St. Mary's River in Florida

Trip Overview

My son and I loaded up the boats for a few hours worth of paddling. We decided to go upstream so we could drift back to the jeep.

The reddish brown water was moving about three Mph and was cool. The banks here are 10 to 12 feet and the river has numerous sandbars to stop and rest on (these would make great camp sites for extended trips). On this section it is too narrow and winding for bigger boats. The right bank has a few houses on it. The trip was a pleasant workout and had excellent views.

If you have a few hours to use, this is a nice section of the river, I hope to run the entire length soon.

Accommodations:

There are no facilities. There is a small store on the Florida side of 121.

Directions:

From Jacksonville take I-10 west to Macclenny and go north on 121. The river is the Fl/Ga state line and 121 crosses over into Georgia. Just as you cross the bridge there is a dirt trail on the left side. Drive down it and park underneath the bridge.