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Downtown St Marks

St. Marks

The region’s oldest coastal settlement, St. Marks is the southern terminus of the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail and a Florida Trail town

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St Marks River

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

A trail town 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 trail where you must hail a boat to follow the trail, as there is no bridge.

Resources

The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us continue to provide public information on this website.

Featured Destinations

Cedar Point

Cedar Point Trail

Cedar Point Trail
Lighthouse Levee Trail

Lighthouse Levee Trail

Lighthouse Levee Trail
Pinhook River Bridge on the Florida Trail

Florida Trail, Apalachee Bay

Florida Trail, Apalachee Bay
Shepherd Spring

Florida Trail, Shepherd Spring

Florida Trail, Shepherd Spring
Wakulla River as seen from in front of Wakulla Lodge

Wakulla Springs State Park

Wakulla Springs State Park
Plum Orchard Pond

Plum Orchard Pond Trail

Plum Orchard Pond Trail
Wakulla Springs Trail

Wakulla Springs Trail

Wakulla Springs Trail
San Marcos de Apalache

San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park

San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park

ALL Destinations

Articles

San Marcos de Apalache

Exploring San Marcos de Apalache

June 21, 2016//  by John Keatley

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.

ALL Articles

NEARBY: Apalachicola National Forest, Crawfordville, Monticello, Perry, Sopchoppy, St. Marks NWR, Tallahassee, Wakulla | PART OF: Northwest Florida

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