Information was furnished from The Guide to the Big Bend Scenic Byway, authors Diane Delaney and Don Lesh, Florida Foresight, Inc.
Planning a Day Trip
So where do you want to go? The Scenic Byway offers two distinct choices: the Coastal Trail and the Forest Trail. Each is divided into three segments: East, Central, and West. No matter where you are staying along the Byway, you can easily reach one or more of these segments. The Guide will help you understand what activities, facilities, and attractions to expect.
Though the distances may seem short, remember to allow plenty of time. The Byway travels along two-lane roads through rural communities and open countryside. Take your time and enjoy the views. Driving slowly also helps wildlife — keep your eyes open for Black Bear, Bobcat, White-Tailed Deer, River Otter, Fox Squirrel, Raccoon, Pine Snake, and other critters that may cross the road. Several wildlife photographs in The Guide were taken directly from the roadway. Also, please do not feed or disturb wildlife. Animals, especially Alligators and Black Bears that have become accustomed to human handouts or garbage, can become dangerous — which often results in their being killed or displaced.
Look at the Facilities Chart before you begin your trip. Some segments do not have restaurants, so plan accordingly. Stop by a deli or pack a great picnic lunch. Some roads through forests and natural areas (Ft. Braden to Sopchoppy and SR 65) do not have service stations for many miles, so it’s always prudent to start your trip with a full tank of gas.
Would you like to kayak or canoe down a scenic river? Go fishing or horseback riding? There are outfitters along the Byway to make any activity a reality and canoe and kayak rentals are readily available. The Guide provides contact information for Chambers of Commerce and Tourist Development Councils in each county. They will be happy to give you the names and numbers of outfitters, guides, and rental sites. There are ample opportunities in the forests for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking. Trails for Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) are being expanded. Some recommended side trips are on graded dirt roads. The Guide indicates their location. Under normal conditions they can easily be driven by regular two-wheel drive vehicles. However, these roads are not suitable for large travel homes and should not be attempted during or soon after heavy rain.
How much time you allot for a given segment depends on the type and number of activities that you are planning. You can spend two hours or two days in each segment. It’s up to you. Please note that recreational licenses are required for fishing and hunting. They can be purchased at county tax collectors’ offices, sporting goods stores, and other retailers selling hunting or fishing equipment, or call 1- 888/347-4356. Though certain species are hunted year-round, hunting activity is generally at its peak from mid-November through mid-January.
You are strongly encouraged to wear bright clothing, preferably a “hunter orange” vest or hat, if you are visiting forested areas at this time. You do not need a fishing license if you are:
• A child under age 16.
• Fishing from a guide, charter, or party boat that has a valid vessel license.
• A Florida resident fishing from land or a structure fixed to land.
• A Florida resident 65 years or older.
There are relatively few biting insects from late fall to early spring but in the middle of spring they do come back. Please take insect repellent with you as well as suntan lotion and plenty of water for outings during warmer months.
Coastal Trail Natural History
These are some of the types of habitat that you will see while visiting the Coastal Trail of the Big Bend Scenic Byway, from the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge to Apalachicola.
Beaches
These are constantly reshaped by waves, winds, and tides. Waves and winds pick up sands and reshape the shoreline. Tides sweep sand, shells, and trash onto land and back out to sea. There’s so much change in this zone that vegetation doesn’t have a chance to get established. Both birds and sea turtles lay their eggs on beaches. Resident wading birds and migrating shorebirds feed at the water’s edge.
Coastal Strand
This long, narrow strip between the beach on one side (where plants can’t grow) and the much more stable communities on the inland side may be dry oak scrub, pineland, or
hardwood forest. It includes the inland edge of the beach as well as the dunes. Plants and animals must adapt to salt spray, wind, and occasional flooding to survive here. Most of the plant species are vines, grasses, and herbs (that is, non-woody plants). After a storm wipes out the plants the coastal strand is recolonized from seeds blown in on the wind or contributed in bird and animal droppings. Dunes can be formed when the wind hits plants such as sea oats. The plants slow the wind down just enough to drop the sand it’s carrying. Isn’t it remarkable that these plants can withstand salt spray and strong winds but cannot survive human footsteps?
Salt Marsh
The marsh’s boundaries are fluid, adjusting themselves according to storms, erosion, sedimentation, the ebb and flow and meandering of tidal creeks, and sea level changes. A salt marsh may not be much to look at but what it does for us is remarkable. These monotonous stretches of grasses produce an enormous amount of dead plant matter, which is quickly broken down by crabs and other little creatures into tiny pieces, called detritus, which in turn feeds the young of many fish and shellfish species that end up on our tables. Blue Crabs, Shrimp, Mullet, Spotted Sea Trout, and Large-Mouth Bass spend part of their lives in the marshes of the Apalachicola estuary. No marsh? No seafood.
You can detect where the tide is strongest by which species of grass is dominant. There’s
Smooth Cordgrass where the marsh is flooded by tides most frequently and Black Needlerush where the tides don’t reach quite as far. In transition zones between the marsh grasses and the adjacent uplands you’ll find Glasswort, Saltwort, and Marsh Elder.
Many of the salt marsh’s inhabitants are seldom seen but are sometimes heard. Listen for
the clack-clack-clacking of Clapper Rails and the piercingly loud song of the tiny Marsh Wren.
If you’re really and truly lucky you’ll hear the Black Rail’s “KEEE-KEEE-doo.” For many birders the Black Rail is a Holy Grail of sorts because it is so seldom seen — and not often heard, either.
Scrub (Xeric Oak Scrub and Sand Pine Scrub) Scrub is miraculous. How can anything grow on old, deep sands that have practically no capacity for hanging onto water or nutrients? Yet trees, shrubs, lichens, and even flowering non-woody plants are found in scrub, along with a full list of animals. Along the corridor you’ll find scrub near the coast on sandy ridges that used to be either dunes or sandbars. As more and more sand accumulated shoreward of these once-coastal features and the shoreline moved farther and farther away, the formerly coastal features became inland communities. At least scrub plants don’t have to contend with the salt spray, windblown sand, and flooding that challenge coastal strand species.
