Our recent adventure on the Chipola River was nothing short of magical. Surrounded by the company of wonderful people, we reveled in the beauty of nature and the camaraderie that comes from shared experiences. The river, swollen from recent rains, revealed a new side of itself, offering a fresh perspective that we hadn't seen in previous years. We are appreciative of the support from Explore Northwest Florida, which made our trip possible. Read more about our fabulous Chipola week, with the "Trip Report, Chipola River, 2024" by Matt Keene.

Our next educational environmental adventure is at Suwannee River State Park, and we can't think of a better way to wrap up our 2023-2024 season.

As always, our NEW season will be announced May 1st, so mark you calendars as our trips typically sell out early.

We look for forward to paddling with you soon.

Paddle Florida returned to the Chipola River this spring and paddled a 70-mile stretch of this tributary south through the state’s panhandle, beginning at Florida Caverns State Park and ending in the midst of the Dead Lakes, a few miles before the Chipola greets and joins the Apalachicola for its final journey to the Gulf of Mexico.

I was excited to have the opportunity to be among the first to paddle into spring on the Chipola and this river was quite the welcoming host, with splashes of showy azaleas, trees budding out to leaf, pleasant daytime temperatures with cool sleeping weather, and the unmentionable but exhilarating rush of evenings free of bugs. The trip was attended by a warm and energetic group of kindred paddlers, several who have helped shape and grow the Paddle Florida community over the years. Many new friendships were established and future trips explored over coffee and snacks. For me, I had the added honor of six days on the water with my bride and her father, who were paddling the river together. [Read More…]

Last week, Jackson County was home for two nights to a group of 40 paddlers, staying overnight at the Caverns Wednesday night after arriving in Marianna that day. On Thursday, they had the pleasure of visiting, dining for lunch, and relaxing at the river lot of Mr. Chipola River himself, Danny Melvin.

The Times spoke with Janice Hindson who is the executive director of Paddle Florida during their excursion. Their trip began their trip on March 13 at Yancey Bridge and they spent six nights on the river, before concluding the 76-mile excursion at Dead Lakes in Wewahitchka. They concluded their trip on March 19 with lunch for everyone before they headed
home. [Read more…]

The initial project that was nominated a Waters to Watch in 2013 where 1.9 miles of stream bank was enhanced and protected through the removal of livestock from the river, restoration of eroded streambanks, riparian zone planting, and the replacement of a perched culvert. These actions together reduced sedimentation and direct trampling and nutrient inputs to sensitive shoal bass spawning habitat and critical habitat for federally listed mussels. The Chipola River restoration project was funded through a diverse number of sources including NFHP funding, which was matched with funding secured from NFWF, FWC, NRCS, and the landowner. Not only did this project provide a much needed ecological lift for this portion of the river, but it also brought together partners that continue to work together to increase their collective conservation footprint.

Since completion of the initial project, existing and new partners have continued to work across the Chipola River basin to improve aquatic systems through watershed-scale actions. [Read More …]

Get your very own Camp Coffee Mug! $20 to help support our environmentally friendly dish program

How To: Find Places in Florida to Kayak

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