apalachicola river blueway

Apalachicola River Blueway (This document contains maps and data book)

“The Apalachicola River is one of the most beautiful streams of North America, formed at the northern border of Florida by the junction of the Chattahoutchie and the Flint River; it crosses, making quite numerous turns, a region of great fertility, and empties near the town of Apalachicola.” The Comte de Castelnau, 1837

This early description of the 105-mile Apalachicola River still holds true today. From its formation at the Jim Woodruff Dam near the Georgia border, the river is undammed and largely wild, flowing past large tracts of public and protected lands. High bluffs, abundant wildlife, and rare animals and plants make this river among the most unique in Florida, and at the right water conditions, large sandbars make for ideal primitive campsites. The following data should provide information about the basic access points and other amenities found along the river that can contribute to a successful paddling trip.

Please note that the river can have the fastest current in the state, so it is not recommended for beginners. Mile markers along the shores, decreasing from 106 at the dam to 0 in Apalachicola, provide helpful navigational guides. Barge traffic and dredging are largely a thing of the past, but buoys, training dikes and large sand mounds are still visible. Numerous side streams, many of which are listed here, are worthy of exploration. Devon Creek, for example, (off Owl Creek) is a scenic watery tunnel beneath a thick canopy of cypress of tupelo gum trees.

One recommended side trip is to explore the Chipola River Dead Lakes area. This is a wide swampy area of both dead and living cypress trees originally formed by a naturally occurring levee that backed up the Chipola River. The area has stunning primeval beauty. From the Apalachicola River, it can be reached by taking the Chipola River cutoff just after Gaskin Park in Wewahitchka. After three miles, take a right onto the main channel of the Chipola River. A compass and/or GPS is recommended if venturing away from the main channel. GPS coordinates are provided in the data book if paddlers wish to stay at the Dead Lakes Sportsman’s Lodge (along the Chipola Cutoff just before the Chipola River on the right) or at the Dead Lakes Park Campground (along a side channel west of the main Dead Lakes area). The campground is about 6 miles from Gaskin Park.

While most of the ramps, campsites and points of interest in the data book can be easily spotted along the main Apalachicola River channel, GPS is recommended for finding the entrance to Owl Creek (mile 22) if you want to paddle the 1.5 miles to the Hickory Landing Campground.

There are two creek entrances just before Owl Creek—Kennedy and Brushy Creeks—that can cause confusion.

Most sandbars are accessible for camping/rest stops and are within the public domain, although access to land beyond the ordinary high water mark might not be allowed. Please respect private property rights and regulations pertaining to lands managed by Torreya State Park and the Nature Conservancy where water access is not allowed.

Water Levels: During low to moderate water levels, sandbars for rest stops and primitive campsites are numerous until Sand Mountain (mile 36), whereupon they are less prevalent as the ever-widening river flows past a more swampy floodplain. Most sandbars are under water during high water conditions. The USGS river gauge at Chattahoochee should be below 44 feet for best paddling and camping conditions: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/uv/?site_no=02358001&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060; the USGS gauge near Sumatra should be below 5.5 feet for best paddling and camping conditions: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/uv/?site_no=02359170&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060.

For more information about the river and paddling, we recommend the following websites:

Apalachicola Riverkeeper: http://apalachicolariverkeeper.org/. Note: The Riverkeeper is the managing entity for the Apalachicola Blueway Apalachicola River Blueway: http://apalachicolablueway.com/ Northwest Florida Water Management District: http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/apalachicolariver.html

Apalachicola Paddling Trails System in lower Apalachicola Basin: http://myfwc.com/RECREATION/WMASites_ApalachicolaRiver_paddling.htm

Recommended gear and safety equipment: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/paddling/Segments/Equip_list.htm

Trip tips and safety information:

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/paddling/Segments/Tips_Safety.htm

Wildlife viewing tips:

http://myfwc.com/recreation/View_Info_index.htm

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/uv/?site_no=02358001&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060�

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/uv/?site_no=02359170&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060�

http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/apalachicolariver.html�

http://myfwc.com/RECREATION/WMASites_ApalachicolaRiver_paddling.htm�

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/paddling/Segments/Equip_list.htm�

