Hugging swamps and marshes en route to two showy natural features, this is the most popular Florida Trail segment in the refuge.
It ties together an easy stroll on forest roads and uplands footpaths with a tough traverse of the Cathedral of Palms.
The Cathedral of PalmsIt’s a muddy but spectacular coastal palm hammock along the edge of a massive estuary.
Beyond it is Shepherd Spring, a looking glass of clear water surrounded by a floodplain forest.
Shepherd SpringThe second half of the hike dances along the edge of the coastal floodplain, largely in a forest of ancient pines and magnolias.
A shift to sandhills and pine flatwoods occurs within the final mile, with one last swamp to cross along a causeway.
Culvert on the causewayWe describe the linear segment between trailheads, but the hike can be tackled several other ways.
From Wakulla Beach trailhead to Shepherd Spring, the round trip is 7 miles. From Spring Creek trailhead into the heart of the Cathedral of Palms, 5.4 miles.
A forest road connector shown in blue on our map also enables a lollipop loop from either trailhead.
Blue-blazed routeOur Florida Trail Books & Guides
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Overview
Location: Crawfordville
Length: 6.0 miles
Trailhead: 30.145603, -84.254211
Address: 282 Wakulla Beach Rd, Crawfordville
Fees: Free
Restrooms: None
Land manager: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Phone: 850-925-6121
Open sunrise to sunset. Trailheads have limited parking. Bicycles permitted on forest roads but not on the footpath.
Leashed dogs welcome, although it is dangerous due to the presence of alligators. Expect mosquitoes and wet, muddy shoes. Use a hiking stick for balance in mud.
Arrange camping at Wakulla Field in advance by permit with St. Marks NWR if you are backpacking the entire refuge.
Directions
Both trailheads are just south of US 98. For the starting point of this hike, head east from the intersection of US 319 and US 98 in Medart for 8.7 miles to Wakulla Beach Rd, which comes up quickly on the right at a curve after you pass Obediah Triplett Rd. Follow Wakulla Beach Rd south for 1 mile to the small trailhead on the right, next to a large kiosk. Do not block the gate.
For the terminus of this hike, go east on US 98 from the US 319 / US 98 intersection in Medart for 4.9 miles to Spring Creek Hwy. Turn left. Continue south 1.4 miles to the trailhead on the left.
Hike
Rounding the trailhead gate, start down a forest road due west, its causeway flanked on both sides by a vast cypress swamp.
Scan fallen logs for resting alligators. Sunlight dapples through a canopy of towering trees.
Alligator in a trailside cypress swampBeyond a sign-swallowing tree, emerge into brighter light briefly where a tree farm lies north of the refuge boundary fence.
The tunnel effect resumes, enveloping the trail along a straightaway to a distant horizon within the forest.
Tunnel effectA sheen of tannic water sometimes overtops the trail and flows across it at 1.2 miles.
Cypresses stand as silent sentinels, their reflections captured across the watery expanse.
Shallow swamp seeping into the trailWithin less than a half mile, a stream flows between swamps on either side of the road. It may be narrow enough to hop or require a wade.
At 2.3 miles, reach the junction where the orange blazes turn south. Blue blazes continue forward, marking the high water route. Turn left.
Nearing the junctionEnter a mixed hardwood forest, the trail making its way towards the coastline. Cross over two streams in the next half mile, each flowing through a culvert underfoot.
The surroundings tend to be damp, and get damper as the cabbage palms grow denser. Welcome to the Cathedral of Palms.
Entering the CathedralInterspersed amidst the palms, towering pines and spreading live oaks add to the grandeur of this palm hammock.
Catch brief glimpses of the coastal estuary to the east before the footpath burrows deep into the heart of this maze of palm trunks around 3.2 miles.
A maze of palmsFooting gets sloppier as the palms thin, the understory turning greener. Bluestem palms poke up from the leaf litter.
Standing water in the low spots—the footpath—makes for boot-sucking mud at times. A hiking stick is a must through this section.
Sloppy goingEmerge from the palm hammock, crossing a forest road at 3.6 miles. Plunge back into the woods briefly before coming to a trail junction.
Face a bench carved as a set of directional signs: “Trail” to the right and “Spring” to the left. Turn left to visit Shepherd Spring.
Shepherd Spring junctionThe round-trip on this blue-blaze is a tenth of a mile. Starting out as a duff-covered footpath, it joins a boardwalk to approach the spring.
An observation deck with bench marks trail’s end at this natural pool deep within the forest, 25 feet deep.
Shepherd SpringLocals recommend against swimming, as a large alligator calls the spring home. Schools of mullet swirl in the depths.
Saltwater intrusion used to be normal at high tide but now is reality along this coastline. We no longer recommend it as a water source for backpackers.
Boardwalk leaving the springReturn to the bench at the trail junction. For a round-trip back to your start point, make a right. Otherwise, continue straight ahead.
A thicket of native bamboo crowds the footpath, swarming the understory of a forest of pines and oaks. Pass longleaf pines of significant girth and height.
Massive pine in the bamboo thicketEmerging from a showy stand of Southern magnolia, reach a sign for Wakulla Field Campsite. The campsite is a large clearing with a couple of benches.
Continue through it along the edge of a clearcut growing back in before entering a more mature forest.
Wakulla Field CampsiteLongleaf pines and Southern magnolia tower above. Cross a forest road to enter an oak hammock dominated by one mature oak’s crown spread.
Ascend into a healthy longleaf pine forest with a dense understory of saw palmetto. Meeting FR 210 at a T intersection at 4.9 miles, the footpath ends.
Uphill under an oakTo loop back towards your starting point by taking the blue-blazed forest road route east, turn right.
To continue on to the Spring Creek Trailhead, make a left, joining the forest road southwest through a pleasant stand of longleaf pines.
Longleaf pinesDescend to a causeway. As it levels out, the trail is flanked by swamp forest, with pools and ponds of water trailside and a culvert beneath the forest road.
Rising back into the pine forest, come to a Y intersection with FR 206 at 5.5 miles. Keep right.
CausewayIn a clearing at an intersection of forest roads, the orange blazes continue straight ahead, headed towards the Porter Tract and Spring Creek.
To exit this segment of the Florida Trail, turn right. Follow the blue blazes through the sandhills. Passing a sheltered kiosk, reach Spring Creek Trailhead at 6 miles.
Sheltered kiosk at Spring Creek TrailheadFLORIDA TRAIL NORTHBOUND: Porter Tract
FLORIDA TRAIL SOUTHBOUND: Wakulla River
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