guided tours menu

* Adventure Outpost dedicates this trip to the Florida Defenders of the Environment and to
the memory Marjorie Harris Carr. Were it not for their passion and devotion to
preserving this natural treasure, Ocklawaha River would now be a barge canal.

Cost: $39.00 per person. (includes boat {kayak or canoe}, paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 people.

Trip length : 4 - 4.5 hrs.

Skill level: Great for beginners and experts alike.

Join us for a scheduled tour. (see calendar for trips being planned).
If you see a free date on the calendar, suggest
the trip of your choice and we'll post it!
or,
schedule your own private tour. Call for details (386-454-0611)

This trip begins with a brief, fifteen minute float down the Silver river to it's confluence with the Ocklawaha. Here, as the Silver's cold, clear water blends with the warm, tannin stained waters of the Ocklawaha, the significance of the huge spring run to the Ocklawaha system is apparent. The change is so abrupt that you can hang your hands off each side of your boat and feel water that's too warm for a comfortable swim on one side and too cold on the other.

Making our way down stream, the channel winds through a beautiful swamp of cypress, ash, tupelo, palm and maple, occasionally carrying us close to the high bluff which defines the swamp's eastern edge. This abrupt rise was formed millions of years ago by an uplift fault. In fact, this whole section of the Ocklawaha follows an ancient fault line. The river itself, while not nearly as old as the faults, is exceptionally old by Florida standards. Scientists have found that the muck and peat which underlie the swamp is nearly 17,000 years old.

History buffs and those interested in Florida's early inhabitants will be interested in the old village sites and tales of pioneer Florida. With its setting among cypress swamps, hardwood forests, and marshes, this is probably the best trip for visitors from foreign lands and northern climes who want to experience the real essence of subtropical Florida.

The mile-wide bottomland forest through which this section of the river flows is a great wildlife habitat. Bear, deer, bobcats and otter are part of the area's diverse fauna. This was also one of the last refuges of the Florida panther before it's meager, endangered population was pushed into the remote wilderness of south Florida. During the winter months, migrant birds add a whole new chorus to the 'music' of the swamp.

One critter who doesn't inhabit these swamps are humans. Too low and prone to flood for permanent settlement, the only people found here are those, like us, who are just passing through. The only time we see signs of civilization is when the river flows close to the high bluffs on the swamp's east side.

Spanish Moss
Tillandsia usneoides

This unusual gray, hanging moss is actually a wispy, thin relative of the pineapple. While found throughout Florida, it prefers damp, shaded forests. It's primary means of reproduction is vegetative - with sections of it's feathery growth breaking off in the wind and drifting to another tree branch to drape across. It usually doesn't have roots, except for small plants which start from seed. In the spring, the faint aroma from the small, inconspicuous pale-green flowers are a welcome gift of spring. Contrary to popular belief, they are not parasitic plants. The small, hair-like scales (trichomes) which coat the plant absorb moisture and water from the air. It was once believed the scales repelled water. For this reason, Linnaeus named the genus Tillandsia, a good-natured jab at one of his students, nicknamed Tillands, who was prone to sea-sickness and always traveled by land when they went on collecting trips. This plant was used by native women who made capes and skirts from them. White Floridians used it for cushioning in car seats and upholstery. As recently as the mid-nineteen hundreds, Florida had a number of 'hair factories' where moss was commercially processed.

The earliest historic account of swimming in these waters is not of a person, but of a dog. When the explorer Hernando De Soto came here in 1539, this region was the domain of Acuera Indians. While searching the area for Indian food stores to plunder, the Spaniards came to the Ocklawaha. On the opposite bank they saw Acuera warriors, who made it clear that the soldiers weren't welcome. Unable to cross the river under a persistent hail of arrows, De Soto decided to sic his dog on the Indians. By the time he reached the far bank, the dog was reportedly riddled with nearly 50 arrows. He crawled out of the river and died at the Indians feet. De Soto got the message and left.

A century later, the Acuera were still firmly entrenched and actively shunned the outside world. One chief's domain, hidden deep in the forest, was reminiscent of the book "Heart of Darkness" or the movie "Apocalypse Now." To avoid detection by the outside world, he put a bounty on the head of any Spaniard who came into his domain. This tactic worked so well that no one even knew this tribe existed until one of their warriors was captured in the woods near the La Chua ranch.

In 1814, American patriots also chose this remote area to avoid detection when they built fort Mitchell in the heart of Spanish Florida. The plan was to claim Florida as their own and then hand it over to the U.S. government. Unfortunately for the "patriots", U.S. leaders wanted nothing to do with the scheme. Before long, the Seminoles found the fort, killed a number of the men and sent the rest packing.

Later in the same century, local secessionists secretly trained at the abandoned fort site, in preparation for coming Civil War. After the war, it was the Ku Klux Clan who used the isolated site for their ceremonies.

On all sections of the Ocklawaha, old beaches and worn-down tracks mark the locations of steam-boat landings from the 1800's. On this trip, we pass the site of Grahamville, the largest "ghost town" on the river. Old photos show a large mill and landing operation serving a community which sat atop the nearby bluff. As the steamboat era faded, so too did Grahamville. Today, there are a number of residences in the area, but nothing remains of the once-thriving town.

True to the legacy of steam boating on the Ocklawaha, this modern day replica sank in the spring of 2004.
Thanks to our friends, Sandy Hubbard, Gerry Trouba and the Silent Otters paddle Club for the photos

Trip Notes and Recent Conditions
(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know and we'll post them here)

March 2, 2006 - Water levels are a little high, giving the river forest a good soaking. At this time of year, we get a great demonstration of the subtle differences a few fractions of a degree in latitude makes on the environment. Here, in the Ocklawaha valley, red maples are a bit greener and more of their ripe, red samara (seeds) have dropped than those in the next valley to the north, along the Santa Fe. Elm leaves are bigger, newly unfurled ash leaves are a bit longer, the dust of oak pollen is more apparent. The forests of the Suwannee are just a shade less green. Fewer flowers have dared open and unopened buds are not as plump. But in either place, there's no mistaking it - spring is here!!

Sept. 20, 2007 - The controversial clearing of "hazards" from the river (the most recent, in a long history of political/human follies that have been inflicted upon this gentle river) is complete and the healing process has begun. Water birds are having to look a little harder for good limbs to perch upon, as they scan the water for dinner, and photographers are having to search a little longer for scenes with beautiful limbs overhanging the river. But, thankfully, the fishermen, whose boats average about 7 - 8 feet wide should have no trouble threading through the 20 ft wide swath that was sawed out.

Cost: $39.00 per person (includes boat (kayak or canoe), paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 people.

Trip length : 4 - 4.5 hrs

Skill level: Great for beginners and experts alike.

Difficulty: This is easy flowing water with few (if any) obstacles. And it's all downstream. Novices will not have a problem. The main consideration is your endurance. For some, 3 - 4 hours of paddling can be tiring. But, it's all downstream and, as many of you know, we encourage paddlers to take their time to enjoy the surroundings.

