Suwannee River State Park offers breathtakingly beautiful views of the river from a hiking trail along the river's edge. Visitors pitch their tents or set up their RVs and enjoy the numerous activities in and around the park, or just relax and enjoy the view.
Amenities at Florida's Suwannee River State Park
The park is near the town of Live Oak in north central Florida. Among the conveniences offered are 31 campsites, 5 cabins, picnic pavilions, laundry, hot showers, and vending machines. The campsites have electric hook-ups, tables, and grills. The park also has a dump station, a pay telephone, ice machine and many more amenities and services. The park has a host, and the rangers are friendly and helpful. Make reservations and see a full list of the park's amenities and services at Reserve America.
Suwannee River Activities
The Suwannee River begins in the Okefenokee Swamp, winds through the Florida peninsula and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Canoe and kayak rentals are offered at the park and a boat ramp is available for boaters. Begin a paddle trip from upstream and stop at the park, or begin the trip at the park and paddle downstream. Ask a ranger to recommend someone to help if a shuttle is needed to or from the starting or stopping point.
Fish for bass or catfish along the banks of the river or from a boat or canoe and cook the catch for dinner that night. Watch for alligators, osprey, deer, and other wildlife along the river bank and inside the park, and notice the many different types of ecosystems. According to information from Suwanee River State Park there are at least 13 different kinds of plant communities. These include sandhills, sinkholes, forests, swamps, and streams. Giant cypress tress, ancient tupelos and sandy banks grace the river banks.
Hike the trails along the river and inside the park. See the earth works (earth that was piled up to form a mound). These mounds were built by Confederate forces to protect the railroad bridge across the Suwannee from Union gunboats coming to destroy the bridge. Supplies for the Confederate army were shipped by rail across the bridge.
Take a walk along the Sandhills Trail to visit the Columbus Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Florida. Before the war the town of Columbus was a prosperous sawmill town.
A Visit to Suwannee River State Park
It would be hard for anyone to be bored at the Suwannee River State Park. It seems there is something to interest almost everyone. The park offers fishing, camping, picnicking, hiking, history, and much more. The natural beauty and the diversity of the plant and animal life is rarely seen anywhere else. Florida has some of the best parks in the nation, and this one ranks high among the best.
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