Water Related Activities in Wakulla County
PUBLIC BOAT RAMPS
Jack Langston’s Fish Camp and Boat Ramp - Launch on the Ochlockonee River.
Lake Ellen - Crawfordville, public boat ramp.
Leonard’s Landing - Pull-off & boat launch kiosk with info. on clam farming and sea grass beds.
Levy Bay Boat Ramp - National Boat ramp.
Lower Bridge Boat Ramp - Natural boat ramp.
Mack Landing - Near Smith Creek on the Ochlockonee River.
Mashes Sands - Popular boat ramp in Ochlockonee Bay.
Myron B. Hodge City Park - Sopchoppy.
Rock Landing Dock Facility - Soon to go under major renovation
Ro-Ho Road Boat Ramp (Brother’s Three) - Concrete ramp.
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park - St. Marks.
St. Marks Lighthouse – www.fws.gov/saintmarks/lighthouse.html
Wakulla Beach - Wakulla Beach Road. Unimproved boat landing.
Additional Ramps: Spring Creek, Live Oak Island, and Ocholocknee Bay.
PADDLING
Many of the paddling opportunities in Wakulla County are designated as part of the State of Florida’s systems of Greenways and Trails. For a guide map call (850) 245-2052 or pick up a guide map at the Visitor’s Center in Panacea.
Apalachee Archaelogical Boat Trail Guide (850) 984-3966
Ochlockonee River Lower Trail for Canoeing
Sopchoppy River Canoe Trail
Wakulla River Canoe Trail
Historic Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail
CANOEING & KAYAKING
T-n-T Hide-a-way, Inc. 925-6412 www.tnthideaway.com
3 Certified Green Guides who specialize in Eco Tours, American Heritage and History tours,
kayak fishing, and manatee observation trips.
The Wilderness Way 877-7200 www.thewildernessway.net
Kayak and Canoe Sales and Rental, Guided and Private Tours, Kayak Fishing Gear,
Professional Certified Instruction and Paddle sport accessories.
SAILING & WINDSURFING
Shell Point Beach is the favorite location with great conditions for these sports
SCUBA OPPORTUNITIES
Cherokee Sink Diving
SR 61 S of 267 1.2 miles. Beautifully restored natural geologic formation called a sinkhole lake. Picnic tables and walkways down to the lake. Register to dive at the Ranger Station.
Rivers - Wakulla River is a great dive to see Manatee in some months, and hunting for artifacts such as arrowheads.
Bay - Accessible from St. Marks, Shell Point, Panacea, and other docks and boat ramps.
SCUBA CHARTERS AND EQUIPMENT
Pressure Drop 528-1926 www.scubadivecharters.com
Down Under Dive Center 926-4040
Equipment, classes, air, store.
Fishing Related Activities in Wakulla County
FRESH WATER FISHING
Lower Ochlocknee River
Access is available 12 miles south of State Road 375 from junction with State Road 20, then 1 mile west on Forest road 375B to Pine Creek Boat Ramp. The river can also be reached at the Ocholocknee River State Park, four miles south of Sopchoppy on US highway 319.
Sopchoppy River
The river is accessed at the Myron B. Hodge City Park in Sopchoppy.
St. Marks Wildlife Refuge
The St. Marks river is accessible from several locations including US highway 98 in Newport.
SALTWATER FISHING
St. Marks Wildlife Refuge (the Lighthouse) The entrance is located off US 98 in Newport and leads
through the refuge to the lighthouse and boat ramp.
Shell Point is located at the end of County Road 367.
Wakulla Beach is located off US highway 98 at the end of Wakulla Beach Road.
Mashes Sands Pier overlooks the Ochlocknee Bay and is located at the end of Mashes Sands Road,
off US highway 98.
FISHING CHARTERS
Blow III Fishing Charters 984-5839
Captain Luke’s Bay Trips 962-2114
CaptainJody Campbell 926-1173
Miss Ashley’s Deep Sea 984-5645
Running Wild Charter, Inc. 984-5206 grouperman850@aol.com
Shell Island Fish Camp & Marina 925-6226 www.shellislandfishcamp.com
The Speedy G 926-1115 mobile: 524-0247
Talisman 926-7730 diamondtalisman@hotmail.com
MARINAS WITH BOAT LAUNCH
Port Panacea Marina, Panacea 984-5844
Riverside Marina, St. Marks 925-6157
Shields Marina, St. Marks 925-6158
Shell Point Marina, Shell Point 926-7162
Shell Island Marina, Shell Island 925-6226 www.shellislandfishcamp.com
Beaches
Mashes Sands Island County Park
From Panacea, U.S. 98 south for three miles, then east on Mashes Sands Road. Restrooms and picnic tables, swimming, fishing pier, tidal marshes, biking, trailhead for Ochlockonee Bay walking and bike trail.
Shell Point Beach
South on Spring Creek Highway, off 98, for 1.5 miles. Bear left at fork and keep right at second fork until it ends at Shell Point Beach. Beach popular for beachcombing, windsurfing, sailing and boating. Restrooms, picnic tables, covered shelters and showers. Public Beach.