This is the Ocklawaha which Florida's noted author, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, knew and loved. And it's the Ocklawaha to which a couple of Florida's most celebrated musical troubadours, the late, great Will Mclean and Don Grooms, retreated when the press of civilization became unbearable.

The scenery for most of this trip is dominated by a wonderful panorama of river forests and swamps, with the usual menagerie of wildlife that love such places. Occasionally, as with the adjoining stretch of the river described above, the river carries us close to the high piney bluff which borders the river basin for many miles to the north and south of here. This steep bluff, formed by uplift fault activity and earthquakes millions of years ago, marks the western edge of Florida's famous sand pine forest - the 'scrub.'

This trip has a lot to offer to people with a variety of interests. As history buffs dream of Acuera warriors and steamboats which once once plied these waters, birders and animal lovers will be getting a lot of use out of their binoculars and cameras. And if you, like myself, are fans of Marjorie Rawlings, this trip will give you a chance to explore a remote section of Florida that remains much as it did when she stayed nearby at the Fiddia homestead, researching her book, The Yearling.

The abundance and diversity of birds in a habitat reflect the complexity of that habitat - and the Ocklawaha swamp is one of the most complex habitats in the state. Throughout the summer, red-shouldered hawks and barred owls are occasionally seen gliding through the canopy in search of rodents, reptiles and, sometimes other, smaller birds. The songsters of the swamp are the warblers. Swainson's, hooded and parula common summer residents, while in the winter, you are more likely to hear (and see) the beautiful little yellow and grey, prothonotary warbler.

Lars describes the "catch of the day," a 2 ft. Florida Brown water snake

- Forager's Notebook -

Water Hyacinth
(Eichhornia crassipes)

This exotic plant, an unwelcome import from South America, has edible leaves, roots and flowers. But be sure to boil or steam them first, as the raw plant parts burn like hell in the mouth. Leaves are a fair source of vitamins A, B1 and B2. They contain 18.7% protein, 17.1% fiber and 36.6% carbohydrates. The roots are 11% protein, 7.9% fiber and 41.6% carbohydrates. But all nutritional values aside, I think the best tasting part is the crisp, tender stolons which connect the plants at the roots. Each year, the state of Florida spends nearly $15 million to control this plant. Some of this is by spraying poisons, so be very careful where you gather hyacinths.

After the annihilation of the Timucuas, Creek migrants (soon to be called Seminoles) moved in to the Ocklawaha country. Some of the bigger villages were those of Black Dirt (located near the confluence of Eaton Creek) and Coe Hadjo (to the north of Eureka). One of the first treaties made between the Seminoles and American settlers was signed at a well-known gathering spot along the river known as Paynes Landing.

After the Seminoles were driven south into the Everglades or deported to the west, the river was opened up to commerce. It took over a year for the river to be cleared of downfallen trees before steamboats could make the journey up. Even then, the narrowness of the stream and overhanging trees required some modifications to be made to the traditional steamboat design. The odd, little Ocklawaha steamers, which Sidney Lanier described as looking somewhat like a "Pensacola gopher" (a tortoise), made their way.

Trips Notes and Recent Conditions

(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know and we'll post them here)

Cost: $39 per person. (includes boat (kayak or canoe), paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 people.

Trip length : 4 - 4.5 hrs.

Skill level: Great for beginners and experts alike.

Difficulty: This is an easy paddle on slow, tannin-stained waters. There is plenty of water
here so you won't have to pull over any shoals or shallows.

Every few years, the water level of Rodman Reservoir is lowered by about 6 - 7 feet to expose and kill exotic hydrilla plants which impede navigation and choke out wildlife. Also exposed, is the old river channel, giving a rare opportunity to see (and paddle!) the lost segment of the river. It is only during these draw-downs that we offer this tour.

When the reservoir was built in the 1960's, as part of the ill-conceived Cross-Florida Barge Canal, a straight channel was dug across the reservoir to accommodate heavy barges. In areas of the reservoir that the canal didn't cross, the forest trees were left standing in the water and allowed to die on their own. As these standing trees decayed, those parts of their trunks above the water line toppled into the water while their lower, submerged parts of their trunks were somewhat preserved. The result is a topped-off forest (usually submerged) of seven foot tall tree trunks. When the water is drawn down, this stump forest is revealed - a silent, stone-grey monument to a once beautiful swamp forest.

Paddling the old channel, one has the sense of being in a Florida version of Pompeii - a once-thriving forest, frozen in time. Only here, rather than lava, it was the dark, tannic flow of the dammed up river itself that entombed the forest. The degree to which this forest of stumps has been preserved for nearly half a century is surprising. The buttressed trunk of a cypress stands with all the grace of the giant it would have become. At it's side, a small holly trunk angles out over the river, reaching up toward the filtered sunlight that leaked through the cypress' canopy. Dogwoods, ash, gum, hickory and others; all identifiable by their unique features; all standing ready for a season which never arrived.

Even in death, this silent forest attracts a rich variety of animal life. Alligators rest on the newly exposed river bank, enjoying the sunshine provided by a topless forest. Egrets and herons feed in the shallows while ibis tiptoe through the thick, new growth of pennywort, smartweed (Polygonum) and beautiful parrot feather plants (Myriophyllum aquaticum) that, even though they're exotic species, add a welcome element of green.

Redwing-blackbirds and grackles seem to have too many choices - perform courtship rituals, feed among the trunks, or chatter at passing boaters. On a recent visit to the dried reservoir, I saw a couple of yellow-crowned night herons and an American bittern. But, most notable are the ospreys. The concentration of them on this reservoir is impressive - probably at least a dozen nesting pairs (and I'm guessing conservatively). Bald eagles are also around too, so keep a sharp eye to the sky.

We'll also get a bit of history on this trip, starting with our launch from the site of the old Orange Creek ferry. A short way downstream, we'll pass the site of Ft. Brook, a Seminole War fort that, later, played a key role in the Civil War. During the later years of the war, contraband, including guns, ammunition and other supplies were shipped by a chain of blockade runners and steamboats to Ft. Brook. From here, they were taken by wagon to the rail line at Waldo where they were then shipped north to the troops. Hubbard Hart, whose steamboats were used for this intrigue, made this his base of operations and moved his family here.

Our lunch stop is at another landing, alternately known as Blue Spring or Salt Spring. Here, we can see the spring basin of the largest of a half dozen springs that are covered when the reservoir is full of water. The dark sediment on the bottom and the mix of tannic water flowing over it, gives the spring a dark color, but the flow is still noticeable. Old timers tell us this was a favorite swimming hole for the locals and had a bath house at the time of inundation.

Trips Notes and Recent Conditions
(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know and we'll post them here)

Feb 20, 2005 - Today we we were treated to the company of lots of birds, including one bald eagle and several ospreys. Grackles heckled us and a few red-winged blackbirds worked the stumps. As always, the gnarled forms of mummified trunks - looking like huge pieces of standing driftwood, kept the camera's clicking. The marsh vegetation has already coated much of the wet, exposed muck. Hydocotyle, smartweed and parrot feather dominate. This drawdown will end March 1, when the waters will be allowed to rise once again and stifle the forest that so desperately wants to grow here.

