Start: Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Rd, Marianna, FL 32446
End: Dead Lakes Recreation Area
Gary Rowell Rd, Wewahitchka, FL 32465
Total Distance: 70 miles
Full Trip Fees:
Includes camping, meals, and shuttle
Day | Lunch Stop | Lunch Miles | Campsite | Daily Miles |
1 | N/A | N/A | Florida Caverns State Park | 0 |
2 | Hinson Conservation Area | 4.5 | Bear Paw Outfitters/Magnolia Bridge | 10 |
3 | Johnny Boy/Before Shoals | 16.5 | Lamb Eddy County Park | 21 |
4 | At Camp | 7 | SR 20 Bridge | 7 |
5 | At Camp | 13 | Scotts Ferry | 13 |
6 | At Camp | 10 | Cypress Creek Boat Ramp | 10 |
7 | End: Dead Lakes Recreational Area | 9 | 9 | |
Total Miles | 70 |
The Chipola River is a paddlers’ dream and has over 60 fresh water springs, the largest number of any river in Northwest Florida. The Chipola River is a tributary of the Apalachicola River in western Florida. It is part of the ACF River Basin watershed. The 92.5-mile-long (148.9 km)[1] river crosses present-day Jackson, Calhoun and Gulf counties. The river flows through what is now preserved as the Dead Lakes State Recreation Area just before reaching its mouth at the confluence with the Apalachicola. The Dead Lakes were formed when the Apalachicola deposited sand bars blocking the mouth of the Chipola. We will be following the scenic 51-mile Chipola River Paddling Trail through high bluffs, river swamps and hardwood forests. The water alters color from clear gold to an opal-like blue, with crystal clear springs tucked along the river. Limestone bluffs and caves, part of the unique karst geology, add to the unique beauty of the Chipola River. We will also be paddling one of Florida’s most unique places – Dead Lakes, located in Wewahitchka, FL. We will visit this beautiful lake and its diverse ecosystem teeming with life amidst the skeletal remnants of the old forest which has given way to Cypress and Tupelo trees over time.
Evening Programs: Evening programs will include educational speakers and live music
Due to the financial outlay and costs incurred by Paddle Florida during event planning, any force majeure, which includes but is not limited to water levels, inclement weather, and any other Acts of God not mentioned herein, shall not result in the refund of any fees paid to Paddle Florida. Absolutely no fees will be refunded after 15 days before the event begins. Before each trip registration deadline, requests for fee refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
***You will receive a confirmation email message 7 - 10 days before the event with all the latest details on the trip***
Shuttle Details: Paddlers will leave their vehicles at the launch point at Florida Caverns State Park for the duration of the trip. At the trip’s conclusion, paddlers and their boats and gear will be shuttled back to Florida Caverns State Park.
Boat & Gear Recommendations: For this trip, we recommend PLASTIC sit-in kayaks of 14 feet or more in length equipped with a rudder or skeg and a spray skirt. There are several shoals including "Look and Tremble" rapids. You should also have solid kayaking, rescue, wet exit, and swimming skills. If you have any questions about the kind of environment you will encounter on this trip, please contact Bill Richards at Bill Richards at bill@paddleflorida.org
Paddle Florida participants will arrive between 1-5PM at Florida Caverns State Park to check in for the trip, set up their tents, eat dinner, and receive an orientation for the adventure to come. Florida Caverns State Park is a 1,300 acre sanctuary bordering both banks of the spring-fed Chipola River. The park’s primary attraction is its spectacular cave tour and Blue Hole Spring. Paddlers can explore the park and its two networks of nature trails before dinner. There is a short, scenic Visitor Center Trail that winds its way through towering hardwoods and limestone bluffs above the river floodplain. The Upper Chipola trails offer 6 miles of exploration for hikers and cyclists in the woodlands along the sparkling Chipola River
Keep in mind that the Panhandle at this time of year can be chilly, at least by Florida standards. Temperatures can range from 60-80 degrees during the day and 35-55 degrees at night, so bring layers to dress in. The fire each night will provide heat, light, ambiance, camaraderie, and maybe a marshmallow or two. Dinner will be served at 6PM each night, followed by an evening program at 7PM. Nightly entertainment ranges from musicians to educational speakers who will provide insights regarding the flora, fauna, and ecology of the region we’re paddling through. Be sure to bring cameras to capture and preserve some great moments.