A lot of the land in scrub has nothing growing on it and resembles a white sand beach with trees. Stunted-looking oaks, along with Saw Palmetto, are the dominant plant species in some scrubs; in others Sand Pine is the tallest plant. Scrub relies on fire to keep on being scrub. Without fire, other tree species (such as Live Oak, Laurel Oak, Red Oak, Sparkleberry, Pignut Hickory, Southern Magnolia, and Redbay) that can’t stand burning will establish themselves, and scrub will become a xeric hammock — a different kind of community.
Sand Pine is unusual in that the cones in some populations are sealed with natural resin. Fire is required to open the cones and release the seeds. Fire kills adult Sand Pine, so once the parent population has been burned a new generation starts up from seed, resulting in a forest of trees all the same age. But other Sand Pine populations — including most of those in the Panhandle — do not have closed cones. Instead their cones open up and drop their seeds in the fall, perpetuating the species and resulting in a forest with trees of many different ages.
It takes a long time to accumulate enough fuel in a scrub forest to sustain a fire. As Sand Pine grows its lower limbs die but do not fall off the trunk. When enough dead limbs accumulate they may be ignited by lightning or another source and create high-intensity fires. In a Sand Pine forest where the cones are closed until fire opens them, a lot of seeds are released all at once. In an open-coned population Sand Pine can only regenerate if there are nearby unburned trees to supply seed. If no Sand Pine seed is available, or if fires are so frequent that Sand Pine doesn’t live long enough to produce seed, the forest will end up as an Oak Scrub.
Tidal Flats
These are stretches of shoreline that are protected from the waves that pound the beaches. Tidal flats are also known as mudflats (because their surface soils are muds brought in
by channels from uplands) and intertidal zones (because they are between the tides, exposed at low tide and flooded at high tide). We may not see much besides mud when we look at tidal flats, but many animals see breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A world of invertebrate animals lives in and on that mud, including Tube Worms, Sand Dollars, Burrowing Shrimp, Sea Cucumbers, and assorted Mollusks and Crabs. Not only are there lots of species, there are also thousands of animals per square foot. These invertebrates live on tiny bits of leaves and stems of both land and aquatic plants that are brought into the mudflats in freshwater channels or by tides. The invertebrates become food for fish and birds. When the tide comes in, fish come with it to feast; when the tide goes out, birds dig in. Tidal flats are essential refueling stops for migrating shorebirds.
Coasts and Estuaries
The Byway coastline spans two major estuaries: Apalachee and Apalachicola Bays, where fresh water from the land mixes with salt water from the ocean. This mixture has a level of salt (salinity) that’s somewhere between fresh water and salt water. Without this mixture the fish and shellfish industries, as well as sportfishing, would dry up.
Apalachicola Bay wears a necklace of narrow, sandy strips (St. George and St. Vincent Islands) that boast postcard-perfect beaches. Apalachicola Bay is a type of estuary called a closed embayment, where waves have enough strength to push sand into piles that create barrier islands. The Apalachicola River’s huge drainage basin also supplies sediments to the Bay and the river’s enormous contribution of fresh water carries these sediments into the estuary.
Because open bays are directly connected to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico they are generally a little saltier than their sheltered cousins, the closed embayments. Both still qualify as brackish, however. Salinity Type of Water Salt content in parts per thousand Fresh Less than 0.5 Brackish (estuarine) 0.5 to 30 Salt (coastal ocean) 30-37
Estuaries are edged with beaches, salt marshes, or tidal flats. In and under the water of the region’s estuaries you can find:
Oyster bars (colonies of oysters), which are most common where the salinity is between 15 and 30 parts per thousand. Oysters can’t survive in fresh water and in saltier water they are attacked by predators, parasites, and diseases. Oyster bars provide habitat for a multitude of invertebrates and fish, including Sponges, Anemones, Whelks, Worms, Barnacles, Blue Crabs, Stone Crabs, Pinfish, Sea Trout, Spot, Black Drum, and Mullet. At low tide shorebirds, wading birds, and Raccoons help themselves.
Seagrass beds, which get their name from a half-dozen species of plants that flower just as land plants do, although they are not related to grasses that grow on land. Hundreds of algae grow on the leaves of these plants, which would smother them if it weren’t for animals that graze on algae, such as Pinfish. Grazers, in turn, are eaten by larger fish and invertebrates. The young of many fish and invertebrate species rely on seagrasses for food and shelter. Without seagrass beds we would have no scallops or shrimp and our fisheries would be much poorer. Sea turtles savor Turtlegrass and Manatees munch on Manatee Grass, which are two of the most widespread seagrasses in the area. Because seagrasses, like other plants, depend on sunlight, they cannot grow in muddy or very deep water.
Coastal Trail Animals, Reptiles, Amphibians, Crustaceans
Florida Black Bear, Bobcat, White-Tailed Deer, Gulf Salt Marsh Mink, River Otter, Raccoon, Opossum, Brown Squirrel, Red and Grey Fox, Coyote, Armadillo, St. Andrew’s Beach Mouse, Florida Mouse, Old Field Mouse, Cotton Mouse, Short-Tailed Shrew, Mole, Least Shrew, Salt Marsh Rabbit, Ghost Crab, Blue Crab, Gulf Crab, Grass Shrimp, Six-Lined Racerunner, Eastern Tiger Salamander, Red-Tailed Skink, Southern Fence Lizard, Alligator, Diamondback Terrapin, Gopher Tortoise, Oak Toad, Gopher Frog, Eastern Spade Foot Toad, Gulf Salt Marsh Snake, Coachwhip, Southern Hognose Snake, Florida Pine Snake, Pygmy Rattlesnake, Diamondback Rattlesnake, Indigo Snake, Coral Snake
Coastal Trail Plants and Trees
Sea Oats, Beach Morning Glory, Railroad Vine, Sandspur, Seashore Paspalum, Godfrey’s Blazing Star, Large-Leaved Jointweed, Smooth Cordgrass, Black Needlerush, Glasswort, Saltwort, Saltgrass, Salt Meadow Hay, Cattail, Sea Oxeye Daisy, Marsh Elder, Saltbush, Godfrey’s Spiderlily, Saw Palmetto, Rosemary, Rusty Lyonia, Ground Lichens, Seaside Elder, Wax Myrtle, Yaupon Holly, Corkwood, Sand Pine, Longleaf Pine, Sand Live Oak, Myrtle Oak, Chapman’s Oak, Scrub Oak, Southern Magnolia, Cabbage Palm
Coastal Trail Birds
Osprey, Bald Eagle, Brown Pelican, White Ibis, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Tri-Colored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Plover, Piping Plover, Wilson’s Plover, Least Tern, Royal Tern, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, American Oystercatcher, Black Skimmer, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Sandpiper, Dowitcher, Black-Bellied Plover, Sanderling, Herring Gull, Laughing Gull, Common Moorhen, Savannah Sparrow, Belted Kingfisher, Black Rail, Clapper Rail, Marsh Wren, Red-Winged Blackbird, Ground Dove, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Rufous-Sided Towhee.
