Blueways Element
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BLUEWAYS ELEMENT View From the South US 98 Bridge Launch Wakulla River Park Page 63 BLUEWAYS ELEMENT St. Marks River Recommendations The St. Marks River is currently not designated as a Florida Paddling Trail. Designating the St. Marks River as a Florida Paddling Trail would: • Bring public recognition to the blueway • Permit FDEP, as resources allow, to enter into management, patrol and protection agreements, and into leases if so stipulated in the designation agreement • Encourage FDEP to identify sources of funding for management and restoration needs • Give private landowners some liability protection • Give the blueway additional consideration in certain public land acquisition and grant programs, such as the Florida Communities Trust Land Acquisition Program, the Recreational Trails Grant Program, and the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program For a blueway to be designated as a Florida Paddling Trail, a government or a not-for-profit entity must agree to manage the blueway and apply for designation. Applications for designation are available from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Greenways and Trail. Launch sites for the St. Marks River are located at Newport Campground and at the St. Marks River Park in the City of St. Marks. Wooden slat dry launches could be installed or unimproved natural launch areas could be designated for canoes and kayaks to help avoid conflicts between paddlers and motor boaters at the paved launch locations. Launch Site at St. Marks River Park Page 64 INTRODUCTIONBLUEWAYS & PURPOSE PLAN The Confluence of the St. Marks and the Wakulla Rivers Page 65 BLUEWAYS ELEMENT Figure 27: Designated Sopchoppy River Paddling Trail Sopchoppy River Recommendations The Office of Greenways and Trails lists four blueway access points along the Sopchoppy River. The access points are located at the Oak Park Cemetery Bridge, Mount Beasor Church Bridge, Sopchoppy River Paddling Trail Map 1 Myron B. Hodge City Park, and US 319 Bridge. These locations can be seen in Figure 27. FR-346 !| ¯ FR-343 The northernmost access point, Oak Park Cemetery Bridge, has a small parking area that Access Point 1: Oak Park Cemetery Bridge N: 30.1299 W: -84.4942 D R contains no amenities. There is no formal launch area on the shore. This portion of the L FR-321-C L E V E R FR-365 Sopchoppy River also has very low water levels much of the year and; therefore, may be C N Apalachicola National Forest E H unpleasant for many people. Because of these conditions, it is recommended that the site not P E T O S A K be listed as an access point for the general public, but rather as an access point for advanced P FR-341-B A FR-341-D R K R paddlers only. FR-321-D Access Point 2: D D R R Mt Beasor Church Bridge O S N: 30.0923 W: -84.5190 A E B The launch site at Mount Beasor Church Bridge has no formal parking area and no amenities. !| T GREENOUGH RD M This location also has a steep slope to access the river with no formal launch zone. At this )"375 FR-345-A PE RS IMM ON RD location of the river the water is also low for much of the year, so it is again recommended that FR-36517 this access site be listed as not for the general public, but instead be listed for advance users FR-365-D S M FR-319-Z only. WAKULLA IT H C R EE K E FR-339 R V D A D FR-365 A O The launch site at Myron B. Hodge Park is the only formal launch site on the Sopchoppy River. FR-322-Y R L I A R At this location there is a boat launch, parking, camping, electrical hookups, and drinking water. ¤£319 )"22 To launch a boat at this location there is a three dollar fee that goes to the City of Sopchoppy. Sopchoppy S HELD Although this site has everything needed to launch a boat it could be upgraded to make the site ON ST )"299 LEWIS RD P more accessible for canoes and kayaks. We recommend that a wooden slat dry launch be added A Þ R !|*I !9 K FR-340 "372 A ) V or a natural area be designated to make loading and unloading easier for paddlers. E FR-399-X Access Point 3: Myron B Hodge City Park N: 30.0511 W: -84.4995 ¤£319 SH-399 Sopchoppy River Paddling Trail St Marks National Wildlife Refuge G E R !| Canoe/Kayak Launch FR-399W TI E B R *I Restrooms O Access Point 4: US 319 Bridge W N N: 30.0252 W: -84.4993 R !