Directions-From Tallahassee, head south to Capital Circle SE and turn onto Woodville Highway (county 363). Pass through Woodville and head into Wakulla (the city). Turn left onto 267. Turn left again on Highway 98 and head to Newport. Cross over the Saint Marks River and immediately look for Lighthouse Road. Lighthouse Road will take you into the NWR. Remember that the entrance fee is five dollars or buy an annual pass if you plan to come here often.
What to bring-insect repellent!, water, binoculars, snacks, camera, sunscreen. It's dog friendly, but I believe NWR rules require a leash. Bicycles are also allowed.
Difficulty-The terrain is flat and the trail is wide and dry. I would call the difficulty average for this area due to the length. (I consider Angel's Landing in Zion NP to be difficult) Do a shorter hike if you are out of shape.
What you might see-brown pelican, wood duck, heron, black bear, coyote, feral hog, otter, raccoon, deer, turkey, gopher tortoise, pine warbler, peregrine falcon, and a number of other species. I saw a raccoon, a peregrine falcon, various duck species, heron, and deer.
Once in the park, I recommend stopping at the visitor center and getting a hiking trail map. The "trails" in the park are actually old logging roads and there are many of them that criss cross the refuge. Having a map helps you keep track of where you are and shows you other routes you can take.
The trail head is on the left approximately one mile past the visitor center. Look for the sign. There's a small parking area on the left side of the road. The trail starts on old logging road 105. As you start out you'll pass through pine/wiregrass forests and the occasional swampy area. This will last about 1.9 miles. Make a left onto road 114. The beginning will be pine forest but as you get closer to the coast, you'll notice the change to hardwood swamp.
You're on road 114 for about 1.7 miles before turning right onto 127. By this time, you'll reach an open area surrounded by marsh.
This is an excellent bird watching area for those so disposed. You'll be in the open marsh for about 1.4 miles as you travel down road 127. Turn right onto road 106 and head back into the pine forest. This is the home stretch. After 1.2 miles the road will dead end into road 105, turn left and continue back to the trail head 0.6 miles ahead.
Enjoy the hike. If you're hungry afterwards, you could make the short trip over to the city of Saint Marks and eat at the Riverside Cafe. See a future post for the review.
No comments:
Post a Comment