March 05, 2008 - The reservoir is currently drawn down, allowing us to do this trip and get a sense of what was lost with creation of this reservoir. With any luck (and a lot of us speaking out) we could some day see this reservoir permanently drawn down and we could watch the Ocklawaha river be reborn. Birding is great on the reservoir - lots of osprey, wading birds and others. Bald eagles are nesting nearby.

** Adventure Outpost dedicates this trip to the Florida Defenders of the Environment and to
the memory Marjorie Harris Carr. Were it not for their passion and devotion to
preserving this natural treasure, Ocklawaha river would now be a barge canal.

Cost: $39.00 per person. (includes kayak or canoe, paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 people.

Trip length: 4 - 4.5 hrs.

Skill level: Great for beginners and experts alike.

Difficulty: This is an easy paddle on slow, tannin-stained waters. There is plenty of water
here so you won't have to pull over any shoals or shallows.

The George Kirkpatrick Dam ( formerly Rodman Dam) is a fitting launch place for our exploration of a beautifully preserved section of the river as it once was, and as it will hopefully be again. Fantastic riverine forest, lots of wildlife, exploration of an ancient Indian mound and steam boat landing highlight this tour.

Unlike the upstream sections, where the canopy is often closed overhead, the lower Ocklawaha is more open, allowing us to get a sweeping view of the foliage lining the river. But, it's also much more braided. Many side streams and confusing forks make this an interesting area to explore, but can turn a leisurely paddle into an extreme workout if you make a wrong turn. You won't want to get too far ahead of the guide on this trip.

This is one of the best rivers for autumn colors in Florida. Cypress trees, with their brilliant copper foliage, tower over tupelos, dogwoods, sweet gum, elm and other with varying degrees of red, crimson, purple and yellow. Long vines of Woodbine and poison ivy weave their multi-colored foliage around the trunks and throughout all of the vegetation layers - ground level, underbrush and tree canopies alike. The stars of the autumn show are the red maples whose abundance and deep scarlet color will keep your camera clicking.

Red Maple
Acer rubrum

These trees are uncharacteristically sturdy for the maple clan. This allows them to grow much larger and older than some other maples. We don't have sugar maples here, but you can get a second-rate sugar from red maples if you're desperate. A more common use of this tree is for implements such as wooden coat hangers. One of this species most striking features is the beautiful red color of it's autumn foliage. The abundance of these trees, along with some other colorful inhabitant, makes the Ocklawaha forest one of the finest areas to enjoy fall colors in Florida. The red leaves are toxic to horses, however. Three pounds can be lethal. By virtue of their light, winged seeds (samara), these trees are quick to colonize any cleared patch of ground in wetlands. Another trick that makes them successful is their ability to change sexual orientation, sometimes having both male and female flowers on the same tree, sometimes they're separate.

This section, like others on the Ocklawaha, has a nice assortment of egrets, herons, ibis and other water birds. We often see otters, deer, alligators, snakes, swallow-tailed kites, bald eagles and an occasional wild hog. This is also bear country.

In addition to it's scenic beauty, this stretch of the Ocklawaha also serves as an excellent 'living museum' of man's 12,000 year relationship with nature in Florida. As we make our way downstream, we work back in time - starting with our launch at the George Kirkpatrick Dam, where we see man's most recent (and most destructive) attempt to 'tame' the river, we paddle past a couple of old steamboat landings before stopping for lunch at a large Indian burial mound.

Sydney Lanier, a well-known writer of the 1800's, called the Ocklawaha the "sweetest water-lane in the world, a lane which runs more than a hundred and fifty miles of pure delight betwixt hedgerows of oaks and cypresses and palms and bays and magnolias and mosses and manifold vine-growths..." Unlike so many early descriptions of wild Florida, which are merely frustrating glimpses into long lost worlds, this passage could have been written today. And, aside from the fact that he was sitting on the deck of an Ocklawaha steamboat, Lanier's instructions on assuming the "attitude of perfect rest" could just as easily be followed by the kicked-back, modern day kayaker. His suggestion - hike your left leg onto the boats railing, "then tip your chair in a slight diagonal position back to the side of the cabin, so that your head will rest there against, your right arm will hang over the chair back, and your left arm will repose on the railing. I give no specific instruction for your right leg, because I am disposed to be liberal in this matter and to leave some gracious scope for personal idiosyncracies,...dispose your right leg, therefore, as your heart may suggest. Having secured this attitude, open wide the eyes of your body and your soul; repulse with a heavenly suavity the conversational advances..." of others, "then sail, sail, sail through the cypresses, through the vines, through the May day...and so shall your heart forever afterwards interpret Ocklawaha to mean repose."

I can't count the times I've rounded a bend of the Ocklawaha, and found someone in our group - Sandy R., Trisha P., Nick B. and many others (you know who you are) laid back in their kayaks, in the "attitude of perfect rest." It's the perfect river for "repose".

Trips Notes & Current Conditions

(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know and we'll post them here)

March 2, 2006 - Water levels are a little high, giving the river forest a good soaking. Usually, this would men fewer wading birds, but on today's trip we were treated to quite a few feathered companions. A couple of large flocks of white ibis were making their way up and down the channel, while pine warblers and scores of other LBJ's (little brown jobs) worked the under story. We spotted a half dozen gators, and twice as many turtles (mostly red-bellies) soaking up the sun and gearing up for the carnival of spring. At this time of year, we get a great demonstration of the subtle differences a few fractions of a degree in latitude makes on the environment. Here, in the Ocklawaha valley, red maples are a bit greener and more of their ripe, red samara (seeds) have dropped than those in the next valley to the north, along the Santa Fe. Elm leaves are bigger, newly unfurled ash leaves are a bit longer, the dust of oak pollen is more apparent. The forests of the Suwannee are just a shade less green. Fewer flowers have dared open and unopened buds are not as plump. But in either place, there's no mistaking it - spring is here!!

December 19, 2006 - Autumn was a brief affair on the Ocklawaha. Warmer than average temps and a soggy end to November made the color change less spectacular here than on rivers only an hour to the north. Deciduous trees have shed most leaves. Bloom seen included burmarigold, swamp lilies, spatterdock, climbing aster and a few cardinal flowers. Birds included bald eagle, many cormorants, some anhingas, about 2 dozen great blue herons, about a dozen white ibis (far less than usual for this time of year), several phoebes, assorted woodpeckers (including a head-banging pileated), several great egrets, a red-shouldered hawk, mobs of robins and grackles and one very loud barred owl that announced his presence first and then landed in a tree immediately alongside river where we could admire every detail of his (her?) plumage.

Cost: $35.00 per person (includes kayak or canoe, paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 paddlers.