| !9 Camping FR-399-U D FR-338 Þ Potable Water DIRT ACCESS RD Florida ConservationFR-399-Z Lands LIBERTYWetlands 0 0.5 1 2 Miles Page 66 BLUEWAYS ELEMENT Mount Beasor Church Bridge Access Point Steep Slope to the Access Point Myron B. Hodges Park Access Point Page 67 BLUEWAYS ELEMENT Launch Area The access point at the US 319 bridge has no formal parking area and no amenities. The site is located down an unimproved road that could limit the ability of some people to access the launch area. For this site, the access road leading to the launch site would need to cleared and widened to allow for cars to pass each other safely. Due to the small size of the area, parking is an issue, though cars could potentially parallel park along the access road. At this launch site there is a short, steep slope to access the water. Because there are loose roots and other impediments on the launch site, it is recommended that the roots be cleared and the area leveled. The launch could optionally be covered with synthetic matting so that users have a safe way to access the water. In addition to this, basic amenities such as trash cans and a sitting area should be provided to make the site more attractive and user friendly. This location offers access to a beautiful, wide portion of the Sopchoppy River and would be an ideal location to enhance the amenities. Access Road to Launch Site Trash Cans Are Needed Page 68 INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE The Sopchoppy River Page 69 BLUEWAYS ELEMENT Figure 28a: Designated Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Lower Ochlockonee River Recommendations 159 CR)" 65A )" ¨¦§10 Florida Designated )"268 SR«¬ 12 )"65B Midway The Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT) identifies numerous access points listed for the Paddling Trails «¬12 GADSDEN ¯ ¤£90 Lower Ochlockonee River (Figures 28a - 28f). Many of these sites are located in surrounding SR«¬ 267 CR)" 1641 counties. The following five access points have been selected as the best suited for blueways Blountstown Lower Ochlockonee River TALLAHASSEE «¬20 enhancements in Wakulla County: «¬267 «¬20 Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Map 1 «¬263 Hosford • Pine Creek Landing Bloxham • Langston’s Fish Camp Telogia «¬267 )"373 )"67 • Mack Landing Campground • Wood Lake Campground LEON Helen Liberty Lower Ochlockonee River • Ochlockonee River State Park Paddling Trail Map 2 WAKULLA «¬65 Orange Vilas 9:;13 Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Map 3 ¤£319 Arran )"61 Smith Creek Crawfordville 67 )" )"375 ¤£98 Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Map 4 Paddling Trail Map 4 )"375 Medart Sanborn )"22 Sopchoppy Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Map 5 Panacea WAKULLA ¤£319 )"372 FRANKLIN ¤£98 McIntyre Ochlockonee Bay St James Island Designated Paddling Trail St Teresa Wetlands Water ¤£98 Lanark Village Designated Paddling Trail Index Gulf ¤£319 of Carrabelle 0 3 6 12 Miles Mexico Page 70 BLUEWAYS ELEMENT FR-309-J FR-340-A FR-309-M Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Map 5 Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Map 1 Lower Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail Map 3 FR-309-P FR-389 ¯ )"22 Rd ¯ n Sopchoppy ¯ o Lake Talquin st Davidson/Hosford ng State Forest La FR-322-X Conservation Easement !| Jack FR-314 «¬267 Lake Talquin FR-340 Access Point 6: Langston's Fish Camp FR-399-W N: 30.2145 W: -84.6817 FR-355 Access Point 1: SR 20 Lake Talquin State Park FR-177-C N: 30.3852 W: -84.6530 FR-314 FR-338 Access Point 19: Wood Lake Campground FR-142 N: 30.0231 W: -84.5633 GADSDEN «¬20 WAKULLA !| LIBERTY FR-194 LIBERTY FR-344 299 FR-16703 )" «¬20 FR-177-A St Marks National Wildlife Refuge Point 7: CR 368/FH 13 Apalachicola National Forest FR-338 N: 30.1769 W: -84.6685 !| ¤£319 Access Point 3: Apalachicola NF-Bradwell Unit FR-194 Access Point 10: Porter Lake FR-142-B Point 18: Wood Lake Entrance N: 30.3685 W: -84.6793 Campground N: 30.1765 W: -84.6758 *I!| !9 Þ N: 30.0260 W: -84.5659 FR-399-W FR-111 !| FH-13 Access Point 20: Womack Creek Þ FR-337 !| *I!| !9 Recreation Area N: 30.0023 W: -84.5402 FR-186 FR-314-F !| !9 FR-375-U Apalachicola National Forest Access Point 2: Rock Bluff Scenic Area FR-390 Smith Creek Nick's Rd N: 30.3638 W: -84.6733 )"67 FR-199-U Þ *I WAKULLA !| !9 FR-391 FRANKLIN Ochlockonee River State Park *I!| !9 !p Þ )"375 FR-320 Access Point 9: Whitehead Landing *I Þ Campground Jeff Sanders Rd !| !9 !p FR-319-G FR-319 FR-176 FH-13 N: 30.1652 W: -84.6747 FR-167-W !| LIBERTY FR-167-W Point 8: Whitehead Landing/ LEON Apalachicola National Forest Porter Lake Entrance Loop Rd FR-319-F N: 30.1577FR-388 W: -84.6717 Rock Landing Rd FR-319 FR-167-X FR-31916 Access PointMcIntyre 21: Rd.