St. Marks Lighthouse
Small area to swim in front of the lighthouse. www.fws.gov/saintmarks/lighthouse.html
Wakulla Beach
US 98, 1.8 miles west of Wakulla River to Wakulla Beach Road (dirt road on S. side of Hwy) This is
a NATURAL beach with NO facilities. Unimproved boat landing, view of Goose Creek Bay and vast
sea grass beds. Hike to Shepard’s Spring and Cathedral of the Palms.
Wakulla Springs State Park
Located on 267 just east of 319 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville. Swim in the cold spring off the white sand beach. Enjoy boat rides and a dive tower. www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/default.cfm
More Recreation in Wakulla County
GOLF
Wildwood Country Club 926-4653 www.wildwoodcountryclub.com
The 18-hole course at the Wildwood Country Club facility in Crawfordville, Florida features 6,504
yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 70.3 and it has a slope rating
of 120.
HORSEBACK RIDING
Cypress Run Farm Inc. 926-4348 www.cypressrunfarm.com
Foxtrot Farm 926-2004
Stables by the Bay 984-3278
YMCA Camp Indian Springs 926-3361 www.campindiansprings.org
WILDLIFE WATCHING
Mashes Island State Park
See shorebirds, migrating hawks and wood storks.
Ochlocknee River State Park
Great for bird watchers.
Otter Lake Recreation Area
US 98 to Panacea, turn on Otter Lake Road. Picnicking, hiking, fishing, boating, nature photography, wildlife viewing and restrooms.
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Wakulla Springs State Park
Habitiats for many species including alligators, turtles, herons, osprey, egrets, swallow-tail kites, migrating songbirds, migrating ducks, and bald eagles. In the fall, migrating monarch butterflies.
Two Rivers Bridge
Ochlockonee River. April & May- flowering Tupelo trees buzzing with bees. Bird watching.
St. Marks Wildlife Refuge 925-6121
This unique refuge was established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds. It is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The refuge includes coastal marshes, islands, tidal creeks and estuaries of seven north Florida rivers.
Wakulla River and St. Marks River
Great places to catch a glimpse of manatees in the summer months.
HUNTING AND SHOOTING SPORTS
Apalachicola Wildlife Management Area 488-4676
Located along State Road 375. There is a small still hunt section, but most of the area is open to deer-dog running. Hunting opportunities include big and small game with general gun, bow hunting
and muzzle loading seasons.
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge 925-6121
The refuge supports an abundance of wildlife species. A limited number of resident game quota hunts are held on the Panacea and Wakulla units each year. An unlimited number of permit are
available for the Piney Island duck hunts, hog hunts, and small game hunts.
Interesting Places in Wakulla County
The Wakulla County Welcome Center
Panacea. Displaying classic photos from the Panacea historic past, offers local maps, information on
where to eat, where to stay, and what to do. Coastal Highway 98, Panacea.
Panacea Mineral Springs
Panacea. Visitors traveled from across the country in the early 1900s, and as far away as Europe, to enjoy
the healing waters of Panacea Mineral Springs. Coastal Highway 98.
Gulf Specimen Marine Lab 984-5297 www.gulfspecimen.org
Panacea. Educational Tours, Animals, Aquarium, Eco-Tours (water), guided expeditions.
Wakulla County Sinks
Cheryl Sink, (1/4 mile west of 319 and New Light Church) Emerald Split, Gremlin, Gator, Tucker and Lime
Sinks… so many more to explore. Cherokee Sink is a public sink that allows SCUBA.
Bethel Historic Site
Old church and cemetery Spring Creek Hwy and 267.
Two Rivers Bridge
Ochlockonee River. If you are here in April an May see the flowering Tupelo trees buzzing with bees. Great for bird watching as well.
Sopchoppy Opry 962-2151 or 962-7373
Monthly concerts of country, gospel, and bluegrass music or theatre productions located in the Historic Sopchoppy High School and Gymnasium
Other Places to Visit (Franklin County)
Alligator Point/Bald Point Beach
On Alligator Point where Ochlockonee Bay meets Apalachee Bay. Bald Eagles, Monarch Butterflies, Black Bears, Sea Turtles, and Alligators. Birding, picnicking, swimming, beachcombing, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, and hiking. Two beaches, fishing dock pavilions, restrooms, boardwalk.
Apalachicola
Art galleries, antique shops, bed and breakfast inns, and many fine historic homes and buildings.
Camp Gordon Johnston
In 1942, St. James Island was commandeered to serve as an amphibious landing training site for the invasion of Normandy. Over a quarter million men trained in amphibious assaults for WWll .
Carrabelle
Public Beach, Fishing, Marinas, Golfing, Restaurants, Shopping, Beaches, Biking/Hiking Birding Day Trips, Diving Parks, Camp Gordon Johnston, Museum, Crooked River Light House, World’s Smallest Police Station, Canoeing/Kayaking.
St. George Island
WORLD CLASS WHITE SAND BEACH. Voted among the world’s most beautiful beaches. This is a state park with many facilities, RV camping, fishing, swimming beach, and picnic pavilions.
St. James Bay
Golf Course with restaurant, exclusive luxury homes.
St. Teresa
Teresa Beach Club and Restaurant. Mostly private beach areas.