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/paddling/Segments/Tips_Safety.htm�

http://myfwc.com/recreation/View_Info_index.htm�

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WASHINGTON

BAY

^Jim Woodruff Dam

Lake Seminole

Gulf Of Mexico

St Joseph Bay

Apalachicola Bay

Gulf Of Mexico

St George Sound

St Andrew Bay

Dead Lakes

Apalachicola National Forest

Tate's Hell State Forest

Torreya State Park

Econfina Creek WMA

Upper Chipola RiverWMA

Tyndall AFB

Apalachicola River Blueway

BAY

GULF

LIBERTY

JACKSON

WAKULLA

CALHOUN

GADSDEN

FRANKLIN

Noma

Altha

Vilas

Wilma

Frink

Bascom

Hinson

Gretna

Creels

Malone

Orange

Quincy

Midway

SneadsAlford

Medart

Kinard

HavanaWausau

Chipley

Hosford

Panacea

Sanborn

Telogia

CypressOakdale

Bristol

SumatraDalkeith

Norfleet

Jamieson

Marianna

Fountain

HardawayAlliance

Callaway

Dellwood

Econfina

Eastpoint

Greenwood

Oak Grove

Graceville

Cottondale

Ward Ridge

Honeyville

Greensboro

Carrabelle

Round Lake

Sink Creek

Jacob City

Youngstown

Blountstown

SpringfieldSmith Creek

Indian Pass

Wewahitchka

Campbellton

Resota Beach

Compass Lake

Apalachicola

Saint Teresa

Bayou George

Crawfordville

Chattahoochee

Lanark Village

%

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Lake Seminole

Angus Cholson Jr Nature Parkof Chattahoochee

^Seminole Lodge

$+269A

Gulf Power Rd

Legion Rd

Chattahoochee RVCampground

^

Jim Woodruff Dam

Scholz Power Plant

Abandonded Jackson County Port

Future Site Of Chattahoochee Landings

Clyde Hopkins Park

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I-10 Bridge

Aspalaga Boat Ramp

Aspalaga Blue Springs Run

Torreya State Park

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Spring Branch

Blu

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Flat Creek

Means Creek

Aspalaga Rd

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Sinai Rd

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Lake Seminole

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0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4 30.3 Miles

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% CitiesRoads

RailroadsRivers

Florida Conservation LandsCities

Apalachicola River POI^ Points Of Interest

Æ_ Hiking TrailÆW LodgingÆQ Designated Campground

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Torreya State Park

Trammell ConservationEasement

John Redd Rd

Gregory House/Torreya State Park

Rock Creek

Short Creek

Ocheesee Creek

Ocheesee Landing

Land Sto re Rd

St Rose R d

Apalachicola Bluff & Ravines Preserve


Torreya State Park

Torreya State Park

Sweetwater CreekGraves Creek

Beaverdam Creek

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Red's Landing

Harry Donar Landing

Alum Bluff low sandbar

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Apalachicola River POI^ Points Of Interest!y Boat Launch/Landing

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Alum Bluff low sandbar

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Bristol Landing

HWY 20 Bridge


Corbin-TuckerConservation Easement

Sutton Lake & Bayou

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Hicks Creek

Old River

Sutton Creek

Old River

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Poloway Cut Off

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River Rd

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Rivers

Florida Conservation Lands

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Mary Slough

High Sandbar

Apalachicola NationalForest

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^Hageman's Ditch

Dead Lakes

Florida River

Chipo la Cut of f

Iola Landing

Florida River

Gaskin ParkChipola Cutoff

Gaskin ConservationEasement

High Sandbar

Dead Lakes Park

Dead LakesSportsman's Lodge

Side channel entrance to Dead Lakes Park Campground

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Apalachicola River Water Management Area

High Sandbar

Florida River

Chipola Cut of f

Iola Landing

Florida River

Gaskin ParkChipola Cutoff

Gaskin ConservationEasement

High Sandbar

Dead Lakes Park

Dead LakesSportsman's Lodge

Side channel entrance to Dead Lakes Park Campground

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Robinson Bay

River Styx

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Spiders Gut

Kenn edy Creek

Sand Mountain

Battle Bend

Kennedy Creek

Brushy Creek

Chipola River

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Owl Creek

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Hickory Landing Campground

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Brushy Creek

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Owl Creek


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Bloody Bluff Landing

High Sandbar

Humphreys Slough

Owl Creek to Humphreys SloughApalachicola River WMA

Apalachicola River Wildlife &Environmental Area Tate's Hell

State Forest

Hickory Landing Campground

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Howard Creek

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Apalachicola River POI^ Points Of Interest!y Boat Launch/Landing!| Canoe/Kayaking