Trip time: 4 hours

Skill level: Beginner - expert

Explore the upper reaches of the Santa Fe River watershed to the confluence of Olustee Creek, one of the rivers main feeders. It's a small, winding, high-banked creek which will not appeal to those interested in wetland communities and/or easy paddle trips. We usually don't go far up Olustee, especially in low water, but for those who don't mind having to pull their boat over a few fallen logs, there's the possibility of seeing wood ducks, deer, beaver, otter, and even a few capybara?!

Compared to some of our trips, wildlife is relatively scarce here. There's a fair population of deer in this area, but high banks discourage them from spending much time at the riverside. There are some 'gators - especially one sizeable fellow whose lair is in the area near the confluence of Olustee Creek and the Santa Fe. Many people have gotten wet - falling out of their boat or otherwise - when they surprised him sunning on his favorite, high sand bank. There is, however, one animal of special interest in this region. Capybaras have escaped into the wild reaches of the upper Santa Fe and lower Olustee basins. I first spotted one in the mid-1990's. Since then, I've been sent nearly a dozen reports of sightings (see trip notes below for the most recent). These huge rodents (the largest in the world) are native to south America, but judging from the reports, are finding life in North Florida to their liking.

A Nod to the Crawlies

If you ever find yourself wondering where all the wildlife is, I suggest you make
a change - not in location, but in your mindset. Instead of looking for animals
you hope to see, take a moment to consider the amazing little critters that are
always close at hand, buzzing your head, crawling up your pant leg or merely
hitching a ride on the front of your boat. With the help of a good insect
field guide (preferably one which describes behaviors and life cycles, not just
identification) your Florida exploration will take on a new dimension.

Every month of the year, and on every river we explore in north Florida, the
alert paddler will see; dragonflies and damselflies redefining flight, often in
tandem as the male clasps the females neck, flying her around until they mate
and sometimes hovering low over the water while she deposits eggs in the
water; whirligig beetles, whose two sets of eyes allow them to seek prey
underwater, while watching the skies for predators, fishing spiders that
dangle a leg in the water to detect passing fish upon which to pounce.

But a word of caution. Once you've gained an appreciation for your
creepy-crawly brethren, you'll be the slowest roach stomper and fly
swatter in your home.

The first section oif this trip takes us up a remote section of the Santa Fe River. When Hernando De Soto came through in 1539, the ancient Indian trail he was following forded the Santa Fe here. The village of Cholupaha, which is mentioned by the expedition's chroniclers, was situated on a high hill, and commanded a beautiful view of the river valley.

In the early 1600's, there was still an important village here, called Tolosa. Spanish missionaries established a mission here as part of the chain of missions which stretched across north Florida from St. Augustine to the Tallahassee area. This mission, named Santa Fe de Tolosa, was the namesake for the river.

The name Olustee was immortalized on Feb. 20, 1864, when Florida's largest battle of the Civil War was fought near the stream's headwaters, far to the north of the Santa Fe, at Ocean Pond. When the smoke cleared from the battlefield, nearly 300 men lay dead - 93 rebels and 203 from the Union side. Nearly 2,000 more were injured. The Battle of Olustee was a victory for the Rebel forces, but it would be a short-lived celebration with the confederacy losing the War a year later.

Trips Notes & Recent Conditions
(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know and we'll post them here)

Oct. 12, '02 - On this 'capybara quest' we didn't find any of these elusive newcomers. Nevertheless, we had a great paddle. Water is up to a nice level. There's a lot of sediment in the water which is coming from the Santa Fe above the Olustee confluence. The Olustee is tannic, but clear.

March 06, 2008 - Water levels are currently ideal for this trip. But check ahead as the forecast ids for alot of rain in the next week, so flooding is possible. Give us a call if you plan on paddling here and we'll let you know conditions.

Paynes Prairie
(Hiking tours)

Occasionally, the Prairie floods and transforms into it's alter-ego - Alachua Lake.
At those times, we offer guided kayak and canoe tours on the lake. For more, see Alachua Lake.

Cost: $10 per person

Group size: 1 - 24 people

Trip time: 2 - 3 hours

Skill level: Great for anyone capable of a 3 - 4 mile hike.
Shorter hikes and wheelchair accessible routes also available.

Paynes Prairie is a large, 20 square mile basin formed by dissolution and collapse of underground limestone. This is the same process that forms the many sinkholes in this part of Florida. It's also the process that forms most of our local lakes, but what makes the Prairie different is that there's a hole in the bottom. At the northern edge of the Prairie basin, a hole in the limestone bottom known as Alachua Sink, drains water into the underground aquifer system. It's a relatively small hole however, perhaps the size of a small car, so it takes a long time to drain the basin when it floods. This constant dampness - rarely dry and only occasionally flooded - has created a fantastic marshland.
Before we start on the hike, I like to take about 10 - 15 minutes with a map giving you a brief overview of the Prairie's early history (12,000 years of history in 15 minutes - I'll talk fast!). We then set of into the Prairie. When we reach the observation deck in the center of the Prairie, we'll see what animals we can spot. There, surrounded by the sights, sounds and scents of the Prairie, I'll spend another 10 - 15 minutes giving some of the more recent history. There's a certain sense of excitement I feel every time I leave the gravel parking lot and stroll onto the narrow path that leads down to the Prairie. What animals will be spotted? What plants will be blooming or setting seeds? What surprises does the Prairie hold today? But, even in my eagerness, I don't think I've ever passed under the giant oak at the trail's head without gazing up in awe. It's not any kind of deliberate ritual or homage, but a spontaneous moment of admiration and respect, like a child looking up into the kind, all-knowing eyes of his grandfather before letting go of his hand to run into the playground. It's appearance alone - massive trunk, expansive, open canopy and broad, arching limbs adorned with green, species-rich thickets of resurrection fern and other small plants - would be enough to bring me up short. But, more than anything, it's this trees setting that fires my imagination. Perched on the bluff over Alachua Sink, with a wide view across the open Prairie, I wonder what events this ancient giant has witnessed? How many times did Don Thomas Menendez Marquez, whose La Chua ranch house stood on this bluff in the 1600's, stand in this same shade and gaze across the Prairie? What did he see? Did pirates rest here after raiding the ranch? How many Indians, explorers, settlers, soldiers, missionaries, ranchers and cowboys has this tree comforted with its cool shade? How many weary travelers tied their horses to it? Bartram? Cowkeeper? Who leaned against it to steady their rifles? binoculars? scopes? How many people have hidden behind it? From whom? How many people waited here for someone to arrive in their canoe? or steamboat? or powerboat? How many people have stood here in awe? The time I've spent gazing up at this giant oak over the years, watching the interactions of wildlife and conjuring scenes from the past, must certainly run into the hours. But, as far as the tree is concerned, I'm just another of the countless human specks that have blown across it's roots over the centuries. Dreamers and schemers have come and gone, but this grand sentinel remains. After passing the oak tree, the path descends the bluff and skirts the north and western lip of Alachua Sink. After passing another fine live oak (don't get me started!) we enter onto the open Prairie basin. From here, the view is as variable as the Prairie itself. Short natural cycles, like time of day and season of the year, dictate what animals you might see and what plants will be blooming. But, all of these depend on a much bigger cycle that makes the Prairie so unique and such a Mecca for wildlife - the flood cycle. With every phase of the flood cycle, the dominant plant and animal species change. At present, we are coming out of an exceptionally high flood. After two years, water levels on the Prairie have finally receded enough to expose LaChua trail. The last time I was out there, about 2 months ago, the trail was only open as far as the Sink, but I understand it is now open all the way out to the observation deck. According to Park Ranger Julie Tabone, the wildlife is loving the high marsh conditions and birding is great. Sandhill cranes are spending alot of time in the Alachua Lake portion of the basin, near the observation deck.