Coastal Trail East
47.3 miles (including the drive to the St. Marks Lighthouse and the City of St. Marks) Begin: Wakulla County at intersection of Coastal Highway (US 98) and Lighthouse Road (CR 59). End: Franklin County at intersection of Coastal Highway (US 98) and Sopchoppy Highway (US 319).
Coastal Trail East: Destinations
This segment begins in southeastern Wakulla County near the town of Newport, at the intersection of Coastal Highway (US 98) and Lighthouse Road (CR 59).
St. Marks Unit, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Directions: From US 98 in Newport follow signs on CR 59 for 3.7 miles to the Refuge Nature Center. he road winds 6.5 miles from a mixed hardwood/pine forest at the Visitor’s Center across a vast salt marsh dotted with large manmade pools to the historic St. Marks Lighthouse on Apalachee Bay.
Description: Covering more than 68,000 acres of land and 31,000 acres of bay, the Refuge is internationally recognized for its more than 300 species of birds. he Refuge also has strong ties to a rich cultural past and is home to the St. Marks Lighthouse, which was built in 1832 and is still in use today. Excellent birding at Refuge ponds along the road. Outstanding nature trails and viewing platforms. Excellent migratory waterfowl viewing in fall and winter months. Wildflowers in spring and fall plus Monarch and other butterfly migration in fall. Visit the Nature Center first for information and to check the daily bird sightings for unusual species.
Activities: Birding, hiking, fishing, bicycling, boating, kayaking, nature photography, wildlife viewing.
Facilities: Nature center, book/gift store, bathrooms, drinking water, classroom, picnic areas, boat ramps.
Minimum time to allow: One hour.
Fee: Yes. Golden Eagle passport accepted.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset. Arrive early or late for best wildlife viewing.
Contact: 850/925-6121; saintmarks@fws.gov; www.fws.gov/saintmarks
Return to the Byway (US 98) and head west. The Wakulla County Newport Park on the north side of the road almost directly opposite the road to the Refuge offers camping, picnic facilities, bathrooms, a boat launch, and a boardwalk on the St. Marks River. A marker at the park entrance notes that the old town of Magnolia was established about two miles from the park. Boat rentals are available on the northwest side of the river (look for the painted Manatee on the roof). In the 1800s the St. Marks River provided the basis for a lucrative cotton transport business, which in turn supported the establishment of five towns along the river bank. Newport (originally called New Port when it was founded to replace Port Leon following a disastrous hurricane) became an economic center with as many as 1,500 inhabitants and a dozen large stores, warehouses, wharves, and stills. Newport was designated the county seat in 1844. In 1846 the Wakulla Hotel was built next to a sulfur spring (at a site on Plank Road one mile north from the intersection with US 98) and was marketed as a health resort for the allegedly medicinal quality of the mineral water. The town was seriously damaged during the Civil War. Once Florida’s second largest city, Newport had fewer than 30 residents by 1872. Newport revived for a few years during World War II when PT boats were built near there on the St. Marks River.
From the river continue west on the Coastal Highway for 2.5 miles to the intersection with Port Leon Drive (SR 363). Turn left (south) on the Byway to visit the City of St. Marks, Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park, and Fort San Marcos de Apalache.
City of St. Marks
Located at the juncture of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers, St. Marks has one of the longest histories of any place in Florida. In fact the city may be the third oldest settlement in North America. Today the city retains much of its charm with a marina, restaurants, and city park along the waterfront. Boat rentals, gas, lodging, and a bed and breakfast inn, as well as fishing and guide services, are available.
Fort San Marcos de Apalache State Historical State Park
Directions: From the city of St. Marks follow signs at Riverside Drive .6 of a mile to this historic site.
Description: The first European known to have seen this point was Panfilo de Narvaez in 1528. In 1679 the Spanish started building the first fort on this site, using logs painted with lime to look like stone, but pirates weren’t fooled by the camouflage. They looted and burned the fort a few years later. Forts in St. Marks were later occupied by Spanish, British, Spanish again, then (for five weeks) by a force seeking to establish “the Nation of Muskogee,” and Spanish yet again, before being taken over by Andrew Jackson in 1818. The fort passed back into Spanish control one more time before U.S. troops occupied it in 1821. In 1861 it was reoccupied by Confederate troops and named Fort Ward. The site became a permanent possession of the United States at the end of the Civil War.
Activities: Walking trails, exhibits, interpretive signage, picnicking.
Facilities: A well marked trail with an informative brochure leads visitors on a journey through the historic fortification ruins. A visitor center containing exhibits and artifacts covering the area’s history is built on the foundation of an old marine hospital. Picnic areas are provided.
Minimum time to allow: One hour.
Fee: Yes.
Hours: 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Thursday through Monday. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Contact: 850/925-6216; www.floridastateparks.org/sanmarcos
The City of St. Marks has enhanced this site, located at the confluence of the Wakulla and St. Marks Rivers, with an attractive canoe and boat launch, picnic pavilion, and the trailhead for the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park.
