St. Marks

Exploring St. Marks

A fishing village at the confluence of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers, St. Marks is an excellent place to base camp while visiting St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

St. Marks has a long and storied history, recounted on the grounds and in the museum at San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park.

Spain seized this point of land and built fortifications, which were added to up through the Civil War. The early city of Port Leon sat across the St. Marks River, which the railroad originally spanned.

Port Leon was washed away in a tidal surge during a hurricane and only the remnants of foundations remain deep in the salt marshes.

A Gateway Community on the Florida Trail, St. Marks is well appreciated by backpackers looking forward to a day of rest after a long traverse over from the Suwannee River.

This is the only place on the National Scenic Trail where you must hail a boat to follow the trail, as there is no bridge.

Trails and Parks

Apalachicola National Forest Noted for its botanical beauty, the Apalachicola National Forest is the largest National Forest in Florida, sweeping south and west of Tallahassee.

Cedar Point Trail Tunneling through the shade of coastal cedars between open marshes and the boat channel from the saltwater boat ramp to the Gulf of Mexico, the Cedar Point Trail is a short walk to the Gulf 's shores.

Florida Trail, Apalachee Bay 14.3 miles. Hugging the Big Bend coastline, this hike through Aucilla WMA and St. Marks NWR offers some of the most breathtaking panoramas you'll find along the Florida Trail, and a profusion of wildlife.

Florida Trail, Big Bend 116.2 miles. After crossing rural farms and forests in the Big Bend, the Florida Trail reveals the secrets of the Aucilla River before tracing the Gulf coastline at St. Marks NWR

Florida Trail, Shepherd Spring 5.3 miles. Plunging into coastal swamps at the Cathedral of Palms, this popular hike along the Florida Trail centers on Shepherd Spring, a natural treasure within St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

Lighthouse Levee Trail A windswept walk along the Gulf of Mexico, the Lighthouse Levee Trail provides scenic panoramas of both the Gulf and marsh impoundments near the St. Marks Lighthouse.

Plum Orchard Pond Trail Starting adjacent to the Visitor Center at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, the Plum Orchard Pond Trail is an easy half mile loop that takes you out along Plum Orchard Pond, a great birding stop.

San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park With a historic timeline dating back five centuries, San Marcos de Apalache protects layers of history accumulated at the confluence of the Wakulla and St. Marks Rivers

San Marcos de Apalache Interpretive Trail The site of the first coastal fortress in Northwest Florida, San Marcos de Apalache has a 0.6-mile interpretive trail at the confluence of two major rivers

St. Marks Coastal Loop Using the Tallahassee-St Marks Trail, the Coastal Trail, and the Florida Trail, ride a scenic 22-mile loop between the St. Marks and Wakulla River floodplains along the Big Bend

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Stretching across 70,000 acres in Florida's Big Bend, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge protects one of Florida's longest wild shorelines, more than 43 miles in three counties.

Tower Pond Trail At St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, the Tower Pond Trail loops a mile through vast impoundments and marshes along the Gulf of Mexico, providing scenic panoramas and great birding.

Wakulla Springs State Park A 1930s resort turned nature park surrounding one of the world's largest and deepest springs, Wakulla Springs State Park leads you back in time at Florida's only state park lodge

Wakulla Springs Trail Looping around the floodplain of Wakulla Springs, the Wakulla Springs Trail provides up to 12 miles of hiking showcasing the variety of habitats along the river’s shores

Wakulla State Forest Forest roads and multi-use trails form a loop in Wakulla State Forest, navigating a variety of natural environments including a small freshwater spring.

Articles

Exploring San Marcos de Apalache (6/21/2016) Where the Wakulla and St Marks Rivers meet, explore San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park, a small piece of ground with a deep history under five flags.