Wakulla County High Point Trip Report
Date: March 5, 2000
Author: Fred Lobdell
The highest area (105+ feet elevation) in Wakulla County lies in Apalachicola National Forest,
and is easily accessible. It is a liner, and so you will need to walk from where you park
in Leon County across the unmarked county line, trying to stay on the highest part of a very
subtle ridge. Fortunately, the marked change in vegetation between the swampy areas and the
"high" areas makes it relatively easy to keep approximate track of where you are.
From the intersection of US 319 and FL 61 in Crawfordsville, go north on 319 for about 5.5 miles
to FL 267. Turn left (northwest) on 267 and go about 4 miles to an intersection immediately
past the Leon county line. County 267A will be on your right; you want to turn left (west)
on Forest Road 309. Follow this good-quality gravel road for about 5.5 miles to FR 306.
Turn right (north) on 306 and follow it for almost exactly one mile. The road will describe
a wide curve around to the right, then go west-northwest to a sharp bend to the right (north).
There is plenty of room to park just past this bend without blocking the road.
On the topographic map, the swampy areas are defined pretty much by the 100-foot contour.
On the ground, they're defined by a dense growth of mixed conifers and deciduous trees together
with many vines and much underbrush. Fortunately, the vegetation in the slightly higher
areas is a relatively open pine woods with some brush, but it's certainly much easier
(and dryer) bushwhacking than the swampy areas. The abrupt vegetation at the edge of the
swampy areas enables you to stay on the high ground as you bushwhack due west at first,
then gradually swing around to a southwest course. A bushwhack of a half mile or a little
less will enable you to be sure of having passed over the county line, and by this point
the nose of this "ridge" should disappear into the swamp a couple of hundred feet ahead of you.
If you've gone this far, you are almost undoubtedly well south of the county line and outside
the 105-foot contour. Return to your car, trying in the process to stand on any high areas you
might have missed on the outbound trip. Of course, there's no point in standing on high areas
that are north of the county line, so after you figure you're north of the line you might as
well just head straight for your car.
The Forest Service roads in this area are accurately depicted on the Florida DeLorme.
There are also one or two dirt tracks running through this area that are not shown on the topo,
but which make the going a little easier in places.