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park
Description: Florida’s first designated state trail follows the abandoned railbed of the historic Tallahassee-St. Marks Railroad. The Trail runs south from Florida’s capital city, Tallahassee, through the Apalachicola National Forest and ends in the coastal community of St. Marks. Through the early 1900s this historic railroad corridor was used to transport cotton from the plantation belt to the coast for shipment to textile mills in England and New England. Today, as a paved trail, it provides an excellent recreational workout for bicyclists, walkers, and skaters. It also provides opportunities for horseback riding on the adjacent unpaved trail.
Facilities: 16 miles of paved trail, 8-12 feet wide; parking, picnic area, restrooms.
Activities: Biking, skating, walking, horseback riding, and birding.
Minimum time to allow: 30 minutes.
Fee: No.
Hours: 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.
Contact: 850/245-2081; www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/state/marks
Return to the Byway and continue west on US 98 for 2.1 miles to the Wakulla River. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the southeast side of the bridge. The Wakulla River, which originates at Wakulla Springs, flows south for about 10 miles before joining the St. Marks River near Fort San Marcos. The crystal clear waters make it a popular place for swimming, boating, and fishing. Whether you explore up stream or down, you will see lots of wildlife including West Indian Manatees, Turtles, Alligators, and a wide variety of birds and plants.
Continue on US 98 1.3 miles to Wakulla Beach Road (a graded dirt road on the south side of the highway). If you have time, you might wish to take the following side trip.
Side Trip: Wakulla Beach, Florida Scenic Trail to Shepard’s Spring and Cathedral of the Palms
This scenic road passes through the Wakulla Unit of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Located west of the town of St. Marks, the Wakulla Unit offers upland forests, palm hammocks, fresh and brackish water marshes, and tidal beach access to Apalachee Bay. This unit is open to quota-hunting during the fall and winter months, and it provides an ideal launching point for small boats year-round. Approximately 5.5 miles of the Florida National Scenic Trail traverses this portion of the refuge. No facilities. Use of launch point and access to trails are free to the public.
At the end of the road, approximately 3.9 miles south of US 98, is Wakulla Beach. There you will find the ruins of an old hotel, an unimproved boat landing, a wonderful view of Goose Creek Bay, and vast seagrass beds to explore. There are no other public facilities but the solitude and views are worth the drive. After the first mile the road passes a trailhead for the Florida National Scenic Trail, which leads hikers through Florida’s natural wonders as it meanders 1,300 miles across the state. In 1983 the U.S. Congress designated the Florida Trail as part of the National Trails System, making it one of only eight National Scenic Trails.
There is a small parking lot at the trailhead. From there hike the trail west for 2 - 3 miles
(approximately 1 hour) until you reach Shepard’s Spring (allow approximately three hours for the round trip to include time to spend at these sites). This is a beautiful spring surrounded by lush vegetation. The path to the spring is now a raised walkway with benches at the end. However lovely this site is, you haven’t seen anything yet! Opposite the path to Shepard’s Spring is a trail leading into “The Cathedral of the Palms.” As you walk in you will notice Cabbage Palms and other trees that are much larger than those you passed earlier. You will then find yourself in the middle of an ancient, old-growth palm forest. There is really nothing else like this on the Byway. Save some quiet time
to appreciate the scene and take lots of pictures.
Back on the Byway, continue west on US 98 for 3.8 miles. At the intersection with Shell
Point Road (CR 365) you may wish to take these side trips.
Side Trip: Shell Point Beach and Spring Creek.
Turn left (south) onto Shell Point Road, passing through sections of the Wakulla Unit of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. At the first fork in the road you can choose to go to Shell Point (left) or Spring Creek (right). Shell Point is a coastal community with a public beach some 5.9 miles from the Byway turnoff. Facilities include parking and restrooms. On windy days this is a popular spot for sailing and windsurfing. Follow the signs before the turnoff. Spring Creek is an historic fishing village on the banks of Dickerson Bay. The name comes from a first magnitude spring that upwells just off shore. No facilities except for a restaurant.
Continue west on the Coastal Highway for 2.8 miles. On your right you will see Wildwood Golf and Country Club, a popular 18-hole course open to the public. Wildwood has a restaurant, golf shop, and driving range. A new nature-oriented hotel, The Inn at Wildwood, is adjacent to the Country Club. The Medart Recreation Park, which is 1.3 miles farther along US 98, has ball fields, basketball courts, a children’s
playground, and ample parking. There is no fee. This portion of the Byway is planted with native wildflowers in bloom during spring and fall.
The Byway passes the red brick Wakulla High School on your left. At the next intersection turn right (north) on Crawfordville Highway (US 319) from US 98 toward Crawfordville to visit these additional sites.
Side Trip: Pigott Cemetery
Turn left on Friendship Church Road opposite the Eden Springs Rehabilitation and Nursing home and drive one mile to visit an excellent example of an old family cemetery.
Back on US 319 Lake Ellen Church and Cemetery will be on your right as you continue north for .7 miles. The church, the oldest portion of which was built in 1948, and adjacent cemetery are clearly visible from the road. Harvey’s Historic Truck Display. Continue past Lake Ellen Church for 1.8 miles to see a most unusual roadside display. This line of rusting old trucks in an open field on the west side of the road is one of the most photographed features along the Byway.
Return to the Byway and continue west on US 98 from the intersection with US 319 through Medart. The Byway passes a sugar cane field and several houses dating from the early 1900s. At the fork in the road in 1.5 miles, continue on US 98 past the Wakulla Middle School and into the Panacea Unit of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. This Unit is largely dominated by uplands pine and oak forests with several fresh water lakes interspersed. Primitive walking trails crisscross this unit, which is open to quota-hunts during the fall and winter months. Located within the Panacea Unit is the Otter Lake Recreation Area, which offers picnic tables and shelters, restrooms, and a launching point for small boats with a motor size limit of 10 horse power or less. About 6.5 miles of the Florida National Scenic Trail traverses this unit of the Refuge. The Panacea Unit is located west of the Wakulla Unit on US 98, just inside the town of Medart, and along US 98 south toward the town of Panacea. The picnic facilities, trails, and launch point are free to the public.
