Mileage Points, East-To-West(Compass North-To-South)

Highlights and Precautions:

The AucillaRiver and Sinks section begins with a pleasant path through the forest along the mysterious AucillaRiver,which passes over rapids and then disappears underground 0.2 mile north of Goose Pasture Road. The river then appears and disappears in a series of rises and sinks for about 8 miles before the final rise at Nutall Rise(off-trail)a half mile north of US 98. The trail should not be hiked during or near flood stage because the trail runs close to the river bank and edges of sinks, and flood water can hide drop-offs. Check here: the current water level. Flood stage is 9 feet. Checkhere: for hunting season dates and wear safety orange during gun season.Ticks are exceptionally bad along the sinks from April through Septemberand they are known to carry tick-borne Ehrlichiosis (and possibly Lyme disease).

Mileage Points, east-to-west(compass north-to-south):

00.0CR 14,9.9miles south of Lamont. Enter Aucilla Wildlife Management Area.

00.1Jct with forest road at locked vehicle gate.

01.9Upper Aucilla Camp, where forest road reaches AucillaRiver.

03.6Jct with river access road.

04.6View of Aucilla Rapids at River Access Rd. 41.

06.0Cross River Access Rd. 37 at Burnt Bridge.

07.3Cross River Access Rd 36 at boat launch.

08.2Jct River Access Rd. 35.

08.3 Jct River Access Rd. 34.

08.6AucillaRiver Camp.

09.0Cross river access road. View of “Aucilla Sink” where river begins flowing underground. Just to south is the

“Silver Blaze” oak tree commemorating the 1984 linkage of Apalachee Chapter’sTrail to that of Suwannee’s.

09.2“The Vortex”: at times of high water, a swirling vortex is created in sink W. of trail.

Start of the “Aucilla Sinks”--an area of limestone solution holes.

09.4Goose Pasture Rd. Trail jogs east and briefly follows the road before turning south into the woods again.

09.8“Sinks” bridge.

10.0Cross river access road.

10.2“Long Sink” bridge.

10.6Cross river access road.

11.5Cross river access road.

12.0Aucilla Sinks Camp.

13.6Jct with graded east-west logging road. Follow road east to Powell Hammock Road.

14.6Jct with Powell Hammock Grade road. Turn south and follow Powell Hammock Road.

15.7Dolomite mine entrance road on the east.

17.4Jct with US 98. Turn west and follow US 98.

19.1Pass JR’s Aucilla River Store.

19.3Highway 98 bridge over AucillaRiver.

20.1Jct of US 98 and Small Game Rd. (Aucilla WMA). Trail continues 1.2 mi. thru AWMA to St. Marks NWR.

Trail Access directions:

(1) CR 14--9.9 mi. south of Lamont (1.5 mi. so. of Aucilla River Bridge) [some roadside parking]. (2) River Access Rd. 41--north end [some mowed parking]. (3) Goose Pasture Rd.--1 mi. west of Powell Hammock Rd. [parking area on north side of road]. (4) Unmarked dirt road running west off Powell Hammock Rd.about 1.1 mi. north of Dolomite mine (2.8 mi. north of US 98) [park about 1 mi. in from Powell Hammock Rd., near where FT turns north into woods]. All parking at your own risk.

Conveniences:

Supplies: Lamont, St. Marks, J.R.'s Aucilla River Store on US 98(0.2 mi. east of AucillaRiver bridge)

Lodging: St. Marks: Sweet Magnolia B&B, Shell Island Fish Camp; west of St. Marks: The Inn at Wildwood Resort on US 98 Public Campgrounds: Goose Pasture (on WacissaRiver), 1.75 mi. west of Trail at end of Goose Pasture Rd., primitive, pit toilets, no potable water. Closed during general hunting season.

EmergencyNumbers: Taylor County Sheriff:850-584-2429. Florida Highway Patrol: 850-245-7700.