You hear them well before you can see them: a burble of water that rises to a roar as you approach the Big Shoals of the Suwannee River.
Florida’s largest series of rapids challenges paddlers with big rocks, hydraulics, and holes. At certain river levels, it turns into Class III whitewater.
Big Shoals of the SuwanneeResources
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Overview
Location: White Springs
Main entrance: 30.352426,-82.690457
Address: 18738 S.E. 94th St, White Springs
Fees: $4 per vehicle
Restrooms: At the Big Shoals entrance trailhead
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 386-397-4331
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. The Main Entrance closes when the river rises over its banks.
Primitive camping permitted on the south side of the river only. An established campsite adjoins the portage trail.
Directions
From Interstate 75 one exit north of the Interstate 10 interchange, follow CR 136 east into White Springs. Turn right on US 41. Along Spring Street, look for the large brown sign for the park pointing left in the middle of town. Follow CR 135 out of town to the marked entrances (there are two) on the right. The first is for the trailhead for the Woodpecker Trail, a paved path. The second entrance leads down a rough road that meets the other end of the Woodpecker Trail before leading down to and ending at the Big Shoals Entrance trailhead above the shoals.
About the Park
One piece of a puzzle of public lands protecting the upper Suwannee River, Big Shoals State Park is jointly managed with adjoining Big Shoals State Forest.
Upriver and downriver, Suwannee River Water Management District oversees more river frontage with multiple access points.
Peeking at the Suwannee through saw palmettoIt is within this park that the Suwannee undergoes a metamorphosis from a placid tannic waterway lined with tupelo to tumble through and past karst features.
One of Florida’s longest rivers, the Suwannee rises from the Okefenokee Swamp, slipping over the Georgia border just south of Fargo.
The Suwannee during high waterBig Shoals State Park is the starting point for the 177-mile Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, a paddling route that extends to the Gulf of Mexico.
Suwannee River Wilderness Trail Showcasing springs, sandy beaches, waterfalls, and haunting swamp forests where manatees gather, the 170-mile Suwannee River Wilderness Trail is a paddling trip of a lifetimeNot far downriver from the launch at the Big Shoals Entrance, the river curves into the stretch of rocky shoals for which it is named.
River levels fluctuate according to rainfall in the Okefenokee Swamp, so sometimes you’ll encounter Florida’s only Class III rapids.
Rapids as seen from the Big Shoals TrailAt other times, the shoals may be hidden under deep water, or can be a barren plain of rock with chutes of water flowing through.
Tall bluffs define both sides of the river, with karst features like limestone flowerpots, caves, and terraces.
Although the river is the centerpiece of the park, it’s the forests on its banks where most visitors spend their time exploring extensive networks of trails.
The Big Shoals TrailHike
Along the south shore of the river, the Florida National Scenic Trail enters Big Shoals State Park from a rural road.
Once inside the park boundary, it’s a delightful and sometimes challenging footpath paralleling the river towards White Springs.
River view from the trail below the shoalsIt includes a single primitive campsite for backpackers within earshot of the famous shoals.
For ease of access, day hikers should plan a round-trip from the Bell Springs trailhead to Big Shoals. There is no charge for parking.
Florida Trail, Big Shoals 4.6 miles. Showcasing Florida's only Class III whitewater, the hike from Bell Springs to Big Shoals is one of the most scenic segments of the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River.On the north shore of the Suwannee, two trailheads offer access to the park’s trail network. Both require a day use fee.
The Little Shoals entrance offers direct access to the Woodpecker Trail, a 3.5 mile linear paved path leading to the Big Shoals entrance road.
Big Shoals Woodpecker Trail Spanning 3.5 miles between the entrances to Big Shoals State Park, the paved Woodpecker Trail makes for an easy 7 mile round-trip when it's not wet.Surrounded by the forest, it’s an excellent place for wildlife watching. Low spots may gather large puddles after a rain.
Sheltered bench along the Woodpecker TrailTwo day hikes radiate from the Big Shoals entrance trailhead: the Long Branch Trail to the north and the Big Shoals Trail to the south.
Big Shoals Long Branch Trail Traversing seasonally flooded forests on contoured landscapes, the Long Branch Trail provides hikers and cyclists unique sights along the Suwannee River.
Big Shoals Trail Traverse tall bluffs above the Suwannee River for spectacular views of Florida's only Class III whitewater rapids from the Big Shoals Trail.Passing by the piers of the old Godwin Bridge across the Suwannee, the Big Shoals Trail reaches the bluffs and leads to overlooks of the shoals.
Heading upriver, the Long Branch Trail spends a mile of its circuit near the more tranquil flow of the river beneath tupelo and cypress.
Old Godwin Bridge pierBike
No matter which direction you follow it, the paved Woodpecker Trail makes for an easy seven mile round-trip through the pine flatwoods of the park.
Off-road cyclists can try the relatively gentle route of the 2.4 mile Long Branch Trail, which has some undulating terrain.
Woodpecker Trail near Little Shoals trailheadBuilt by the Suwannee Bicycle Association, a 25 mile network of singletrack connects White Springs with Big Shoals State Park across adjoining public lands.
It’s not for inexperienced riders. It plunges through swamps, races under the pines, and pops out on the river bluffs below the shoals.
Creek bridge on the Long Branch Trail (Chris Stevens)Trail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from Big Shoals State Park
Nearby Adventures
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Falling Creek Falls A gentle walk along a boardwalk in a bluff forest surprises with its ending: a spectacular Florida waterfall in a deeply wooded setting.
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