Skipper Bay Road, Panacea Unit, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Approximately 1.8 miles farther south on US 98 you will reach the turnoff on the left to Skipper Bay Road, a graded but very narrow and unpaved lane leading to Skipper Bay. Roughly 1 mile down this road, look carefully to see a number of “cat-faced” turpentine trees. Some actually still have the tin drains attached and are the best surviving remnant along the Byway of the important turpentine and naval stores industry that once characterized the area. Skipper Bay Road continues over a small bridge with views of a vast salt marsh full of Fiddler Crabs and then enters a hardwood hammock of giant oaks draped in moss before ending at Skipper Bay, which once was the site of one of the area’s several mullet seineyards. Caution: this road is beautiful, but it is deeply rutted in places and should not be attempted in rainy weather. There are no public facilities, just magnificent views of Old Florida scenery.
Bottoms Road, Panacea Unit, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Continue along the Byway on US 98 for 2 miles and turn left onto Bottoms Road just before entering the town of Panacea. Only 2.5 miles long, this road passes through the Refuge along Dickerson Bay and offers fantastic marsh views. This is an excellent birding spot where you may find large congregations of White Pelicans in winter, Marsh Hawks in the fall, Marsh Wrens, Clapper Rails, and a wide variety of shore birds in spring. In summer you might even spot a Roseate Spoonbill. Birding or not, the view alone is worth the drive. A boat ramp at the end of the road offers fishermen direct access to the Bay. You can also park there and walk along the beach or road. At night
Bottoms Road is a great place for star-gazing.
Panacea
Continue on US 98 .6 of a mile into Panacea, a long-time commercial fishing village and a designated Waterfronts Florida community. Panacea is steeped in maritime history, from the early days of catching huge runs of Mullet by hand drawn seine nets to later oystering, shrimping, and crabbing. Panacea has antique shops, a grocery store, gas stations, post office, lodging, seafood restaurants, a marina, marine supplies, fishing guides, RV camping, and several retail seafood houses offering fresh Grouper, Shrimp, Oysters, and other delicacies.
Wakulla County Welcome Center, Mineral Springs, and Woolley Park
As you enter Panacea the Wakulla County Welcome Center will be on your left. Perched on pilings overlooking Dickerson Bay, the Center offers sweeping views of the surrounding marshland and coastline. Stop in to look at old photographs, artifacts, artwork, and educational displays; pick up information about area attractions; and talk with the knowledgeable and friendly volunteer staff. You can walk directly across the road to visit the Panacea Mineral Springs, which are being restored to their original glory; a replica of the early 1900s hotel at the site is on the drawing board. Founded in 1895, Panacea was named for the healing properties of its many mineral springs. Visitors arrived from far away by buggy and plank road trams drawn by mules to bathe in the springs’ curing waters. Another nice stop is Woolley Park, which has a children’s playground, walking trail, parking, and fishing pier. Each May the park is the site of the annual Blue Crab Festival. Turn left on Mound Street at the south end of Bayside shopping center to access the parking lot at Woolley Park.
Otter Lake Recreation Area, Panacea Unit, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
Directions: From the center of Panacea look on your right for Otter Lake Road and follow it approximately one mile to this Recreation Area.
Description: Only minutes from town, this picnic spot — a great favorite of locals — is cooled by beautiful moss-draped oaks. The scenic view of Cypress tree reflections in the still lake waters are worth a picture or two. A nice hiking trail circles the lake.
Activities: Picnicking, hiking, fishing, boating, nature photography, wildlife viewing.
Facilities: Picnic tables and shelters, hiking trails, restrooms, boat launch for small boat, with a motor size limit of 10 horse power or less.
Minimum time to allow: 30 minutes
Fee: No.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset.
Contact: 850/925-6121; saintmarks@fws.gov; www.fws.gov/saintmarks
To see a wide variety of marine life such as Sand Shark, Grouper, Horseshoe Crab, and Seahorse, follow signs in Panacea to the Gulf Specimen Aquarium and Marine Lab.
Gulf Specimen Aquarium and Marine Lab
Directions: 225 Clark Drive in Panacea. Directional signs are located on US 98 and elsewhere in Panacea.
Description: 25,000-gallon marine aquarium. A fun experience for the whole family with open touch tanks providing visitors a close look at the enormous diversity of Big Bend sea life.
Facilities: Touch tanks, aquarium displays, dioramas, gift and book shop.
Minimum time to allow: 30 minutes.
Fee: Yes.
Hours: 9:00-5:00 Monday-Friday, 10:00-4:00 Saturday, 12:00-4:00 Sunday.
Contact: 850/984-5297; gspecimen@sprintmail.com; www.gulfspecimen.org
Note that plans are under way for a Maritime Center in Panacea to interpret the maritime practices and heritage of the Big Bend area from Carrabelle to Cedar Key. Watch for the progress of this facility as you return to Panacea in coming years.
Continue south from Panacea on Coastal Highway (US 98) to Ochlockonee Bay. The wetland views along this portion of the Byway are stunning. Watch for Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Herons along the roadside ponds.
Ochlockonee Bay
2.4 miles south of Panacea lies the tranquil bayside community of Ochlockonee Bay, which offers fishing supplies, deli food, coastal home rentals at realty offices, RV camping, gas stations, and restaurants. On your right you will see the Wakulla County Regional Airport, with a grass runway for small planes. During the summer airplane rides and skydiving are offered here. At the blinking traffic light before the Ochlockonee Bay Bridge turn right (west) onto Surf Road, which leads some 3.6 miles past private coastal homes to the entrance of another portion of the Panacea Unit of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Alternatively, turn left at the blinking traffic light onto Mashes Sands Road to visit this small but attractive county park.
Side Trip: Mashes Sands Recreation Area, Wakulla County Park
Directions: Turn left (east) from US 98 onto Mashes Sands Road for 2.7 miles.
Description: A nice place to view Apalachee Bay, watch Dolphins, cast for Mullet and, at low tide, walk the sandbars to see a great variety of shorebirds, including Black Skimmers. Good mile-long loop walk. From the beach parking lot walk along the road past the marsh ponds, then turn into the parking lot for the bike trail and fishing pier, walk to the water, go left past the fishing pier along the Bay, then back to the beach parking lot.