Located a few miles south of Gainesville, this 20 square mile wetland prairie is not only a wildlife hotspot, it is one of the most historically significant natural features in north Florida. For the first nomadic hunter-gatherers to enter Florida about 12,000 years ago, it was all about location, location, location - location of big game (including mammoths, mastodons and more), location of water and location of tool making materials, most notably a type of stone known as chert. Chert is the best material in Florida for making spear points and blades.

In later periods, the Prairie continued to be an important location for native settlements. Archaeologists have found abundant artifacts dating from every cultural; period up to the present.

Paynes Prairie has a long history of flooding during high water events (if this comes as news to you, there's a book I'd like to recommend ;-). Since the 1800's, the ephemeral lake that is created by these floods has been referred to as Alachua Lake. Even in dry periods, the relatively small pool of water that remains in the low center of the basin retains the name - like a devoted keeper of the flame, waiting for the rains to return. This past hurricane season brought the awaited rains and Alachua Lake has been reborn.

Over the centuries, boaters of all sorts have taken advantage of the occasional lake. The nearby dugout canoe graveyard that is Newnan's Lake gives ample proof that north Florida's aborigines were paddlers, so it seems likely they took to the waters of Paynes Prairie whenever water levels allowed.

The first documented boats on the Prairie were small steamboats used to ship goods and supplies (and the occasional brave passenger) during a 20 year flood that lasted from 1871 to 1892. The convenience of water transportastion as opposed to shipping produce (and people) by way of the treacherous, sugar-sand wagon roads around the prairie perimeter, was a boon to area planters. Citrus cultivation was enjoying it's heyday in north Florida and the heart of the industry was centered at Paynes Prairie. Recreational sailing was also popular on Alachua Lake. Contemporary accounts mention days when many sails could be seen skimming through the wind ruffled whitecaps (the lake was deeper than it is now).

In the 1920's, as fill for highway 441 was being laid across the Prairie, flooding rains filled the basin. As they had done so often before, the locals brought their boats to the reborn shoreline and took to the water. By now, it was gas-powered motor boats that plied the shallow lake. The half completed road bed for the highway became a favorite launch site.

The flooding of the 1920's proved to be one of the more typical, temporary mood swings of the Prairie and within a couple of years the waters had receded. By the '30's, the highway was complete and a new system of dykes and canals was completed by the cattle ranching Camp family who owned the Prairie. The new water control structures made the possibility of ever seeing another prolonged "lake" period, unlikely. Wrong again. In the 1960's, the Prairie seemed to be on the verge of becoming a permanent lake - this time, with the help of humans.

When the Prairie was named a "wildlife sanctuary" in 1960's, there was much debate about what to do with it. One of the most strongly lobbied ideas was to permanently flood the basin. The plan called for raising the Hwy 441 roadbed and constructing a tramway to carry tourists across the water. Boats could once again enjoy the open waters of Alachua Lake. The list of organizations was considerable and even included the local Audubon Society! Luckily, the State bought the Prairie in 1970 and all efforts turned to restoring the Prairie's to it's natural state. Today, the park service is committed to restoring the natural habitats and wildlife communities that existed on the Prairie before European encroachment.

Highlights

At all water levels (including no water at all) Paynes Prairie is a Mecca for wildlife. There's a healthy alligator population, but with all of the water for them to frolic in, we probably won't see any more than an average river trip or lake paddle. Birding is always good, with the full roster of common wading birds, assorted warblers, grackles, redwings, osprey, bald eagles, northern harriers and red-tailed hawks all being commonly seen. Sand hill cranes spend a lot of time here. The Prairie also has a reputation for surprising us with some bird species that are uncommon in the Gainesville area, including white pelicans, roseate spoonbills and the large fulvous whistling ducks. On all recent trips, we've spotted black-necked stilts, osprey, bald eagles, house swallows, barn swallows, American bitterns, and many wading birds of all persuasions.

Winter and Spring 2005 - The deluge of rains brought by a parade of fall hurricanes, revived the ephemeral lake. Thanks to the park services refreshing commitment to sharing thePaynes Prairie experience with all who love her, we have been allowed to guide tours on the lake since November.

April 24, 2005 - Another beautiful day on the lake. Osprey, sandhill cranes, egrets, herons, moorhens, black-necked stilts and only a few alligators. The mats of pennywort, water hyacinth, smartweed, water lettuce, frogs bit, pickerel weed and more are spreading.

Pee Gee Marsh

Cost: $35.00 per person (includes kayak or canoe, paddle, vest, shuttling and your guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 paddlers

Trip time: 4 hours

Skill level: Beginner - Intermediate

Difficulty: Physical ability, not paddling skill, is the main consideration here.

This is an extreme exploration of a very thick marsh of cattail, sedges, hyacinth and other emergent aquatic plants. Reptile hunters and hard-core bird watchers might find the mud, crud and grit worth the rewards - others will want to swat me with their paddles every chance they get. I've learned to keep a sharp eye on my clients on this trip.

Bald Eagles are abundant, especially in winter, on this marshy corner of Orange Lake. Bird watchers get a full dose of wading birds and other wetland regulars. Tons of gators are good incentive for not falling out of your boat (although there's a good chance you'll have to voluntarily leave your boat a few times to pull through the muck). Snakes are also abundant - especially swamp snakes (Seminatrix pygaea to you herp freaks) which are thick in water hyacinth mats.

- Forager's Notebook -

Edible Plants

If you are into wild edibles, this area offers a virtual banquet of edible goodies. Cattails, saw grass and rushes, all of which have edible parts, are thick here. And, if you want to help the environment, pick your fill of the introduced exotic plant - water hyacinth. Along the shore pigweed, whose leaves and seeds helped the Indians stay fed, grows in abundance. Here too you'll find curly dock, arrowhead and duck potato, the plant which kept Lewis and Clark alive long enough to tell us about the 'great northwest.' On shore, yaupon, wax myrtle, poke and wild spinach can be found. Some of these plants have parts that areNOT edible or require special preparation. DO NOT eat any part of any of these plants if you don't know how to identify and/or prepare them.

