1. SR 166 Bridge - one mile north of Marianna. Turn R from US 90 (Lafayette Street) onto Jefferson Street at the courthouse. Boat ramp is marked with signs and is on the SW side of river.
2. SR 280 Bridge/ Magnolia Road - Travel from I-10 exit 142 South on SR 71 to SR 280 and turn right. The public boat ramp is on the left immediately past the bridge directly across from the hanging red canoe marking the Bear Paw Livery.
3. SR 278 Bridge/Peacock Bridge Road - One mile west of SR 71, 6 miles south of I-10 exit 142.
4. Johnny Boy Landing: SR 274 about two miles west of Altha, which is located on SR 71 11 miles south of I-10. Look for the sign to the landing on the left side of the road, and travel down a gravel road to the landing. This is a much better landing to use than the one on SR 274.
5. SR 274 Bridge - about three miles west of Altha, which is located on SR 71 11 miles south of I-10. This landing is not recommended because one must carry boats and gear down a significant flight of steps, which are not firmly anchored due to high water damage.
6. Lamb Eddy Landing. Travel SR 274 west of Altha, which is located on SR 71 11 miles south of I-10. Go 2.2 miles (past the SR 274 Bridge) to Hamilton Springs Road and turn right. Travel 2 miles to Lamb Eddy Road and turn left and travel to boat ramp.
7. SR 20 Bridge- one mile east of Clarksville which is located at the intersection of SR 73 and SR 20. Landing includes a wayside park with restrooms.
8. Jehue Landing - Located on CR 275. If traveling south, turn right on Jehue Landing Road and drive to the landing. The put-in is a dirt track.
9. SR 71 Bridge - At Scott's Ferry. There is a store, boat ramp, and camping area at Scott's Ferry. Stop at the store and pay the fee to use the boat ramp. In November 2008 the fee was $3.00
Thursday, November 20, 2008
November Paddle
Chipola River, Friday, Nov. 14
The meeting spot for the Chipola Paddle was at the Yancy Bridge Boat Landing on SR 166 north of Marianna. 13 club members and 8 invited guests arrived at the landing. We were then off for a shuttle through town and out to Magnolia Landing. It took some time for everyone to get in the water, and with people stopping to visit Sandbag Spring close to the put-in; the group was spread out down the river, but regrouped at the lunch spot. After lunch the group paddled by limestone outcroppings including a cave known as the Ovens. Paddlers traveled up a short spring run to Maund Springs, and some paddled a distance up Spring Creek. Spring Creek is the outflow from Jackson Blue Springs, but one can’t paddle upstream to reach the spring without crossing a dam at US 90 and paddling another four miles or so up Merritt’s Millpond. After passing under the I-10 bridge paddlers quickly reached the take-out.Although there were storm warnings, the morning storms were east of us in the Tallahassee area, and a later storm came through around 9:00 p.m. While we were on the river we had brief sprinkles but no significant rainfall. The weather was warm and the fall color of the hardwood trees beautiful.
Posted by Paddlesolo at 8:27 AM 0 comments
Posted by Paddlesolo at 8:27 AM 0 comments
Chipola River Paddling Trail
Description of the Chipola River Paddling Trail
The Chipola River Paddling Trail is officially designated as part of Florida's Statewide System of Greenways and Trails. On some website postings the trail is listed as starting in Florida Caverns State Park. This 1 mile section has been closed to create a wildlife habitat and the starting point is on SR 166 one mile north of Marianna at the bridge. The Paddling Trail is 52 miles in length and has 9 access points, 8 of which are at public boat landings. The access point at the SR 274 Bridge uses wooden steps to access the river and the foundation has been washed away by flooding, and is unsafe at this time. Johnny Boy Landing is the closest alternative to that point.This beautiful trail flows through river swamps and hardwood forests of beech, magnolia, oak and dogwood. Wildlife that has been spotted along the river include deer, beaver, alligator, turtles. The most common birds sighted include Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Kingfisher, Vultures, Hawks and songbirds. There are numerous springs along the river including the main ones named Sandbag Spring and Maund Spring. Limestone appears in the riverbanks, and often rises to form the bottom of the river, creating shoals at low water levels. The main shoal is knows as Look and Tremble below the SR 274 Bridge. Below Jehue Landing in Calhoun County the river enters an area known as Ward Lake. This isn't a true lake, but an area where the river splits into many branches. To continue to Scott's Ferry, one should stay in the section that goes right. There is a red sign denoting this turn, and later on a yellow sign. The river narrows into a small shallow stream, and then immediately prior to Scott's Ferry all the branches reform into a proper river. The Chipola River Paddling Trail ends at Scott's Ferry.
The Chipola River Paddling Trail is officially designated as part of Florida's Statewide System of Greenways and Trails. On some website postings the trail is listed as starting in Florida Caverns State Park. This 1 mile section has been closed to create a wildlife habitat and the starting point is on SR 166 one mile north of Marianna at the bridge. The Paddling Trail is 52 miles in length and has 9 access points, 8 of which are at public boat landings. The access point at the SR 274 Bridge uses wooden steps to access the river and the foundation has been washed away by flooding, and is unsafe at this time. Johnny Boy Landing is the closest alternative to that point.This beautiful trail flows through river swamps and hardwood forests of beech, magnolia, oak and dogwood. Wildlife that has been spotted along the river include deer, beaver, alligator, turtles. The most common birds sighted include Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Kingfisher, Vultures, Hawks and songbirds. There are numerous springs along the river including the main ones named Sandbag Spring and Maund Spring. Limestone appears in the riverbanks, and often rises to form the bottom of the river, creating shoals at low water levels. The main shoal is knows as Look and Tremble below the SR 274 Bridge. Below Jehue Landing in Calhoun County the river enters an area known as Ward Lake. This isn't a true lake, but an area where the river splits into many branches. To continue to Scott's Ferry, one should stay in the section that goes right. There is a red sign denoting this turn, and later on a yellow sign. The river narrows into a small shallow stream, and then immediately prior to Scott's Ferry all the branches reform into a proper river. The Chipola River Paddling Trail ends at Scott's Ferry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)