Facilities: Sand beach, restrooms, fishing pier, boat landing, picnic tables, tidal marshes, and trailhead for Ochlockonee Bay Trail. The 15-mile trail, currently under construction, will travel alongside Mashes Sands Road and Surf Road through the Panacea Unit of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge to another trailhead near Sopchoppy.
Activities: Beachcombing, bird and wildlife watching, picnicking, biking (when the trail is completed), boating, fishing.
Minimum time to allow: 30 minutes.
Fee: Yes (summer).
Hours: 9:00-5:00 Monday-Friday, 10:00-4:00 Saturday, 12:00-4:00 Sunday
Contact: 850/926-7227
Forest Trail East: Destinations
You should start your tour of this segment in Wakulla County at the intersection of Coastal Highway (US 98) and Bloxham Cutoff (SR 267) west of Newport. There is often a Tupelo honey stand at this intersection. If you’ve never tasted Tupelo honey, a sweet southern delicacy, now may be the time for a try. We think you’ll like it.
The roadway along SR 267 is wooded and lined with wildflowers in spring and fall. Keep your eyes open for Swallow-Tail and Mississippi Kites that soar gracefully above the treetops in search of insects. At the intersection with Woodville Highway (SR 363) you may wish to take the following side trip.
Side Trip: Natural Bridge Battlefield State Historic Site
Directions: At the intersection of Bloxham Cutoff (SR 267) and Woodville Highway (SR 363), take Woodville Highway north for 5.6 miles into Leon County. In the town of Woodville, turn right (east) onto Natural Bridge Road (CR 2192). Follow signs 6 miles to the Park at the St. Marks River.
Description: Natural Bridge is the site of the second largest Civil War battle in Florida, which took place where the St. Marks River drops into a sinkhole and flows underground for one-quarter of a mile before reemerging. During the final weeks of the Civil War a Union flotilla landed at Apalachee Bay, planning to capture Fort Ward (now San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park) and march north to the state capital, Tallahassee. With a timely warning, volunteers from the Tallahassee area — some Confederate soldiers
joined by old men and young boys — intercepted the Union forces at Natural Bridge and successfully repelled three major attacks. The Union troops were forced to retreat to the coast and Tallahassee was the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi not captured by the Union.
Activities: Hiking, fishing, birding.
Facilities: Picnic area, interpretive plaque.
Minimum time to allow: 30 minutes.
Fee: Yes.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.
Contact: 850-922-6007; http://floridastateparks.org/naturalbridge
Back on the Byway, you will cross the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park. A great local favorite, the Tallahassee-St. Marks Trail follows the abandoned railbed of Florida’s longest operating railroad line. The first designated bike trail in the state, it stretches 16 miles through dense pine forests and quiet rural communities before ending in the small coastal town of St. Marks. Many cyclists find that a stop at rustic Posey’s Oyster Bar for “topless oysters” and a cold beverage perfectly rounds out the afternoon. Horseback riding and skating are also enjoyed. As you continue on the Byway you will pass over a freshwater spring, McBride Slough, and then reach the entrance for Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge.
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park & Lodge
Directions: On the Byway just east of the intersection of SR 267 and SR 61.
Description: Wakulla Springs is internationally known as one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world and the park is host to an abundance of wildlife, including White-Tailed Deer, Alligators, Suwannee River Cooters, Manatees, Wood Ducks, Anhinga, Yellow-Crowned Night Herons, other birds, and snakes. Daily guided riverboat tours provide a close view of wildlife and glass-bottom boat tours are offered when the water is clear. Swimming is a popular activity during the hot summer months but remember that the water temperature remains a constant 69 degrees year-round! A nature trail offers a leisurely walk along the upland wooded areas of the park. The Wakulla Springs Lodge was built in 1937 by financier Edward Ball and is open year-round. Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge is listed on the Natural Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Natural Landmark.
Activities: Birding, wildlife viewing, swimming, photography, hiking, and boat rides.
Facilities: 6,000 acres. Lodge with full-service dining room overlooking the spring, gift shop, hiking trails, horse trails, interpretive exhibits, picnic areas, restrooms, showers and changing rooms.
Minimum time to allow: One to two hours.
Fee: Yes.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year.
Contact: 850/224-5950; http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings
Cherokee Sink
If you have time, visit this beautifully restored natural geologic formation called a sinkhole lake. There are picnic tables and walkways down to the lake. Swimming, SCUBA diving (register in advance at Ranger Station), picnicking, and hiking are allowed. To reach Cherokee Sink exit Wakulla Springs State Park, turn left onto SR 267 and drive 0.1 miles. At the caution light at the intersection of SR 267 and SR 61 turn left (south) onto SR 61 and continue 1.2 miles. Turn right onto an unpaved park road at the small Cherokee Sink sign and drive 1.2 miles. Turn right into the parking lot. Wakulla State Forest
Directions: On the Byway across the road from the entrance to Wakulla Springs State Park.
Description: This is Florida’s newest state forest. It currently is in the planning phase and has no interpretation and few facilities. However, along old roadbeds and fire lanes —by bicycle, horseback, or on foot — visitors can experience first-hand the same natural, untamed resources that early settlers discovered.
Activities: Hiking, biking, horseback riding.
Facilities: Parking and picnic area at entrance.
Minimum time to allow: 30 minutes.
Fee: Yes.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year.
Contact: 850/ 488-4274 http://www.fl-dof.com/forest_recreation/index.html
Bethel Historic Site
Continue on the Byway route along SR 267. The Bethel Historic Site, consisting of an old church and cemetery, is at the intersection with Spring Creek Highway (SR 365). At the signaled intersection with Crawfordville Highway (US 319), you may wish to try one of the following side trips:
Side Trip: Leon Sinks Geological Site, Apalachicola National Forest
Directions: From the intersection of Bloxham Cutoff (SR 267) and Crawfordville Highway (US 319) take US 319 north (toward Tallahassee) for 3.2 miles to the entrance to the Leon Sinks Geological Site in the Apalachicola National Forest. It is located on the left (west) side of US 319. Description: 5.9 miles of marked, interpreted trail running past Longleaf Pine forest, Gum Tree swamps, sinkholes, swales, caverns, a natural bridge, streams, and depressions. Excellent presentation of the area’s unique geology known as Karst Topography. This term is applied to terrain in which rain and groundwater have dissolved underlying limestone bedrock over long periods of time, leading to collapsed surface formations, which often are then filled with water. Good variety of trees especially in spring when dogwood and magnolias are in bloom.