Before the railroad trestle and then Hwy 301 were built across the 'neck' of Orange Lake, Pee Gee marsh was a wetter, more open area. Today, the area west of these two obstructions to water flow is still wet and marshy, but the accumulation of sediment caused by obstructed flow is making it drier than it used to be. The village of Citra once sat on the south side of the marsh, but was moved a couple of miles east to be closer to newly laid railway in the late 1800's. To the east of the two dams (Hwy 301 and the rail trestle), a system of dykes and ditches were dug to create a muck farm. This area is in the early stages of being restored to its natural condition. But it will likely be many years, if at all, before there is any real 'flow' of water from Orange Lake, through Pee Gee marsh to the lake's natural outlet at Orange Creek. There can never be any significant improvement or restoration of the lake's natural 'flow' as long as Hwy 301 and the trestle remain situated atop dams. At present, there are no plans, or even discussion, about opening the flow of this system. The continuing buildup of vegetation and sediments is steadily changing this corner of the lake to a drier habitat..

December 17, 2005 - Finally, after several years of low water and thick emergent vegetation, the waters have filled this fantastic corner of Orange Lake. Perfect conditions for paddle exploration. The wandering tribes of water birds have returned too, enjoying the relative solitude of this nearly forgotten haven.

Jan. 23, 2008 - Low waters are making this area especially difficult to access. You'd do well to wait for higher waters before exploring this marsh.

Cost: $35.00 per person (includes kayak or canoe, paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 paddlers

Trip time: 4 hours

Skill level: Intermediate. Narrow winding stream can be a challenge for novices.
There are also several logs and debris clusters to pull over.

* See calendar for trips being planned.
Or,
Schedule your own private tour ($150 minimum).
Call Adventure Outpost for details (386-454-0611)

This creek connects two of North Central Florida's most popular havens for wildlife watching: Newnans Lake and Paynes Prairie. And, as would be expected, this trip offers a rich variety of plants and animals, especially water birds. This waterway has the greatest concentration of snakes of any trip we offer, but don't let this discourage you. At least 95% are harmless, and are usually seen basking idly in the sun. For those who are interested in local history and don't mind it being presented '"in the rough," this trip takes you into one of the wilder areas of the Paynes Prairie domain, which Lars (your guide) described in his 2001 book, Paynes Prairie: A History of the Great Savanna. (Pineapple Press. Sarasota FL., 2001).

We usually see several snakes and some alligators on this wild and wooly little creek. As we get near the eastern rim of Paynes Prairie, the sky and trees start to come alive with birds associated with the "great savanna." There's apparently a panther (probably an escaped pet??) that roams these woods. Known as the "Micanopy Cat," it's been seen by a number of people including a park ranger at Paynes Prairie State Park. You might also see some bear sign. There's been at least one bear in the area which I tracked several times during the drought several years ago and was also caught on film by researchers using a trip camera.

This unassuming little waterway has transported and fed more than it's share of Floridians - especially those who lived here in prehistoric times. The entire watery realm of Newnans Lake - Paynes Prairie - Orange and Lochloosa Lakes and their connecting waters (including Prairie Creek) were a haven for all cultures of people who have lived in Florida since the first nomads rambled into the area over 12,000 years ago.

Two large village complexes were located on the banks of Prairie Creek. One actually had the creek running through the middle of it! Sadly, "head hunters" (people who plunder ancient archaeological sites for their own collections or profit) know of this site and continue to illegally dig here - stealing the cultural heritage that rightfully belongs to all of us. The other site was near the outflow of the creek into Paynes Prairie, where the natives could readily take advantage of both productive systems - the creek and the lush savanna.

In the mid 1800's, the Kelly family established a mill alongside the creek. The remains of the old structure can still be seen in the nearby woods. In 1881, the Gainesville, Ocala and Charlotte Harbor Railroad Company began laying tracks for a line towards Paynes Prairie and on to Gainesville. By the time the rails reached Prairie Creek and the bridge was erected, the Company had changed names to the Florida Southern. The rails infused an economic boost to settlers in the area, especially the little hamlet of Perry, which sat about a mile east of the creek. In fact, the residents were so grateful for their good fortune, that the renamed the town Gruelle, after the railroads chief engineer. A devastating freeze at the end of the 1800's killed the orange groves that were the communities economic base, bringing a sudden end to the boom period. Today, remnants of this old community (now called Rochelle) can be seen, frozen in time, along the dusty back roads that were once the pulsing central arteries of a frontier boom town.

Prairie Creek, while being an interesting and fun little creek, bears the scars of heavy abuse. But it makes an interesting example of how important even the smallest component of a system can be. In the 1930's, the natural flow of Prairie Creek onto Paynes Prairie was blocked by a dam and redirected to River Styx and on to Orange Lake. Later, the head of the stream, where the water entered from Newnans Lake, was dammed to keep water levels high in the lake. It wasn't until the '70's and '80's that it became clear how harmful these alterations were to all of the systems involved - especially the Prairie. The dam at the Newnan's Lake end was removed, but removing the dam and canal at Paynes Prairie has proved to be more of a challenge. With two highways and a number of private properties around the basin, letting the water levels rise and fall, uncontrolled, will require a lot of changes and preparations.

Recent Conditions & Trips Notes
(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know)

Sept. 27, 2004 - Post-hurricane report: Level's high but not dangerous. However, we strongly advise against doing this trip without a guide. There is absolutely no clue as to the location of the main channel. With a relatively wide bottomland forest flanking the creek, even tree species, usually a good indicator, are no help. There are a few new trees fallen, but easily circumnavigated. There's a big cluster of pickerel weed, frog's bit (Limnobium spongia) and water hyacinth blocking Camp's Canal. This can be avoided by paddling through the adjacent swamp forest on the left (east) side. Wading birds are enjoying the good feeding in shallower, sunnier areas. We still see about the usual number of snakes taking advantage of fallen logs and debris.

PLEASE NOTE - These are exceptional conditions and are steadily changing. In some of the rivers on this list, the waters will continue to rise in the days and weeks ahead, others have already begun to drop. Be sure to check with us or other local outfitters and internet gauge reports before paddling these waters. AND BE CAREFUL!!

Feb 05, 2008 - Water levels are sufficient to float a boat, but a lot of debris, such as fallen branches is making it a bit of a workout. Nevertheless, this is always a great creek for wildlife and the spring season is here, so if you like it rough, this is a good time to paddle (and slog) Prairie creek.

Cost: $41.00 per person (includes $2 park fee, kayak or canoe, paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 paddlers

Trip time: 4 - 4.5 hours

Skill level: Great for beginners and experts alike.

Difficulty: The first hour of this trip is a round trip paddle up to the spring head and back. The upstream portion (about 1/2 hour) is against a moderate current - not quite as strong as Silver, but close. Aside from that, this river's a breeze. It's plenty wide and the curves are long and easy.

