Many national, state, and local parks and related facilities are closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene. Some were already closed due to Hurricane Debby.

Assume it’s closed unless you have other information.

What parks are closed after Hurricane Helene? Many of them. 2024-10-03 Assume closed unless other information.
Pictured: damage at Stephen Foster Culture Center State Park in White Springs, Florida. Photo: SFCSSP

Georgia

Many parks are closed all over Georgia. Here we list only the ones in or near the Suwannee River Basin.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

• The Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center, Swamp Island Drive, and Chesser Island Boardwalk are open. The Deerstand Trail is open from the Chesser Island Homestead to the boardwalk. Some water trails are accessible from the Suwanee Canal Recreation Area. We are still clearing downed trees from some of the water and land-based trails.
• Refuge phone lines are currently down, including the overnight camping permit reservation line.
• Okefenokee Adventures is open with limited guided boat tours and limited service in their café.
• Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross, GA will be closed until further notice.
• Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, GA will be closed until further notice. 

Please call the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center for the most current information on what’s currently open. 

Georgia State Parks

Many state parks, Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), Public Fishing Areas (PFAs), and other facilities are closed.

For updates check:
https://gastateparks.org/closures

https://gastateparks.org/Alerts

Also check individual state park websites.

As near as I can tell, the closures in the Suwannee River Basin are:

DNR Properties:

• All DNR Offices in Region 3, Region 4, Waycross and Richmond Hill

State Parks and Historic Sites Properties:

• Stephen C. Foster & Eco Lodge
• Reed Bingham State Park apparently is open, but:

  Reed Bingham State Parks bridge will be closed indefinitely. There is no park access from the Colquitt County Entrance. Detour signage has been placed at Buckcreek Church Road and HWY 37 directing campers to the Cook County Entrance located on Evergreen Church Rd. For additional information, please contact the park office at 229-896-3551.

Wildlife Management Areas:

• Grand Bay WMA – Closed until further notice due to significant damage (downed powerlines and trees) from Helene. Avoid this area.

Public Fishing Areas:

• Paradise PFA – The area is open, but the campground is closed.

Boat Ramps: many are closed, but none listed in the Suwannee River Basin.

However, many of them are flooded; see next post.

Florida

Santa Fe River

Linda Dicker, who lives there, advises:

Access to the Santa Fe River is limited. All parks on the Santa Fe are closed due to Hurricane damage. Many launches are closed.

Three Rivers Estates was especially hard hit with many areas remaining without power. Please avoid that area so the linemen can work safely.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

The Park is closed, with no projected date for reopening at this time. We sustained quite a bit of damage from Hurricane Helene, and we are still assessing and trying to access areas of the park. Unfortunately, due to the amount of damage, we are canceling all of our October Events: Quilt Show & Sale, I Heart Art, Fat Tire Festival, and Rural Folklife Days. We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding at this time and ask that no one attempt to enter the park while we are closed.

Florida State Parks

Best just assume it’s closed unless you have other information.

For updates, check:
https://www.floridastateparks.org/stormupdates

Also:

Effective Sept. 6, 2024: The Holton Creek and Dowling Park River Camps at Suwannee River Wilderness Trail are currently closed due to damage sustained during Hurricane Debby.

Park Closures, including any associated overnight accommodations:

1. Big Shoals State Park (Hamilton, Columbia counties).
2. Caladesi Island State Park (Pinellas County).
3. Cedar Key Museum State Park (Levy County).
4. Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve (Levy County).
5. Crystal River Archaeological State Park (Citrus County).
6. Crystal River Preserve State Park (Citrus County).
7. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park (Collier County).
8. Econfina River State Park (Taylor County).
9. Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (Citrus County).
10. Forest Capital Museum State Park (Taylor County).
11. Honeymoon Island State Park (Pinellas County).
12. Ichetucknee Springs State Park (Columbia, Suwannee counties).
13. Ichetucknee Trace (Columbia County).
14. Lafayette Blue Springs State Park (Lafayette County).
15. Lovers Key State Park (Lee County).
16. Madison Blue Spring State Park (Madison County).
17. Manatee Springs State Park (Levy County).
18. Nature Coast State Trail (Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy counties).
19. O’Leno State Park (Alachua, Columbia counties).
20. Rainbow Springs State Park (Marion County).
21. River Rise Preserve State Park (Alachua, Columbia counties).
22. San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park (Alachua County).
23. San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park (Wakulla County).
24. Skyway Fishing Pier State Park (Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee counties).
25. Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park (Hamilton, Columbia counties).
26. Stump Pass Beach State Park (Charlotte County).
27. Suwannee River State Park (Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee counties).
28. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail (Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Suwannee counties) including the following River Camps: Adams Tract River Camp (Lafayette County), Peacock Slough River Camp (Lafayette County) and Woods Ferry River Camp (Suwannee County).
29. Troy Spring State Park (Lafayette County).
30. Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park (Levy County).
31. Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park (Suwannee County).

Overnight Accommodations Closures:

1. Collier-Seminole State Park (Collier County).
2. Florida Caverns State Park (Jackson County).

Local parks

These are just a few examples. Best to assume it’s closed unless you have other information.

Hamilton County, Florida, Parks and Recreation

Hutch Gibson Park and Boat Ramp, on the banks of the Suwannee River, offers rustic camping or RV hookups, fishing and canoeing.
(Currently closed due to hurricane damage)

Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA)

Sunday, September 29, 2024:

We will be closed this week and games/practices are canceled through this Friday. All parks and facilities remain closed. Please keep following this page for more updates!

Wednesday, October 2, 2024:

UPDATE: the pickleball courts are open at McKey Park! THE PICKLEBALL PARKING LOT IS CLOSED because of downed lines. Please enter the pickleball courts through the tennis center, which is also open for use.

Please avoid pickleball courts 4-6; they are closed because of a broken fence.

The playgrounds at McKey are also closed.

Please be VERY CAREFUL when traveling to and from the courts and treat any non-working traffic light as a four way stop.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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