On The Suwannee River

The beautiful rivers of Florida can seem to take you back in time -- the green banks covered in palmettos shaded by the ancient oaks towering overhead can make one feel as though they have somehow stumbled into the age of the triassic.  The rivers of the northern sections of the state aren't quite as dense with vegetation, but they still hold the same qualities that let you know you have stumbled off the populated path and have found a place to gaze in wonder at the stars above while the river softly burbles below.  There is a lot of quiet to be found by the slow moving red waters of the Suwannee.


Getting There

The Suwannee section of The Florida Trail is open to the public -- you don't need to be a member of The Florida Trail Association to hike or camp.  (Membership does, however, permit you to cross certain sections of private property.  This has not proven an issue for the section I've hiked.)  You can start at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, which offers overnight parking for a fee to those who want trail access.  A warning on this:  calling the park will likely get you in touch with someone who is not familiar with the Florida Trail access point or that there is primitive overnight camping permitted along it -- you may be told that trail camping is not even permitted in the park or that it is only allowed in constructed shelters that a company rents!  The rangers that staff the front gate entrance, however, know the details and will register you for your trip and direct you to the parking lot nearest the trail.  Hike west from the park -- you can view a map here.

What To Expect

Hiking conditions are comfortable on the sandy trail that follows the river, although you may be surprised to find that there are slight elevation changes compared to the more level areas of the southern half of the state.  During the wet season, the trail is often completely impassable due to flooding in the lower areas, so attempts to hike are best in the later winter and early spring.  The environment varies from pine forest to scrub and shade is sometimes not as favorable along some areas of the trail, so sunblock is recommended if the skies are clear.  There are plenty of trees, though, making this hike ideal for hammock camping.

 

You'll even find sandbars on the banks of the river that are suitable for camping if you are inclined to enjoy the sounds of the river while you sleep, but you might be surprised by how much cold this proximity to the water adds once the sun dips below the horizon.  If your tent has a rainfly, you'll want to use it at night as the dew point and air temperature at night can find themselves aligned in a way that causes drops of water to condense and fall from the leaves of trees in a rain that will soak you despite there not being a storm cloud in the sky.  The morning fog hanging over the river, though, makes for a wonderful breakfast backdrop.

You'll be most likely to find quiet once you hike far enough west that you no longer see stairs leading from houses down to the river.  While these residences are not particularly noisy by any means, their dogs are prone to communicate in a chorus that might keep light sleepers awake.  Look for the red markers on the trail indicating that you've crossed onto federal land -- this boundary about 3-4 miles down the trail is a good spot to start looking for a campsite.

What You'll See

The swirling, bubbling waters of The Suwannee River.  The deep red tint to the water comes from the tannic acid that leeches from the fallen leaves of the oaks that surround the river.  Once filtered this water is perfectly safe to drink, although I found that there was a cognitive disconnect between the color of the water and the complete lack of taste.  To remedy this, I found an easy solution in packing a ziplock bag of Tang powdered drink mix -- adding a touch of it to a bottle full of water and giving it a shake added just enough flavor and color to remove the distraction.

Sadly, out of the four nights I've spent along this river in the spring I've not once seen any wildlife besides the occasional bird passing by overhead.  Bears are not an issue to my knowledge and there wasn't even a single raccoon to provide a challenge to our ability to protect our food.  Still, it is wise to keep food suspended by a line just in case tiny thieving hands do detect delicious treats, and a bear can makes both a convenient safe stash as well as a fine place to sit or or a makeshift table when you're enjoying a meal.  You will likely come across fellow hikers who are out to enjoy an afternoon walk or even others burdened by heavy packs as they thru hike the trail.  Light kayak and canoe traffic can pass by heading downstream, but the river is generally too shallow to permit motorized craft.

Things to Watch Out For

Ticks.  The dry brush that lines much of the trail and camping areas can be loaded with these hungry little annoyances during the dry season.  Know how to remove a tick safely and consider carrying a tick key or similar device for easy removal.  Of the two times I have camped along this trail, routine tick checks have resulted in preventing at least a few of them from latching onto me.

Fort De Soto to Shell Key

And so it came to be that I found myself in the calm waters on the leeward side of Fort De Soto once again, heading north towards Shell Key out for a day of relaxation.  My third trip out to the island was just as enjoyable as my prior visits -- there is nothing as peaceful as floating in sea after partaking of a picnic lunch on the beach.  After coming ashore on the island, I planted and raised the flag of the great state of Florida which was not so much a stake of claim as it was a declaration that that I really love this place.

The route I take is a modest paddle -- a little over two miles -- and only requires caution when crossing the east-west channel that separates the two islands, as boat traffic can be a bit heavy on busy weekends.  The rest of the trip goes through water shallow enough that powered boats cannot follow.

What You Can Expect

Arriving in the morning is a good option, so as to avoid the peak hours of sun and heat while on the water if you elect to come in the summer months.  More important on the note of arriving early in the warmer seasons is avoiding the typical late afternoon thunderstorms that could prove to be a hazard while boating.

United Park Services offers kayaks for rent  and provide the required safety equipment for each person.  It is up to you on what type of kayak you want to rent, but the sit in boats seem to be more popular for crossing the open waters and seem to offer an easier paddle.

Wildlife is plentiful on both of the islands and in the water.  On this journey alone I saw a pod of dolphins, several sting rays, countless birds, and a even a baby sea turtle.  Tiny crabs scurry across the sand and fish nibble for any stray crumbs of bread from your sandwich.  The best encounter I had occurred after following the advice of another boater to sit still and remain quiet in the water just fifty yards or so north of the kayak launch point.  By doing this, I was rewarded with a close up visit from one of two manatees that take shelter from the open water there.


The beach of Shell Key is simply amazing, consisting of white quartz sand that gives way to the crystal clear warm bath water of the gulf.  Unlike De Soto, you can swim here and the depth is ideal on the eastern tip of the island.  The amount of peace and quiet you get to enjoy on your visit will vary with the day you elect to explore the island -- Saturday afternoons and three day weekends can see a beach so packed that finding a place to land your boat can be a challenge.  Saturday mornings and most other days you might find yourself and just a few other explorers to be the only ones around.

What You Should Bring

• Five dollars admission fee to Fort De Soto -- an increase from prior years
• Payment for kayak rental
• Sunblock
• Comfortable attire you can get wet, including a hat
• A packed lunch
• A small dry bag for storing anything you don't want exposed to seawater (cellphone, camera, etc) -- the dry storage on a kayaks rarely remain dry
• At least two liters of water per person
• A valid Florida saltwater fishing license, should you be inclined to test your patience

What You Should Beware

• Windy days.  The renters won't permit you to use their boats on days where gusts might cause a paddler to struggle or not be able to maintain control of their boat.  Check the weather forecast before you depart for De Soto.
• In the summer and fall:  any part of Shell Key that is not an exposed, sand covered beach.  While you won't encounter any issues on the beach, the leeward side of the island has enough vegetation to provide enough wind shelter for the eastern saltmarsh mosquito.  If you set foot into the area of trees on the northeast side of the island, be prepared to run back to your boat in terror.