Hike to Dead River Sink from Alapaha River 2016-11-06

An easy hike following Alapaha River as it flows into the Dead River and disappears into the Dead River Sink: you don’t see this just anywhere!.

Update 2016-10-15: Be aware the path does get steep and rough towards the sink, and there are mosquitoes and chiggers.

Bring water, a snack, and bug repellent.

No boat required. Really: you don’t want to try to boat up the Dead River. But you do want to see the Dead River Sink.

When: 10AM Saturday November 6th 2016

Duration: 2-3 hours

Where: Jennings Bluff Landing, 30.579864, -83.039308

Event: facebook, meetup.

This outing is Free! But we encourage you to join WWALS today to support our fun outings and important work: /donations/. See our newsletters, and our press Releases and news.

Local host and geologist: Dennis Price, P.G.

Responsible Party: Chris Mericle

Also known as: Mathis Sink.

Directions

Location: 30°34’01.3″N 83°02’21.1″W or 30.567035, -83.039202 (thanks to Great Florida Birding & Wildlife Trail).

Here are directions from Lakeland, GA, Tifton, GA, Valdosta, GA, Gainesville, Fl, Live Oak, Fl, Tallahassee, Fl, and Jacksonville, Fl.

Once you get to Suwannee River Water management District (SRWMD)’s Jennings Bluff Tract, you can see on the map below that you then drive about another mile north to get to Jennings Bluff Launch, and keep going for another half mile or so to park near the Sink.

Directions from Lakeland, GA or Statenville, GA

Head south on GA-135 S

Continue onto State Hwy 141
Entering Florida
1.6 mi

Turn left onto U.S. 41 S/Plum St
Continue to follow U.S. 41 S
3.2 mi

Turn left onto NW 25 Ln
Destination will be on the right

Directions from Tifton, GA:

Follow I-75 S to NW Co Rd 143/Hamilton Ave in Jennings. Take exit 467 from I-75 S
64.0 mi / 53 min

Take U.S. 41 S to NW 25 Ln
7.0 mi / 13 min

Turn left onto NW Co Rd 143/Hamilton Ave
Continue to follow NW Co Rd 143
1.5 mi

Turn right onto U.S. 41 S/Plum St
Continue to follow U.S. 41 S
3.2 mi

Turn left onto NW 25 Ln
Destination will be on the right

Directions from Valdosta, GA:

Same as for Tifton, GA.

Or go south on US 41 instead.

Directions from Gainesville, FL, Lake City FL, etc.:

Head north on I-75, and then the same as for Tifton, GA.

Directions from Jacksonville, FL:

Head west on I-10,

Turn north on I-75

Then the same as for Tifton, GA.

Directions from Live Oak, FL:

Follow US-129 N and FL-6 W to NW 76 Terrace in Hamilton County
24.3 mi / 30 min

Drive to NW 25 Ln
2.2 mi / 5 min
Turn right onto NW 76 Terrace
0.9 mi

Turn right onto NW 25 Ln
Destination will be on the right

Directions from Tallahassee, FL:

Follow I-10 E to FL-14 E in Madison County. Take exit 251 from I-10 E
48.4 mi / 40 min

Take FL-6 E to NW 25 Ln in Hamilton County
31.8 mi / 41 min

Turn left onto FL-14 E (signs for Madison)
3.7 mi

Continue straight onto S Range St
0.5 mi

Turn right onto Base Street
299 ft

Continue onto FL-10 E/US-90 E/E Base St
Continue to follow FL-10 E/US-90 E
2.2 mi

Slight left onto FL-6 E (signs for Jasper)
21.4 mi

Turn left onto U.S. 41 N
1.9 mi

Turn right onto NW 76 Terrace
0.9 mi

Turn right onto NW 25 Ln
Destination will be on the right

Previous outings to the Dead River Sink:

26 Oct 2014, 14 June 2015, and the Alapaha Dye Test 22 June 2016. The Dead River probably won’t be the same color it was that day:

Water Trail: Alapaha River Water Trail.

Backup in case of access problems:

Where: Lime Run Spring Trail at Suwannee River State park

Address: 3631 201st Path, Live Oak, FL 32060

When: 10AM November 6th 2016

Duration: 1.5-2 hours

Admission fee: $5.00 per vehicle

And more WWALS outings:

For more outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS calendar.

-jsq

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!