Opportunities to explore the Aucilla watershed abound. Conserving this region ensures that the outdoor activities in this area that people enjoy can continue long into the future.
Wildlife-viewing
A watershed with as many diverse habitats as the Aucilla watershed is, not surprisingly, full of wildlife.
For birders, the top birding hotspots are the Wacissa River and the Mandalay Road Landing. At these sites, it’s possible to see limpkins, swallow-tailed kites, Swainson’s and prothonotary Warblers, clapper rails, and numerous wading bird species, even on a short visit. Numerous other birding hotspots exist throughout the Aucilla Watershed, and the opportunities for amazing finds in these locations is almost limitless.
Non-birders will appreciate the opportunity to see a diversity of species in the watershed that include black bear, bobcat, American alligator, river otter, gopher tortoise, and Big Blue Spring cave crayfish. Public lands belonging to the Suwannee River Water Management District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission provide excellent opportunities to view wildlife.
Paddling
Without question, the best way to explore the Aucilla River watershed is by boat. Numerous opportunities to paddle the dark waters of the lower Aucilla exist, including a paddle through one of the few sets of rapids in Florida.
Alternatively, you can rent kayaks and paddle down the clear, spring-fed Wacissa River to Big Blue Spring and back or can paddle all the way to Goose Pasture and get shuttled back to your car at the head spring.
Finally, a paddle through the Wacissa Slave Canal is a must for any Florida adventurer. This paddle travels through a narrow channel cut through the swamps by enslaved people in the 1830s, passing Native American mounds, ancient cypress trees, and one of the wildest landscapes in Florida.
Swimming
In the summer, days are so hot and humid that it can be hard to do anything outside. Anything but swim, that is. The cool, spring-fed waters of the Wacissa offer a perfect place to cool off. Wacissa Springs County Park, owned and managed by Jefferson County Parks and Recreation, has a small beach right on the Wacissa River for those who just want to soak and relax. The more daring visitor may enjoy the high rope swing tied to an old-growth bald cypress growing on the edge of the river.
Launch a kayak or canoe here and paddle down to Big Blue Spring. Here, you can swim, snorkel, or scuba dive in one of the most pristine springs in Florida.
Fishing
If you enjoy fishing, the Aucilla watershed has got you covered. The Aucilla itself has excellent populations of catfish and bream in its upstream sections and, in lower stretches near the coast, redfish and spotted seatrout abound. Mandalay Boat Ramp, part of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, provides the perfect place to launch a boat and fish the rich Aucilla River estuary.
The Wacissa is widely renowned for its populations of Suwannee bass, largemouth bass, and bream. It’s worth mentioning, too, that one of the biggest largemouth bass ever caught in Florida was caught in the Wacissa. Good luck!
Hiking
Fortunately for land lubbers, the Florida Trail passes through some of the most unique sections of the Aucilla watershed.
The Aucilla Sinks Trail, part of the Florida Trail, winds past sinkholes, limestone cliffs, and numerous places where the Aucilla River dips underground only to rise again downstream. Other options to hike are present on the Cabbage Grove and Jones Mill Creek Tracts, Cuba Bay Tract, and the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
Georgia hikers will enjoy a stroll through the old-growth forests of Lost Creek Forest, near Thomasville.
Hunting
There’s a reason why people have been hunting along the Aucilla for over 14,500 years. The diversity and quality of habitats in the watershed result in tremendous populations of deer and wild turkey, as well as the non-native feral hog.
The best place to pursue all three is the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area, though hunting the tracts of land that make up the Middle Aucilla Wildlife Management Area can be rewarding as well.
Many of the intact, well-managed habitats in the upper Aucilla watershed are the result of a long history of quail hunting in the region. Fire has been used to maintain quality quail hunting plantations, offering gorgeous landscapes for hunters to enjoy and prime habitat for one of the most sought-after game species in Florida.
Camping
The mystery and allure of the Aucilla takes on a whole new meaning at night. For those wishing to explore the area for more than a day, free and convenient opportunities to camp can be found on Suwannee River Water Management District lands along the river.
Goose Pasture Campground offers both single and group sites right on the Wacissa River, making it a perfect place to stop for those wishing to paddle from the head spring through the Slave Canal to Nuttall Rise.
Another alternative involves setting up camp along the Florida Trail as it passes through the various tracts of public land. Hikers are permitted to camp anywhere along the trail, provided that they leave no trace of their visit. The star-gazing in this area is reason enough to pitch a tent.
Scenic Driving
Want to see some of the most beautiful parts of the watershed without leaving your air-conditioning? Take a scenic drive along canopy roads, pass historic plantations, and skirt the edges of some of the wildest places in Florida. The Boston Highway, Ashville Highway, Ramsey Road, and NW Little Cat Road all offer fun drives and opportunities to check out gorgeous, and little-visited, sections of the Aucilla Watershed.
Aucilla River Coalition Partners
