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Paddling

Kayaking or canoeing in and around Florida’s Capital City is a delight for both the experienced and novice paddler! Getting out on the water here is true family fun or perfectly peaceful and magical for small or large groups. Glide gently down a slow-flowing river taking in the sights and scenery or try your hand at kayak fishing. A full-moon kayaking trip will stir your soul and quietly paddling along side a 2000-pound (a ton!) Florida Manatee (real name: West Indian Manatee) down the clear Wakulla River will awe your senses.

Explore five rivers, 20 lakes, miles of pristine coastline and many acclaimed state-designated canoe/kayaking trails throughout the Tallahassee region. Full day, half day, adventure trips, overnight paddles and camping trips are offered by numerous outfitters in the area. Professional guides can take you through some of Florida’s most natural and scenic areas. For the experienced paddler, the Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail, Aucilla Paddling Trail and Apalachicola Paddling Trail offer adventure, solitude and pristine wilderness. (* denotes trails for adventure seekers – not for beginners or without assistance from a knowledgeable guide.)

Featured Story

Kayaking the Ochlockonee with Paddle Florida

By Doug Alderson

The Ochlockonee River was up. A fierce storm two nights before had created a swift waterway where a lazy river had flowed. Mid-March was unpredictable that way, but the sure thing thirty paddlers could expect on a six-day, 76-mile journey from the Jackson Bluff Dam at Lake Talquin to the Gulf of Mexico was spring beauty in all its glory, and a wild river that primarily flows through undeveloped conservation lands.

Local Outfitters

• Blue Water Sports: www.bluewatersports.net — 850-656-3483
• FSU Reservation: http://fsu.campusrec.com/reservation/onthewater.shtml — 850-644-6892
• The Wilderness Way: www.thewildernessway.net — 850-877-7200
• T~n~T Hide-a-Way: www.tnthideaway.com — 850-925-6412
• Solitaireboats, LLC: solitaireboats.com/ — 850-228-3528
• Wacissa Springs Livery (Certified Green Guide): Wacissa Springs Livery — 850-997-2324
• Wacissa River Canoe & Kayak Rentals: http://www.wacissarivercanoerentals.com — 850-997-5023
• St. Marks Outfitters: www.stmarksoutfitters.com — 850-510-7919

Local Paddling Trails

• *Apalachicola River Paddling Trail System
• *Aucilla River Paddling Trail
• *Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail
• Chipola River Paddling Trail
• Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail (Segment 4)
• Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail (Segment 5)
• Lafayette Passage Paddling Trail
• Ochlocknee River (Lower) Paddling Trail
• Ochlocknee River (Upper) Paddling Trail
• Sopchoppy River Paddling Trail
• Wacissa River Canoe Trail
• Wakulla River Canoe Trail

For a complete list of Area Paddling Trails visit:
www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/panhandleeast/panhandle_east.htm

Highlighted Paddling Event

“Full Moon” tours offered monthly by local outfitters on the Wakulla River as well as a variety of other guided tours.

• The Wilderness Way: www.thewildernessway.net — (850) 877-7200
• T~n~T Hide-a-Way: www.tnthideaway.com — (850) 925-6412