Out and About…Wakulla Springs State Park

By Clint Cox

Most folks around here are very familiar with Wakulla Springs. I had been to the park four of five times over the years but most of those times were during the summer so as to take advantage of the cool clear spring waters. Last weekend my darling bride and I took in the park to get the winter experience.

Officially known as Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, it is the home of one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, this park plays host to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, turtles, deer, and birds. Daily guided riverboat tours provide a closer view of wildlife, and glass bottom boat tours are offered when the water is clear. Swimming is a popular activity during the hot summer months. A nature trail offers a leisurely walk along the upland wooded areas of the park. The Wakulla Springs Lodge was built in 1937 by financier Edward Ball and is open year-round. A full-service dining room overlooks the spring; lodge meeting facilities offer an excellent place for retreats. Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge is listed on the Natural Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Natural Landmark.

We were fortunate that the afternoon saw the sun come out and it warmed up enough that all the critters decided it was a good day for sunning. We saw at least 20-25 alligators during out boat tour. It is a bird watchers paradise as I learned that the springs are home to 182 different species of the birds. We didn’t see 182 species that day but we saw plenty and some of them were downright beautiful. The park also has some excellent hiking trails, all of which are relatively rated easy to slightly moderate in difficulty. The trails take you through some of the surrounding forest that are much as they were hundreds of years ago.

The lodge is something special as well. You can refer back to my Simply Put column last week for more on the lodge but I recommend a stay overnight to get the full effect of the park. The rooms and meals are slightly higher that an average stay and dinner out but they were well worth it in my book. The meals that we ate at the dining room were very good and very filling. If you’ve seen my waistline you know that I go for the meals that fill you up. For breakfast I recommend all you carnivores like myself to try the omelet with sausage, bacon and ham.

There are plenty of picnic areas and other spots to just lounge around and of course during the summer the spring beckons you to take a dip, if of course you don’t mind the thought of a few gators lurking around for their breakfast omelet. So if you’re looking for a place to just get away for a couple of days without having to drive a long way, check out Wakulla Springs. I think you’ll find it to be a nice relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of life.