 207-milelength. The Trail is also accessible frommany trailheads for hiking, biking, birdingand horseback riding. 1-800-868-9914Suwannee River State ParkAbout a quarter mile past the rangerstation, a high bluff overlooks the spotwhere the Withlacoochee River joins theSuwannee River on its way to the Gulfof Mexico. Vestiges of history in the parkshow how important the Suwannee Riverwas to Florida history. Along the river arelong mounds of earthworks built duringthe Civil War to guard against incursionsby Union Navy gunboats. Other remnantsfrom the past include one of the statesoldest cemeteries, and a paddle–wheelshaft from a 19th century steamboat. Fivetrails, ranging from a quarter mile to 18miles, loop through surrounding woodlandsand provide panoramic views of the rivers.Other activities include fishing, picnicking,and canoeing; for overnight stays, the parkhas a full–facility campground and cabins.Located 13 miles west of Live Oak, off U.S.90. 386-362-2746Troy Spring State ParkThe depths of this spring contain theremains of the Civil War-era steamboatMadison scuttled in the spring run in1863 to keep it from being captured. Arecent addition to the state park system,Troy Spring now has an entrance road,restrooms, an accessible walkway, picnictables, and a riverside dock for canoeistsand boaters on the Suwannee River. This70-foot deep, first magnitude spring offersopportunities for swimming, snorkeling, andscuba diving. Only open-water scuba divingis permitted and divers must be certified;no solo diving is allowed. Trails for hikingand horseback riding are being developed.Located off County Road 425, 1.3 milesnorth of U.S. 27.Twin Rivers State ForestTwin Rivers State Forest is comprisedof 14 noncontiguous tracts. Each of thetracts on Twin Rivers State Forest offermany recreational opportunities whichinclude nature study, picnicking, hiking,bicycling, horseback riding, canoeing andfishing. Twin Rivers State Forest is locatedalong the banks of the Withlacoochee andSuwannee Rivers.Waccasassa Bay Preserve State ParkAccessible only by boat, this preserve isa favorite of anglers because it boastsboth saltwater and freshwater fishing.Bordering Florida’s Gulf Coast betweenCedar Key and Yankeetown, extensive saltmarshes and tidal creeks create habitatsfor saltwater fish, crabs, and shellfish.The park’s uplands protect a remnant ofthe Gulf Hammock that once spannedthousands of acres between the Suwanneeand Withlacoochee rivers. Endangered andthreatened species-including West Indianmanatees, bald eagles, American alligators,and Florida black bears-live or feed withinthe preserve. Although there aren’t anymarked foot trails, nature enthusiastscan enjoy wildlife viewing from a canoe.A primitive campsite on the WaccasassaRiver, accessible only by private boat, isavailable on a first-come-first-served basis.Boat access is from County Road 40 inYankeetown, County Road 326 in GulfHammock, and Cedar Key.50 Natural North Florida