* See calendar for trips being planned.
Or,
Schedule your own private tour ($150 minimum).
Call Adventure Outpost for details (386-454-0611)

The primary source of this beautiful 5.7 mile river (formerly known as Blue Run) is Rainbow Spring (formerly Blue Spring). As it makes it's way southward toward it's confluence with the Withlacoochee River, the river picks up additional water from a number of smaller springs - most notably Garfish Hole about a mile below the head spring. This 24 ft. deep spring has, in recent years, picked up the nickname, K.P. Hole (for the Knights of Pythias who used to have annual gatherings here). Nearby, a beautiful, dense, bottomland forest extending toward the north east follows the small trickle of a run from Indian spring.

Situated in the sandy, rolling highlands of the Brooksville Ridge, Rainbow spring run has a very different personality from it's sister spring, the swamp shrouded Silver 25 miles to the east. High, dry banks along most of the river bank, have allowed property owners to build homes close to the water. But, with it's exceptionally clear, blue waters and lots of birds and other wildlife, the Rainbow is still a beautiful paddle.

As with all springs, the flow rate of Rainbow spring varies considerably. Between 1965 and 1974, the flow rate ranged from a high of 1,230 ft³/sec. to a low of of 487 ft³/sec. The average was 763. Today, the average is somewhere around 500 ft.³/sec. These measurements are taken at the Hwy 484 bridge so as to include all of the lesser springs feeding the run. The temperature averages about 74ºF year-round.

For well over a century, as adventurers and nature lovers have beat a path to the shores of Silver Spring, her sister spring, the Rainbow has gone relatively unnoticed. A surprising fact when you consider that it's Florida's second largest spring, gushing an average of over 500 cubic feet per second. Maybe it's the name. The Indians called it Wekiwa, which means, simply, "the spring of water," a relatively uninspired name which, in the lexicon of Florida's natives was as common as the name Blue Springs is today. When white settlers displaced the Indians, they changed the springs name to, you guessed it, Blue Spring.

But, Blue Spring wasn't completely overlooked. In 1890, when the area became ground zero for Florida's huge phosphate boom, a health resort with a large hotel was built on the high slope above the spring basin. Among other things, the resort offered boat rentals and passenger steamboat service to Dunnellon, a few miles downstream.

It wasn't until 1937 that the springs promoters, realizing that this beautiful spring needed an identity of it's own, renamed it Rainbow. But, the change didn't come easy. Even today, you'll still find many locals who call the river Blue Run.

In 1950, the hotel burned down. Ten years later, the spring caught the attention of S & H Green stamps and Holiday Inn, who bought 55 acres around the head spring. The hotel was rebuilt and the property was developed it into a full scale tourist attraction, complete with river boat rides and log rafts. They even offered river tours in a small, air conditioned submarine!

The park closed in 1974, and after sitting idle for 15 years, was bought by the state. Rainbow Springs State Park opened in 1995.

The water of this spring run seems more clear and blue than most - probably because of the wide open canopy which allows plenty of sunshine, and the white sand bottom - so you'll see lots of fish and plenty of healthy eel grass meadows. There are also many water birds (including an unusually large number of cormorants and wood ducks). A couple of families of otters make the odds pretty good for sightings.

Trips Notes and Recent Conditions
(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know)

General: The tremendous volume of water that gushes out of Rainbow Spring (over 500 ft³/sec.) makes water levels reliably good all of the time.

May 13,2005 - A banner day for otter spotters! We saw over a dozen of these stout, graceful members of the weasel clan. Most were feeding and swimming along the banks, among the cypress roots and knees. One attentive otter mom was tending to a hungry offspring, regurgitating some food (fish? crayfish?) for the young one to eat. This wonderful "Mutual of Omaha" moment was played out about 10 feet in front of us - fantastic!!

Cost: $29 per person (includes kayak or canoe, paddle, vest and your guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).

Group size: 1 - 24 paddlers

Trip time: 3 - 4 hours

Skill level: Great for beginners and experts alike.

Join us for a scheduled tour. (see calendar for trips being planned).
or,
schedule your own private tour. Call for details (386-454-0611)

The Santa Fe river disappears into a subterranean cavern at O'leno State Park and then, after a three mile journey underground, reemerges at the "River Rise".

Many deer live in the forests of O'leno State Park and River Rise State Preserve through which this stretch of the Santa Fe runs. A couple of families of otters live in dens on the north bank, and are often seen by morning paddlers. A relative shortage of bird species is compensated for by some very active and temperamental kingfishers. The high, sandy banks here are ideal for their particular style of nest. There is a major nursery for leopard frogs near the Rise. Every spring, the waters here seem to boil with fat leopard frog tadpoles.

Leopard Frog
Rana utricularia

These large frogs (sometimes reaching 5 - 6 inches) are beautifully colored in bronze and green with chocolate-brown spots. Gold lines running along each side continues right through the iris of the frogs eyes! These guys are world-class jumper, often leaping 5 - 6 feet into the water when startled. In mid-air, they often give a loud grunt before plopping into the drink.

The Santa Fe river's 'natural bridge' has been an important route of travel for thousands of years. The trail was already ancient when Hernando De Soto came to the area in 1539. The river was flooded however, and was flowing over the land bridge. He was forced to take an alternate route across the river a few miles upstream from O'leno Park.

When the Spanish established a chain of missions across north Florida in the early 1600's, they located them at Timucua Indian villages along this trail. The closest mission to the land bridge was Santa Fe de Toloca. This was one of the more important missions and was the namesake of the river. Several miles to the south was another important mission - San Francisco de Potano. This missions name also survived the test of time, but didn't come through as intact as Santa Fe. Over the centuries the name San Francisco evolved to San Felasco, which is still used for the beautiful hardwood hammock on the northwest edge of Gainesville where the mission was located.

After the missions and associated Indian villages were wiped out by English invaders in 1704, the trail was little used. By the middle of the century, migrating Creek Indians moved in to fill the void left by the vanquished Timucua tribe. These migrants were soon being referred to as Seminoles and established villages throughout the area. Their main village was at Paynes Prairie, twenty miles to the south.

One of the more famous people to travel the road during this time was Davey Crockett, who came looking for land to homestead. He reported a fair amount of disgust at the swampy nature of most of Florida. Nonetheless he bought property in Pensacola and reluctantly sent for his wife. She didn't want to leave the Appalachians and, deep down, neither did he. Before long he had sold the parcel and was heading back to the hills.

The trails next incarnation was as the Bellamy Road, Florida's first Federal road, established a few years after Florida became a territory of the United States in the 1820's. Requirements for the road builders were simple - clear away the ancient trail, cutting all stumps to less than a foot in height.

Alongside the trail, a settlement named Keno was established in the mid 1800's. After catching some flack for having named the town after a kind of gambling game, the town leaders changed the name to Leno. The town was short-lived however, and with the passing of time the site was referred to as Old Leno and later, O'Leno. Today, some of the earthworks associated with the mill can still be seen in O'Leno State Park.

Sept. 27, 2004 - Post-hurricane report: Level's high but not dangerous. A fast current is making the upstream paddling a reral challenge, but if you make it up to the Rise, you'll be rewarded with a wonderful, fast (45 minute) ride back to the ramp.