Activities: Hiking, wildlife viewing, photography.
Facilities: Interpretive kiosk, restrooms, picnic tables, interpretive trails, viewing platforms.
Minimum time to allow: One hour.
Fee: Yes.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.
Contact: 850/926-3561; www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida/recreation/index_apa.shtml
Side Trip: Crawfordville
Directions: From the intersection of Bloxham Cutoff (SR 267) and Crawfordville Highway (US 319) on the Byway, take US 319 south 5 miles to the town of Crawfordville, the county seat of Wakulla County.
Points of Interest: Historic Courthouse. The wooden vernacular-style courthouse in Crawfordville was designed by G. W. Tully and constructed in 1892-93. It is said to be the oldest wood-frame courthouse still in use in Florida. In 1948 it was relocated one block away from its original site and now houses the Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce. The old Jail stands across the street. After renovation is completed it will house the museum and genealogical archives of the Wakulla County Historical Society.
Azalea and Hudson Parks.
Attractive parks in the center of town with walking trails and picnic facilities.
Apalachicola National Forest Headquarters.
From US 319 turn east on Taff Drive approximately two blocks to the USDA Forest Service headquarters at 57 Taff Drive (850/926-3561). Pick up information on the Apalachicola National Forest, including bird lists, activities, natural features, maps, trails, etc.
Facilities: Gas stations, restaurants, grocery store, hardware store, library, drug store, fast food service, etc.
Contact: http://www.wakullacountychamber.com; wakullacochamber@embarqmail.com
Smith Creek
Back on the Byway, head south 5 miles to the community of Smith Creek. An old one-room school house is located next to the Volunteer Fire Department. At Jack Langston’s Fish Camp and Boat Ramp, just to the right off the Byway, you can still see some original fish camp cabins by the river. Spring and fall are particularly beautiful seasons along this portion of the Byway. The roadsides are filled with wildflowers and beautiful butterflies. As you travel through the Apalachicola National Forest you also may notice white bands painted around large longleaf pine trees. These trees are marked to indicate Red-Cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) nests (see page 56). Another “keystone species,” the Gopher Tortoise, inhabits pine flatwoods along the Byway. Both of these species depend on prescribed fire to reduce underbrush, protect against wildfire, and keep the flatwoods open for Wiregrass and other indigenous plant species.
About one mile from Smith Creek, FR 13 crosses the Byway. Turn right (west) for a sweeping view of the Ochlockonee River and the floodplain swamp dominated by Tupelo gum trees.
Side Trip: Two Rivers Bridge, Ochlockonee River.
Stop in a safe area at the bridge and walk its length to get a full view of the river and the adjacent forest. If you are here in April and May you will notice the flowering Tupelo trees abuzz with bees. The Ochlockonee River Bridge also serves as the route for the Florida Scenic Trail, with a trailhead at Porter Lake, the ANF facility on the western end of the bridge. The bridge is also an excellent area for birdwatching since you are at eye level with the treetops!
Return to the Byway. The next ANF facility you will come to is Mack Landing, which is 6 miles farther down CR 375 from FR 13. Turn right onto the graded dirt road (FR 336) for 1 mile to reach the river. Mack Landing is a fee area with camping, boat launch, picnic tables, restrooms, and fishing. As you continue southward the Apalachicola National Forest gives way to gently rolling fields and farms.
Sopchoppy
In another 9 miles from the Mack Landing turnoff, you will cross the Sopchoppy River and enter the charming town of Sopchoppy on Rose Street (CR 22). If you watched any of the Andy Griffith shows, Mayberry will come to mind as white picket fences frame your drive into town and the Black Lab reluctantly gives up his tation in the middle of the street. As the locals say, “Sopchoppy and easy living go together.”
Over 100 years ago Sopchoppy was a bustling railroad town, with a depot built in 1893. The City of Sopchoppy was incorporated in 1905. Shops and restaurants in the small historic district date from the early 1900s. In 1906 the Carrabelle, Tallahassee, and Georgia Railroad (which was later reincorporated as the Georgia, Florida, and Alabama) ran through town. The old depot is still standing. Sopchoppy is now a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Kayaking, hiking, swimming, fishing, hunting, and birdwatching are just a few of the activities that are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Outfitters in town offer bike and kayak rentals and a B&B is planned. There are many musicians and two recording studios in the area as well.
Sopchoppy is also known as the Worm Gruntin’ capital of the world, and locals still practice the art of coaxing earthworms from the ground to sell as bait. They go into the woods at dawn, drive a hardwood stob into the ground, and rhythmically rub the top of the exposed wood with a heavy piece of iron, such as a leaf spring from an old tractor. The friction sends vibrations into the ground and apparently irritates the earthworms, causing them to rise to the surface where they are collected in bait cans. Each year in early April the town celebrates its tradition of Worm Gruntin’ with a daylong festival, coronation of the Worm Grunters’ Queen, and the Worm Grunters’ Ball held outdoors in the evening.
Like many Florida place names of Native American origin, the original meaning of “Sopchoppy” is not known for certain. Its most popular interpretation is “dark water river,” but some believe it comes from Creek words meaning “long” and “twisted” (although not terribly long, the Sopchoppy River is definitely both twisted and dark). Others think it’s a corruption of another Creek word for “Red Oak.” The best view of, and access to, the Sopchoppy River is at Myron B. Hodge City Park. Turn right on Yellow Jacket Avenue and after a few blocks turn right again. From Park Avenue turn left to the park.
Side Trip: Myron B. Hodge City Park
Description: 35-acre park located on the banks of the pristine Sopchoppy River. The park serves as the location for Sopchoppy’s annual July 4th celebration with live music, food, and fireworks.
Activities: Boating, kayaking, swimming, birdwatching, wildlife viewing, fishing.