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High Sandbar

Humphreys Slough

Bloody Bluff R d

Brothers River

St Marks River

Jackson River

Box-R Wildlife Mgmt AreaAcorn Lake Creek

Humphreys Slough to Apalachicola

7/7

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Ga rdeners Landing Rd

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Apalachicola River Wildlife &Environmental Area

Tate's Hell State Forest

Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve

Apalachicola Bridge

J ohn son

Creek

G raham Creek

St Mar ks Rive r

East River C utoff

Hidden Johnson Creek

Cedar Creek

Hoffm

an

Creek

Tucker Cre ekSt Marks River

Chipley Creek

Little S t Marks Ri ver

Big Bay

Little BayTurtle Harbor

East River

Brothers R iv er

Apalach

icola River

Acorn L

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Grassy Creek

Scipio Creek

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Humph re ys S lo ugh

Little St Marks River

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Caesar Creek

ApalachicolaÆV!³ ÆW

4567384

Apalachicola Battery Park!y0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4 30.3 Miles

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% Cities

Roads

Rivers


Cities

Apalachicola River POI!y Boat Launch/Landing


ÆV Restaurant

!| Canoe/Kayaking

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ÆW Lodging

Apalachicola River Paddling Data Book

If paddling downstream, the east side of the river would be on your left and the west side on your right.

PC = Primitive campsite POI = Point of Interest/landmark

C = Campground LA = Laundromat W = Water

L = Lodging I = Internet computer PO = Post Office

R = Restaurant S = Shower G = medium/lg supermarkets

B = Bathroom PI = Put‐In g = convenience/camp stores

River

Mile #

Type of amenity GPS #

(decimal‐

degrees)

Directions

106 POI—Jim Woodruff Dam N30.7088

W84.8639

Approach dam with caution

105

PI, B, W, C—Clyde Hopkins Park; R and

g on Highway 90 .3 miles from landing;

nearest motel 1 mile east on Hwy 90;

PO .6 miles east.

N30.7007

W84.8575

In Chattahoochee, turn south off

Highway 90 onto River Landing Road

just east of the Apalachicola River

Bridge. The road will wind down to the

landing after a short distance.

105 C, L, R, B, W, g—future site of

Chattahoochee Landings

N30.6913

W84.8614

East side of river; look for dock and

sign.

103 POI, PI—Abandoned Jackson County

Port

N30.6749

W84.8773

West side of river; marked by large

wood loading dock and pilings. Ramp

on side channel before port.

103 POI—Scholz Power Plant N30.6687

W84.8863

West side of river; smokestacks, plant,

intake canal and outflow visible

100 POI—I‐10 Bridge N30.6336

W84.9043

100 PI—Aspalaga Ramp N30.6248

W84.9030

East side of river

98 POI, PC (small site)—Aspalaga blue N30.6141 West side of river; can hike to spring

springs run W84.9247 where a large alligator lives

96 PC—high sandbar N30.5925

W84.9462

east side of river

95 POI—Gregory House/Torreya State

Park

N30.5786

W84.9494

East side of river; historic house and

narrow clearing in front of house visible

94 PI, PC—Ocheesee Landing N30.5820

W84.9651

West side of river

90.5 POI—Sweetwater Creek N30.5253

W84.9883

East side of river; good flow

89 PI, PC—Redd’s Landing N30.5197

W84.9942

West side of river along canal. Great

river view!

88 PI, PC—Harry Donar Landing N30.5152

W84.9914

East side of river

84 PC—Alum Bluff low sandbar N30.4713

W84.9878

West side of river—may not be visible

at high water; Alum Bluff across river—

no legal access

80 PI, B, W—Bristol Landing; L, R, PO

about .6 miles from access road to

Hwy 20; G another .6 east on Hwy 20.

N30.4403

W84.9865

East side of river

79 POI—Hwy 20 Bridge N30.4371

W85.0010

78 POI—Sutton Lake and Bayou N30.4323

W85.0218

West side of river

77 PI—Neal Landing N30.4235

W85.0324

West side of river

77 PC—long high sandbar N30.4125

W85.0286

East side of river. Another sandbar .5

on west side and at mile 74 on east

side.

71 POI—Old River N30.3785

W85.0333

West side of river

63 PI, B, W, PC—Estifinulga County Park N30.3083 East side of river, camping allowed;

large sandbar across river is also a good

W85.0400 primitive campsite. If this one is under

water, a higher site is a quarter mile

downstream on east side.