PLEASE NOTE - These are exceptional conditions and are steadily changing. In some of the rivers on this list, the waters will continue to rise in the days and weeks ahead, others have already begun to drop. Be sure to check with us or other local outfitters and internet gauge reports before paddling these waters. AND BE CAREFUL!!

Cost: $49.00 per person (includes kayak or canoe, paddle, vest, shuttling and your guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers,
not to mention the desire to avoid spending an unplanned night lost in the swamp).

Group size: 1 - 14 people

Trip time: 5 - 6 hours

Skill level: Intermediate

Difficulty: This is a STRENUOUS TRIP. Many tight
squeezes between trees, over fallen logs and through overhanging
vines and brush make this more of a push and pull than an actual paddle.

Join us for a scheduled tour. (see calendar for trips being planned).
or,
schedule your own private tour. Call for details (386-454-0611)

Experience the thrill of going where no one in their right mind has gone before. Actually, a lot of clear-thinking, otherwise normal people, venture into this large swamp, fully aware that it is more of a swamp than a river, and that most people who try to traverse it in one day usually spend the night in their canoe. But, for those of you who are prepared for a down and dirty romp in the swamp, a truly fantastic nature experience awaits you in the river Styx. Cypress swamps, hardwood swamps, and open marshes are home to many wading birds.

At certain times of the year, there's a good chance of seeing large concentrations and rookeries of species such as Wood storks, Anhingas, and Double Crested Cormorants. Snakes and alligators are here too, but in smaller numbers than one might expect. But there are plenty of chiggers and other biting critters.

Two-toed Amphiuma
Amphiuma means

These "Congo eels" are among the largest salamanders in the world. We usually see them in very shady, damp conditions. Females lay well over 100 clear, sticky eggs which the mother coils around until they hatch. Amphiuma's are difficult to handle, not only because they are very slimy, but they also have a wicked bite.

In prehistoric times, when water levels were higher, this swamp was an arm of Orange Lake. One of north Florida's oldest and most impressive mound and earthwork complexes is located here. By 1539, when De Soto led his expedition through here, the nearby village of Potano was the headquarters for the chiefdom of the same name which covered the Orange Lake/Paynes Prairie area. The areas richness of a kind of rock called chert, an excellent material for making tools and weapons, made the Potanos the envy of neighboring tribes.

Recent Conditions & Trips Notes
(Interesting sightings or notes? Let us know and we'll post them here)

Sept. 27, 2004 - Post-hurricane report: There's plenty of water in the Styx, but true to her reputation, she's defying all but the most determined adventurers. The new challenge is in the lush new growth which took root in the muck which was exposed during the drought. Numerous trees have come down (storms?? stress from drought??) which is allowing much more light to penetrate the swamp floor than usual. In this ideal environment, a fantastic (though impenetrable) nursery of young red maples, elderberries, buttonbush, blackberry bushes, Virginia willow, and more, are rejoicing in their newfound home in the swamps with all of the optimism of youth. Great for them, bad for us. It will only be the most determined and physically fit clients who will persuade us to lead them on this journey for the next year or so. I strongly urge anyone who is not familiar with the Styx to find another place to play - for now.

December 5, 2006 - Recent lack of rainfall is bringing the Styx ever closer to drought condition. At present it is a slog. Lots of vegetation still in swamp from last drought, but much of that has died back with extended high water in the interim. If we get more water in the swamp before ground is exposed, die-off of low vegetation should continue and the way could be clear for some long - overdue "x-stream" paddling in the Styx swamp in 2007.

Cost: $39.00 per person (includes kayak or canoe, paddle, vest, shuttling and your guide)
Using your Own Boat - $25. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these rivers).
(Note - there's also a $5 per boat launch fee to be paid to local vendor)

Group size: 1 - 24 paddlers

Trip time: 4.5 - 5 hours

Skill level: Intermediate. The relatively long paddle will be exhausting for some.
The winding stream makes this a steering challenge for first-timers.

Difficulty: Thankfully, the comparisons to Juniper River don't apply to difficulty. Rock Springs
follows a less twisted route as it flows through the forest. The main consideration will be the
duration of the trip, usually taking us 4.5 to 5 hours. There are several good spots to get out and take a
break if necessary, including a nice lunch area.

Join us for a scheduled tour. (see calendar for trips being planned).
or,
schedule your own private tour. Call for details (386-454-0611)

This river is about 2 hours south of Gainesville and 45 minutes north of downtown Orlando.
To see this river's general location, go to the River Locator Map

From the moment it springs to life, gushing from the throat of a horizontal, above water-line cavern at the base of a 20 ft. limestone bluff, to it's confluence with Wekiva River 7 miles later, it's apparent that Rock Springs Run is like no other. But, if I had to make a comparison, I'd say it most closely resembles Juniper. Like Juniper Run, this stream's cool, clear flow meanders through a lush, semi-tropical forest of cabbage palm, cypress, maple and other bottomland species that don't mind having there feet wet once in a while. In many sections, the towering over-story provides a loosely closed canopy allowing just enough light for photography while blocking out mid-day heat. Intermittent areas of open sunshine spawn dense, lush groves of showy aquatic plants that provide home and groceries for myriad wildlings. Ranked a second magnitude spring, the flow of Rock Springs Run is comparable to that at the lower end of Juniper Spring Run, ranging from about 50 - 80 cu.ft./ second. And, the comparison doesn't stop there. Both of these little streams are born amid the the gently rolling highlands that run down the spine of central Florida, and descend into the ancient coastline and near-shore lagoon that is now St. Johns River. For Rock Spring Run and it's distributary, the Wekiva River, this descent in elevation is one of the most abrupt of any Florida waterway - a whopping 1.6 ft. per mile.

Near the end of our trip, we enter into the Wekiva River. From here, we'll make a short side excursion upstream to the Wekiwa River. And no, this isn't a typo. The names of the river and the spring from which it flows, are spelled differently. If you look for an answer to this riddle, you'll find there are many "answers" and theories, most of them relating to Indian vocabulary. My guess is that early maps of this river show a variety of spellings, just as they do for all of Florida's other rivers. The only difference here is that no one ever agreed on which was correct. Instead, they simply allotted a "w" to the spring and gave "v" to the river. In the Wekiva, the flow increases considerably. However, it's not nearly what it was only a few decades ago. This sad reality is just another of the not-so-subtle warnings that the Big Girl (momma nature) is sending us about the fragility of our water supply.

In the late 1800's this stretch of the river saw the passing of a twice - weekly steam boat called the Mayflower, as she made her way to a landing called Clay Springs, at the Wekiwa spring head. Today, you might see an occasional little motor boat, but they are few and far between. Today, most of the river forest and adjacent uplands are protected under a group of preserves which together are referred to as the Wekiva Basin GeoPark. The stars of this fantastic area are the bears, 50 - 60 of whom enjoy this densely forested sanctuary. Keep a sharp lookout and you might spot some of the other wild many residents, including water birds, otters, deer, bobcat, wild hogs and wa