March 14, 2020
The Suwannee River (you have a choice of how many n's you use when you spell it) starts in Georgia at the Okefenokee Swamp and ends in the Gulf of Mexico.
Florida
It's the rare river in Florida (actually, the only one) that has rapids--at Big Shoals. It's called "white water" but, with this river "orange water might be closer to the mark.
The sign warning of alligators was interesting, but I never saw one. Perhaps one saw me.
Having this map (below) with me would have helped as the signs on the ground generally just gave the name of the road (or trail) and didn't actually say where the road would go.
I started at the parking area and walked counter-clockwise.
The trail was always easy to follow and was mostly clear of brush.
In places, the work on the trail was exceptional (as with this bridge), but that wasn't always the case.
These trees once served a large turpentine industry.
This is Little Shoals. Nobody would call this a rapids.
There are a number of places with creeks running across the trail. Usually, you can find a narrow spot to get across without wetting your shoes, but in one spot, I really had no choice but to wade across with water about a foot deep.
Following the Suwannee River with occasional glimpses of it.
Big Shoals. There were a few folks with canoes running the rapids. If they kept with the river, they'd reach the Gulf of Mexico.
It's a nice place for a hike that is distinctly upper Florida.