58 POI—Mary Slough/Lake Iamonia N30.2729

W85.0631

West side of river; potential side trip


W85.0796

east side of river


W85.1361

east side of river

45 PI—Iola Landing N30.1629

W85.1412

West side of river a short ways up

slough

43 POI—Florida River N30.1434

W85.1310

East side of river

42 PI, B, W—Gaskin Park, Wewahitchka N30.1318

W85.1423

West side or river

41 POI—Chipola Cutoff N30.1289

W85.1466

West side of river. It is a total of almost

6 miles to Dead Lakes Campground.

41A L—Dead Lakes Sportsman’s Lodge N30.1270

W85.1744

3 miles up Chipola Cutoff on right bank

just before Chipola River (850‐639‐

5051)

41B POI—side channel entrance to Dead

Lakes Park Campground

N30.1418

W85.1768

Left side of main channel; large cypress

marked with ribbons and reflectors

41C C, W, B, PI—Dead Lakes Park

Campground

N30.1360

W85.1993

Keep right in side channel but avoid

first slough on right; about 1.5 miles to

campground ramp. Secure kayaks and

walk to campground. First‐come, first

serve for camping, although capacity

has never been a problem.


W85.1431

East side of river; another sandbar

about .5 miles on west.

36 POI—Sand Mountain N30.0926

W85.1531

West side of river; largest of the spoil

disposal sites from dredging

35 POI—River Styx N30.0871

W85.1364

East side of river

29 POI—Battle Bend N30.0176

W85.1003

East side of river

26 POI—Chipola River N30.0125

W85.0885

West side of river

26 POI—Kennedy Creek N30.0045

W85.0623

East side of river

24 POI—Brushy Creek N29.9902

W85.0405

East side of river

22 POI—Owl Creek N29.9719

W85.0246

East side of river; leads 1.5 miles to

Hickory Landing Campground. Scenic

creek worth exploring along with

Devon Creek (N29.9799 W85.0186),

which branches off to the south.

22A C, PI, W, B—Hickory Landing

Campground

N29.9884

W85.0141

1.5 miles up Owl Creek on right

19 POI, B—Ft. Gadsden Historic Site N29.9383

W85.0122

East side of river; site of 1816 battle

between United States and free blacks,

runaway slaves and Seminole Indians.

15 POI, PI, PC—Bloody Bluff Landing N29.8733

W85.0109

East side of river; site of another 1816

battle between American soldiers and

blacks and Indians.


W85.0149

West side of river

13 POI—Humphreys Slough N29.8536

W85.0209

East side of river; part of Apalachicola

Paddling Trails System (FWC)

12 POI—Brothers River N29.8453

W85.0330

West side of river

10 POI—St. Marks River N29.8243

W85.0204

East side of river; empties into East Bay

6 POI—Jackson River N29.7790

W85.0505

West side of river; leads to Lake

Wimico

4 PI—Box‐R Wildlife Management Area N29.7684

W85.0433

West side of river; limited hours

4 POI—Acorn lake Creek N29.7660

W85.0291

East side of river; part of Apalachicola

Paddling Trails System (FWC)

0 PI—Apalachicola Battery Park; R, L, G

nearby in downtown.

N29.7235

W84.9819

Hug western shore; just past Hwy 98

Bridge, turn right into canal to landing

Emergency Contacts for Apalachicola River region

Police/Medical emergencies: 911 Medical 24 Hour Emergency Services:

County Hospital Phone & Address

Calhoun Calhoun Liberty

Hospital

20370 North East Burns Avenue

Blountstown, FL 32424

) 674‐4519

Franklin

Weems Memorial

Hospital

135 Avenue G

Apalachicola, FL 32320

850‐653‐8853

Jackson

Jackson Hospital 4250 Hospital Dr

Marianna, FL, 32446

850‐526‐2200

Gadsden Capital Regional

Medical Ctr

23186 Blue Star Hwy,

Quincy, FL 32351

850‐875‐6000

Gulf

Sacred Heart Hospital 3801 E Hwy 98

Port St Joe, 32456

850‐229‐5600

Law Enforcement:

Franklin County Sheriff: 850-670-8500

Gulf County Sheriff: 850-227-1115

Calhoun County Sheriff: 850-674-5049

Liberty County Sheriff: 850-643-2235

Gadsden County Sheriff: 850-627-9233

Jackson County Sheriff: 850-482-9624

Report wildlife violations: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Hotline: 1-888-404-3922 or dial #FWC or *FWC on cell phone

apalachicola river blueway

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