Facilities: Camping, restrooms, hot showers, nature trails, boat ramp, fishing dock, boardwalk, gazebo, children’s playground, and picnic pavilions. The park grounds also house the historic Ed Whaley log home and Curtis Mill School.
Minimum time to allow: 30 minutes.
Contact: 850/962-4611 or 962-3873.
Side Trip: Historic Sopchoppy High School and Gymnasium
Take Yellow Jacket Street from the center of town to reach the High School. A plaque describes the history and architecture of this site, constructed in 1939 in native limestone by Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The auditorium is also the site of live productions, such as “South Pacific,” “Oklahoma,” and “My Fair Lady,” by the Wakulla Community Theatre, and the Sopchoppy Opry, which presents monthly concerts of country, gospel, and bluegrass music in the Grand Ole Opry tradition. Proceeds are donated to the school’s restoration fund. Call 850/962-2151 or 962-7373 for more information.
To continue on the Byway, return to Rose Avenue (CR 22) and go back the way you came. Take the left fork when you reach the river on CR 22. In just over a mile turn left on Curtis Mill Road (CR 299). When completed, the GF&A Bike Trail will follow this Byway route from town. The route enters the Apalachicola National Forest in a few miles. Follow signs to Wood Lake, a facility of the Apalachicola National Forest, which has a boat launch and fishing.
In 6.2 miles you will reach the intersection with Sopchoppy Highway (US 319). Turn right (south) for .2 of a mile and turn left into the entrance of this beautiful state park.
Ochlockonee River State Park
Directions: Located at the juncture of the Ochlockonee River and US 319 in Wakulla County.
Description: This jewel of a park is a great place to get away for a few hours on a weekend or a weeklong vacation. Picnic facilities and a swimming area are located near the scenic point where the Ochlockonee and Dead Rivers intersect. Ochlockonee, which means “yellow waters,” is a mix of brackish, tidal surge, and fresh water. Wild and deep, the river empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Trails allow visitors to explore the park and view the diverse wildlife including Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers, White Squirrels, and natural communities such as Pine flatwoods and oak thickets. A boat ramp provides easy access to the river. Both freshwater and saltwater fish inhabit the waters around the park, including Largemouth Bass, Bream, Catfish and Speckled Perch. For overnight visitors there are full-facility campsites with access to restrooms and showers. Youth group camping is also available.
Activities: Swimming, boating, hiking, biking, camping, picnicking, birding, wildlife viewing.
Facilities: Interpretive kiosks, picnic shelters, boat launch, canoe rentals, hiking trails.
Minimum time to allow: One hour.
Fee: Yes.
Hours: 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.
Contact: 850-962-2771; http://www.floridastateparks.org/ochlockoneeriver
Celebrations along the Byway
If you’re lucky, your visit may coincide with one or more of these great events! Plan at least a half-day to take in the fun and sample some great food! Contact the Chambers of Commerce or Tourist Development Councils of the counties indicated for specific information.
January
• Big Bend Annual Exhibition of Photography, Tallahassee Regional Airport Gallery (LC)
• Living History Interpretation, Mission San Luis de Apalache, Tallahassee (LC)
February
• Mardi Gras Festival, Apalachicola (FC)
March
• Battle of Natural Bridge Reenactment (LC)
• Spring Jazz Fest, Dixie Theatre (FC)
• Chili Cook-Off, St. George Island (FC)
• Camp Gordon Johnston Reunion, Carrabelle (FC)
• Pioneer Breakfast /Tallahassee Jazz and Blues Festival, Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science (LC)
• Eastpoint Volunteer Fire Department Rib Cook (FC)
April
• Worm-Gruntin’ Festival, Sopchoppy (WC)
• Wakulla Wildlife Festival, Wakulla Springs State Park (WC)
• Apalachicola Antique & Classic Boat Show (FC)
• Riverfront Festival, Carrabelle (FC)
• Mission San Luis Heritage Festival (LC)
• Humanatee Festival, St. Marks (WC)
• Stephen C. Smith Memorial Regatta, Shell Point (WC)
May
• Blue Crab Festival, Panacea (WC)
• Tour of Historic Homes, Apalachicola (FC)
• Shriners’ Fishing Tournament, Carrabelle (FC)
June
• Saltwater Classic fishing Tournament, Carrabelle (FC)
July
• 4th of July Celebration, Sopchoppy (WC)
October
• Monarch Butterfly Festival, St. Marks NWR (WC)
November
• Florida Seafood Festival, Apalachicola (FC)
• Historic Apalachicola Christmas Celebration (FC)
• Big Bend Annual Exhibition of Photography, Tallahassee Regional Airport Gallery (LC)
• Big Bend Days, Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science (LC)
• Fall Jazz Festival, Dixie Theatre (FC)
December
• Christmas in Sopchoppy (WC)
• Boat Parade of Lights, Carrabelle (FC)
• Big Bend Annual Exhibition of Photography, Tallahassee Regional Airport Gallery (LC)
For additional information, contact the following:
VISIT FLORIDA
Florida’s Tourism Marketing Corporation
www.flausa.com
Leon County (LC)
Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
106 East Jefferson Street (across from City Hall)
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850/413-9200; vic@mail.co.leon.fl.us;
www.seetallahassee.com
Franklin County (FC)
Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center
122 Commerce Street, Apalachicola, FL 32320
850/653-9419; info@apalachicolabay.org;
www.apalachicolabay.org
Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce
105 St. James Ave., Carrabelle, FL ZIP
850/697-2585; info@carrabellechamber.org
www.carrabelle.org
Wakulla County (WC)
Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 598, 23 High Drive
Old Wakulla Courthouse, Crawfordville, FL 32326
850/926-1848;
wakullacochamber@embarqmail.com
Wakulla County Tourist Development Council
P.O. Box 67
Panacea, FL 32346
850/984-3966; www.wakullacountychamber.com
wakullacochamber@embarqmail.com
Wakulla County Welcome Center
493 Coastal Highway (US 98 across from Mineral Springs Park)
Panacea, FL 32346
850/984-3966
Headquarters, Apalachicola National Forest
57 Taff Drive
Crawfordville, FL 32346
850/643-2282
State of Florida
Florida’s Official Website,
www.myflorida.com