After a hearty breakfast, paddlers will pack up their tents, load their camping gear on our truck, and shuttle their boats to the Yancey Bridge Boat Ramp. We’ll travel 4.5 miles (heading south) to Hinson Conservation Area, where we will have lunch and then head to Bear Paw Outfitters/Magnolia Bridge to camp for the night. Hinson Conservation Area makes a great rest stop with hiking trails and picnic tables on high banks and is a site on the Great Florida Birding Trail. After lunch we will pass the Ovens, a beautiful cave with big limestone boulders and lots of moss This is a small dry cave that you can access from the river. Just past the Ovens you’ll reach Maud Spring and just south of there, Spring Creek. These are great places to snorkel so bring your mask and fins. We recommend you bring a flashlight or headlamp to enter the cave.
Today we’ll embark on a 15-mile paddle to Lamb Eddy County Park. You will pass Peacock Bridge on your way to lunch at Johnny Boy Landing. There are a few shoals between Peacock Bridge and Johnny Boy (water level dependent) and the Look & Tremble is between Johnny Boy and Lamb Eddy County Park. You can relax and set up camp at Lamb Eddy County Park before dinner at 6pm and evening program at 7pm.
Today we will have a short paddle to SR 20 bridge and lunch will be at camp. This is a nice easy paddle with a wide open river. The banks are steep in many places; there are hardwood forests with cypress trees and live oaks. We will be camping at the SR 20 bridge this evening with quaint covered picnic tables and views of the cypress trees.
On this day we will make our way to Scotts Ferry and have lunch when we get there. with lunch at Scotts Ferry. On today’s paddle you will notice the river widen and see more cypress and oak trees. We will set up camp in anticipation of dinner at 6pm, followed by our evening program.
After breakfast we will launch for the paddle to Cypress Creek Boat Ram. As we enter the Dead Lakes area, you will notice the water flow slow as we paddle through beautiful cypress knees and trees. The paddle up to the boat ramp is truly one of the most serene paddles you will ever experience. You are surrounded by these incredible trees. Breathtaking.
We'll paddle the beautiful Dead Lakes to our final destination, Dead Lakes Recreational Area in Wewahitchka. We’ll conclude our paddling adventure with a final celebration barbeque at the take out before the shuttle back to Florida Caverns State Park.
PADDLE FLORIDA is a non-profit corporation that promotes water conservation, wildlife preservation, springs restoration, and waterways protection via fun and educational multi-day paddling trips in Florida’s most spectacular river and coastal environments. The vehicle for carrying out this mission is the staging of the multi-day paddling/camping trips in each of Florida’s five water management districts from October to April each year. Paddle Florida also seeks to promote Florida as an international destination for nature-based tourism in general, and paddling in particular.
Ranging from three to six days, trips are open to all paddling skill levels and designed to maximize enjoyment of Florida’s natural environments while engaging and empowering citizens so that they may become involved in the protection and restoration of our waterways.
If you wish to be pampered by professional guides, this isn’t the trip for you. But, if you want to experience a real community brought together under a common goal and by the thrill of adventure, Paddle Florida is the trip for you
Your Paddle Florida trip fee covers the meal plan, which provides hearty catered breakfasts and dinners, plus daily lunch snacks of assorted fruits, sandwich items, snacks, and drinks.
Baggage:
Each paddler is limited to two bags and a total of 40-pounds of luggage. You have to haul your baggage and place it in the gear truck each morning, and haul it back to your campsite each evening of the trip. After paddling all day (about 8,000 paddle strokes per day), a 40-pound bag is really heavy. We recommend you pack as lightly and tightly as possible. This saves your back and the backs of your fellow paddlers. Everyone is expected to assist with the loading and unloading of the truck during the week.
Items we would rather not see in your luggage include bulky chaise lounge chairs, framed bedding/cots, and boxes without tops. Your gear should be packed so that it will not get wet. In the afternoon, your baggage may be removed and placed outside the gear truck where it will be exposed to the elements. Overnight rains may result in gear being packed up wet. A wet tent on top of your clothes bag will result in wet clothes. Plan on inclement weather and make sure you have a bag that will protect important gear in the event of rain.
Please place a label on your luggage with your name on it and make sure your bags are secure.
For Water: [Note: Unless you’re wearing it, every item you bring should be secured to your boat. Carabiners and bungee cords can be handy devices for this purpose.]
For Land: