To the east and south of US 319, the trail crosses public lands in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Most of the hiking is dry except during periods of heavy rain. Permits are required for overnight camping. At Marsh Point, a blue-blazed spur trail heads out across the salt marshes to the remains of old Confederate salt works. Look for islands of red cedar trees to spot the salt works.
North of the refuge, you enter the Apalachicola National Forest. The Sopchoppy River portion of the trail follows the high and occasionally rocky banks of a blackwater river. Pine-palmetto flatwoods with titi (pronounced TIE-tie) are common up to the river's edge. In the central section, the trail turns away from the river and crosses a large clear-cut surrounding Monkey Creek. The southern section is notable for a gurgling tributary stream with several small waterfalls and for large cypress trees growing beneath steep river banks. The trail in the eastern part of this 557,000 acre forest passes through a unique natural feature called Bradwell Bay. The term "bay" refers to a broad stretch of low land between hills. Bradwell Bay is a huge, shallow saucer containing a vast stretch of titi thicket (buckwheat tree) in the center, with occasional clusters of blackgum and other hardwoods, surrounded by higher ground with typical pine and palmetto sandy terrain. Bradwell Bay was named for a hunter who was lost for days in the vast, trackless titi thicket. Forests along the trail contrast with the bays and have a large variety of plants and animals typical of pine and palmetto forests.
In the Bradwell Bay Wilderness, the trail passes for a short distance through an undisturbed and uncut swamp containing trees up to 400 years old. The rest of the trail in the wilderness traverses titi and second growth forests which are a haven for bears, red cockaded woodpeckers and pitcher plants. This is a wet and rough trail and is therefore not recommended for first time hikers. If the ditches along Forest Roads 329 and 314 are dry, then the hike is likely to be a pleasant one, with only short areas of wading. The big trees of most interest in the wilderness area are on the western part of this trail, between Forest Road 314 and Monkey Creek.
After passing a pioneer homestead and following the floodplain of the Ocklochnee River, this segment of trail ends just west of the river at the Porter Lake Campground.
This map contains the western portion of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and the eastern half of the Apalachicola National Forest. These areas are located southwest of Tallahassee. The eastern terminus of the Apalachicola National Forest is on US 319, 1.1 miles west of Medart. There is a trailhead with parking accessible from Carroway Cutoff Road, south of US 319, 1/4 mile east of the US 319 trail intersection. The west terminus is at Porter Lake Campground, west of CR 375 on FH 13 (CR 368).
Disclaimer: While FTA strives to maintain accurate information and is constantly updating its geodatabase, the trail and development along the trail corridor is constantly changing. The data has been collected from a variety of sources and accuracy varies. FTA provides this data for recreational purposes only and does not intend the data as a survey.
Centerline data Florida Trail System (c) 2007 Florida Trail Association, Inc.
Park at either terminus or the trailhead at Monkey Creek at your own risk.
Boardwalks
Botanical
Bridges
Campsites
Gateway Communities
Geologic
Shelters
History
The trail passes through pine flatwood forests and marshes. Hikers may have to wade after heavy rain. The water may be waist deep in the Bradwell Bay Wilderness during high water. If you can make it across Monkey Creek, you can make it the rest of the way.
Wear blaze orange during hunting seasons. Crossing the Bradwell Bay Wilderness through thick titi shrubs requires use of map and compass. Check with the USDA Forest Service before hiking for current conditions in Bradwell Bay. Bradwell Bay is true wilderness, do not treat it lightly. Due to fluctuating water levels and fires the blazes may be difficult to follow. If Monkey Creek west of the trailhead is flooded, use FR 329/FR 314 to bypass.
St Marks NWR: No vehicles are permitted on refuge roads. Camping in St. Marks NWR is by permit available only to those hiking the entire 43 miles of the Refuge and camping is permitted only in designated campsites. St Marks is the ONLY National Wildlife Refuge in the US to allow hiker camping. This is a special concession granted specifically to the Florida Trail. Please follow their guidelines to ensure continuation of this policy for future hikers. Write to: ST Marks NWR, PO Box 68, St Marks, FL 32355 or obtain permit at the Refuge Visitor Center. Note that some campsites may be closed during special opportunity hunt dates, another reason for getting your permits.
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