Florida Trail, Suwannee

74.8 miles Lake City, Live Oak, & Madison

Combining rugged terrain and beauty in one package, it’s no wonder that the Suwannee section of the Florida Trail is well-loved by backpackers, especially in early spring when fragrant wild azaleas are in bloom.

Experience challenging terrain as you clamber in and out of valleys cut deeply by floodwaters and tributaries feeding the Suwannee River.

Looking down Devil’s Mountain towards Crooked Branch

See some of the region’s geological wonders firsthand – deep sinkholes, hundreds of springs, stretches of rapids, and several serious-sized waterfalls.

The views are fabulous all along the river, and when water levels are low, white sand beaches invite a night’s stay.

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Resources

Explorers Guide North Florida and Panhandle

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Guthook Guides GPS-driven map-based guide to the Florida National Scenic Trail with thousands of waypoints from The Florida Trail Guide. Works offline. For iPhone and Android.

Trip Planning

CAMPING AND LODGING

The Suwannee section is one of the few places on the Florida Trail that you can stay in cabins and B&Bs along the entire route. There is a B&B right along the trail in White Springs.

Cabins are available at Stephen Foster Folk Culture State Park in White Springs, Suwannee River State Park near Live Oak, and Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Suwannee Springs.

porch at Stephen Foster cabin — Inside a cabin at Stephen Foster

All three locations also have developed campgrounds with nice amenities and easy access to the Florida Trail. Gibson Park is another very nice riverfront campground north of Holton Creek.

This section also has ample designated campsites, all with benches and a fire ring. Some, like Coopers Bluff in Twin Rivers State Forest, also offer a little bit of shelter from the weather.

Hikers enjoy access to the Holton Creek River Camp as well. This is one of five camps built for paddlers using the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. It has hot showers, flush toilets, screened shelters, and a friendly camp host. And it’s free. Call ahead for a reservation: 1-800-868-9914

Random camping is also permitted along the Suwannee section on Water Management District land. Many hikers camp on the beaches along the river. You must avoid camping at or close to trailheads.

DOGS

Dogs are welcome along this section of the trail. Although you wouldn’t expect it, there are alligators in the Suwannee River and its side channels, so keep your dog away from the water’s edge.

WILDLIFE

While the sounds of songbirds and woodpeckers echo through the forest, we haven’t seen a lot of wildlife on our hikes along the Suwannee. However, bears have been seen at Holton Creek. Protect your food by bear bagging.

WATER

Paralleling a river, you’d think that it would be easy to filter water. However, much of the time the trail is atop bluffs that are too steep or too sandy to get to river level for filtering. You are better off filtering from tributaries running into the Suwannee River than the river itself.

Once you reach Twin Rivers State Forest, be cautious of river water. Upstream along the Withlacoochee River, the city of Valdosta is notorious for dumping sewage in the river, especially during hiking season. There are good clear springs at Suwannacoochee and Black Tract.

HUNTING SEASON

Wear a bright orange shirt or vest during hunting seasons in Holton Creek WMA and Twin Rivers State Forest. Check the FWC website for hunting season dates.

RESUPPLY

Walking right down the middle of White Springs, it’s easy to grab resupply either at the Dollar General or any of several convenience stores. There is also a post office right along the trail.

It’s less than a mile off-trail to convenience stores at Suwannee Springs and Ellaville, as well.

PARKING & SHUTTLE

Fees apply if you leave a car at Suwannee River State Park and Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. These are the safest places to leave a car during a backpacking trip, inside the park gates at the trailhead parking areas. Check at the ranger station for fees.

Shuttle services are available from American Canoe Adventures in White Springs and from Suwannee Canoe Outpost at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, making it easy to place a car at one end of your hike and be shuttled to a far point to hike back to it.

It’s also possible to hike north along the river to White Springs, then rent a canoe and do a paddling trip south to Dowling Park to make a hike/paddle loop.

SAFETY

The trail has several short roadwalk sections that lead you through riverfront subdivisions. It also passes behind a handful of backyards west of White Springs. If you get into an uncomfortable situation, move on and/or call law enforcement.

Trail Map

Mileages

Important landmarks starting with mile 0 at Deep Creek trailhead and ending at mile 74.8 at Winquepin Road. ** denotes potable water available nearby, not necessarily at trailhead.

0.0 – Deep Creek trailhead
8.0 – Bell Springs trailhead 0.1W
11.4 – Little Shoals trailhad
12.9 – US 41 Wayside / White Springs Tract trailhead
15.4 – Adams Memorial Circle trailhead
16.4 – White Springs** (former visitor center)
17.0 – Stephen Foster Gazebo trailhead** ($$)
22.8 – Swift Creek trailhead
29.8 – Camp Branch trailhead
36.2 – Suwannee Springs** 0.8W
45.9 – Holton River Camp**
50.0 – Holton Creek trailhead
51.4 – Gibson Park ** 0.2W
63.5 – Suwannee River State Park Annex, Ellaville **
70.0 – Black Tract trailhead

Guthook Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the Florida National Scenic Trail.

Trail Segments

We have not written up all of the segments of the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River for our website yet, although details about all of them can be found in our guidebook and app.

Each of the segments below are described from the perspective of a day hiker, noting landmarks, water, and campsites along the way. Not all are aligned in a S > N perspective, but this is the order they are in northbound.

Florida Trail, Bell Springs to Big Shoals

4.6 miles. Showcasing Florida’s only Class III whitewater and other spectacular geologic features, this is one of the most scenic segments of the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River.

Florida Trail, White Springs

3.6 miles. Spanning from one end of White Springs to the other along a bend in the Suwannee River, this Florida Trail segment is an easy day hike through a historic community.

Florida Trail, Stephen Foster to CR 25A

4.7 miles. Roly-poly and rugged, the Florida Trail across Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park showcases the beauty of the Suwannee River from its bluffs.

Florida Trail, Camp Branch to Suwannee Springs

7.8 miles. Rugged climbs through abandoned river channels and along the highest elevations along the Suwannee River make this hike a serious roller-coaster through river bluff forests and sandy beaches.

Side Trails

These trails connect to the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River but are not a part of the thru-trail mileage.

Disappearing Creek at Camp Branch

On the Disappearing Creek Loop off the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River, watch Camp Branch burble through rapids and cascade into a giant sinkhole

Big Oak Trail

The Big Oak Trail is one of the most scenic hikes in North Florida. Much of the hiking parallels the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, which meet here at a confluence.