• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Stephen Foster Carillion

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

At Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, Florida pioneer crafts and Florida folk music are as important as the lovely setting on the Suwannee River

White Springs      ( 30.33075,-82.761322 )      

No Florida State Park is as celebrated as Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. For more than a half-century, it’s been home to the Florida Folk Festival.

The Festival is a Memorial Day Weekend treat with over a dozen bands playing on stages simultaneously throughout the expansive green space.


Resources

Florida Trail Hikes book cover 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 provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: White Springs
Trailhead: 30.33075,-82.761322
Address: 11016 Lillian Saunders Dr, White Springs FL 32096
Fees: $5 per vehicle
Restroom: At the Carillion, Gift Shop, and Museum
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 386-397-4331

Open 8 AM until sunset daily. Museum and tower open 9-5 daily. Gift shop hours vary by season but are generally 10-5.

Leashed pets welcome. Expect huge crowds during the Florida Folk Festival and other major weekend events throughout the year.


Directions

 
From Interstate 75, follow SR 136 for 3 miles east into downtown White Springs. Turn left at the blinker onto US 41. Make the left along the curve to enter Stephen Foster Folk Culture State Park.
 
Make the first left to drive down to the small parking area at the Spring House, or follow the park road as it makes its one-way loop, passing the museum, campground entrance, the carillion, gift shop / craft area, and Gazebo trailhead / cabin entrance in succession.

Details

Bounded by the Suwannee River, traced by the Florida Trail atop the bluffs, much of the park is a wild place.

Florida azaleas burst into fragrant bloom each spring, and paddlers following the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail go with the flow.

The core of the park includes a campground, riverside cabins, and a permanent folk culture village. There is also White Sulphur Spring, namesake of the town, near the entrance.

Spring House Historic Spring House at White Sulphur Spring


Inside the folk village there is a blacksmith, basketweaver, and other craftspeople whose wares are sold at Aunt Thelma’s. Folk art classes are frequently offered.

Oddly, Stephen Foster never set foot here, but his “Old Folks at Home” set the tone of this very southern of parks, and a museum on the grounds commemorates his work.

With grandly landscaped azalea-lined lawns overshadowed by one of Florida’s two carillon towers, it’s a place where you’ll always be aware of music.


Biking

Dedicated off-road trails loop along and behind the floodplain bluffs of the Suwannee River, meeting the Florida Trail at several intersections.

The Foster’s Hammock Trail is a loop using forest roads and singletrack to make a large loop out of the campground into the wilder corners of the park.


Camping

The park offers three options for camping: a nicely appointed full-service campground suitable for RVs, trailers, and tent campers is farthest away from the river.

On the bluffs above the river along the Florida Trail, tent campers can set up camp with a nice view overlooking the river in the designated primitive area.

Cabins – large enough to be like moving into a house – have screened porches and easy access to the canoe launch and boat ramp.

Porch of Stephen Foster cabin Porch of Stephen Foster cabin


Hiking

This state park is one of the first places where the Florida Trail was established, staying close to the edge of the bluffs along the Suwannee River.

Look for the orange blazes at the Gazebo Trailhead to start your hike out to the park boundary.

It’s a linear hike of about 3.5 miles each way but can interconnect with the Foster’s Hammock Trail to make a loop.

FT Stephen Foster

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.


Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Holton River Camp beach

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 lifetime

White Springs Tract

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.

Big Shoals of the Suwannee River

Big Shoals State Park

At Big Shoals State Park, see Florida’s largest series of rapids, churning the Suwannee River with hydraulics in Class III whitewater at certain times of year.

Falling Creek Falls

Falling Creek Falls

A boardwalk trail at Falling Creek Falls north of Lake City leads you to overlooks on a waterfall with a twelve-foot drop in a picturesque setting


Trail Map (PDF) Reserve Campsite Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Biking, Camping, Canoe & Kayak Rentals, Day Hikes, Equestrian, Florida State Parks, Gardens, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Museums, Natural Attractions, Nature Trails, North Florida, Paddling, Parks, Places, SpringsTag: Best Camping, Cabins, Car Camping, Developed Camping, Dog-friendly, Family-Friendly, Favorites, Fishing, Florida State Parks, Guided Tours, Hilly, Lake City, Live Oak, Picnic, Playgrounds, Primitive Camping, Riverfront, Rivers, Springs, Suwannee River, Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, White Springs, Wildlife Viewing

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

NORTH FLORIDA

NORTH FLORIDA OVERVIEW
East Coast Greenway. Florida Trail

Amelia Island. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Lake Butler. Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Micanopy. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. White Springs

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook
Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Loblolly bay and sweetgum trees along a footpath

Graham Swamp West

Graham Swamp West
Riverfront with picnic tables

Chastain-Seay Park

Chastain-Seay Park
Tannic stream sluicing through riverine forest

Santa Fe River Preserve Gracy Trail

Santa Fe River Preserve Gracy Trail
Pine forest with blue blazed pine tree

Buck Bay Flatwoods Preserve

Buck Bay Flatwoods Preserve

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact