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St Marks River Florida Trail crossing

St. Marks River

Flowing 36 miles from swamps southeast of Tallahassee towards the Gulf of Mexico, the St. Marks River was one of the earliest water routes followed by explorers along the Big Bend.


Contents

  • 1 Resources
  • 2 Exploring the St. Marks River
  • 3 Trails and Parks along the St. Marks River
    • 3.1 Lighthouse Levee Trail
    • 3.2 Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park
    • 3.3 San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park
    • 3.4 San Marcos de Apalache Interpretive Trail
    • 3.5 St. Marks Coastal Loop
    • 3.6 St. Marks Lighthouse
    • 3.7 St. Marks River Preserve State Park
  • 4 Articles
    • 4.1 Exploring San Marcos de Apalache

Resources

Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover 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.


Exploring the St. Marks River

Flowing 36 miles from swamps southeast of Tallahassee towards the Gulf of Mexico, the St. Marks River was one of the earliest water routes followed by explorers along the Big Bend.

It is notable for both its springs and historic sites, including the natural bridge that occurs upriver from Newport and the St. Marks Lighthouse, where the river flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

The quiet village of St. Marks sits along the riverbank not far from the river’s confluence with the Wakulla River.

It is at the meeting of the two rivers that centuries of fortifications protected river access, dating back to 1679.

Learn about the deep history of this site and access this scenic spot at San Marcos de Apalache Historic Site State Park.

The river is notable for hikers as a barrier along the Florida Trail, which crosses the waterway where one of Florida’s earliest rail lines extended to Port Leon.

Port Leon was an early Florida town washed away by hurricanes more than two centuries ago. The railroad bridge to it no longer exists.

Hikers must flag down a passing boater or call ahead to a marina to get a ferry across this deep tidal portion of the river.


Trails and Parks along the St. Marks River

Lighthouse Levee Trail

Lighthouse Levee Trail

Lighthouse Levee Trail
Natural Bridge State Park

Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park

Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park
San Marcos de Apalache

San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park

San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park
San Marcos de Apalache Interpretive Trail

San Marcos de Apalache Interpretive Trail

San Marcos de Apalache Interpretive Trail
St Marks NWR Forest Road 200

St. Marks Coastal Loop

St. Marks Coastal Loop
St Marks lighthouse

St. Marks Lighthouse

St. Marks Lighthouse
St Marks River State Park

St. Marks River Preserve State Park

St. Marks River Preserve State Park
 
More Trails More Parks


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.


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