Tag Archives: Dowling Park River Camp

Pictures: Suwannee River Wilderness Trail at Lafayette County Florida State Parks Open House Public Meeting 2023-10-26

Learned a few things in this last of the FDEP series of county meetings about state parks, (almost) the only one that also included the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail and its River Camps.

Posters and personnel

We also talked about the previous day’s meeting, in Hamilton County, which included Big Shoals State Park. Moving the portage around Big Shoals from Columbia County to Hamilton County, on the right bank of the Suwannee River, is now merely a discussion topic, not a plan. They do want to do something to improve the exit from the portage back into the river. The jagged and slippery limestone rocks are a safety issue. One possibility is steps like at the Big Shoals Tract Launch. They didn’t like my suggestion of just put in some posts with a chain for people to use to get down to the river. But steps would be great. Continue reading →

Lafayette County Florida State Parks Open House Public Meeting 2023-10-26

FDEP has been running a series of county meetings about state parks, but this is the only one that also includes the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail and its River Camps. Let’s go see what they are proposing.

You can also send written comments through November 10, 2023, to FlStateParkPlanning@dep.state.fl.us.

Map and flyer

For Lafayette Blue Springs, according to its Executive Summary, the idea is to turn the service road into Allen Mill Pond Trail, to upgrade electricity and buildings in the support area, to manage erosion and replace the boardwalk in the headspring access area, and to renovate the campground elecricity and remove the outhouse and the old Metzger house, plus some proposed additions to its boundary.

For the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, according to its Executive Summary, the intention is to compose a management guidance document for all river camps, replace all wooden staircases, and upgrade the portable restroom and shower buildings, plus consider a designated Fanning Springs River Camp.

For Troy Spring State Park, according to its Executive Summary, multiple upgrades are planned for the Springhead Day Use Area, to the riverfront, and at the south end to convert the stables into a park support structure. There are also some possible acquisitions.

Here is the agenda: Continue reading →

Holton Creek to Dowling Park River Camp, Suwannee River –DB Marsh 2022-03-23

Update 2022-03-28: Peacock Springs to Suwannee, FL, Suwannee River 2022-03-28.

He’s made it to Dowling Park River Camp on the Suwannee River: Danny “DB” Marsh on his thousand mile loop from Fernandina Beach and back. When he gets cell service, he updates his website.

Big Shoals, Woods Ferry, Eddies, Holton Creek River Camp

He’s having the usual kind of river misadventures. This is an example of why it’s usually not a good idea to boat alone.

About 1 AM it was about time to make camp. I pulled up to a steep bank next to the I-75 Bridge. I stepped off the kayak onto what I thought was a white sand bank. It was not sand at all, but very slippery white clay. My feet went out from under me and in the next instant I was swimming.
Continue reading →

Pictures: Suwannee River, Dowling Park River Camp 2020-07-18

Update 2020-12-27: Same pictures on facebook.

Bobby McKenzie organized kayak and canoe camping on Saturday July 18, 2020, from Dowling Park Boat Ramp across the Suwannee River and slightly upstream to Dowling Park River Camp and then a bit upstream past Dowling Park Christian Village to a Party beach. Here are some pictures of that much of the expedition.

Stairs, Platform, Beach, Bathrooms: Dowling Park River Camp

Later I’ll post the pictures of the further upstream adventure only three boaters dared to brave. Update 2020-12-23: Pictures: Up Bethel Creek to Quarry from Suwannee River 2020-07-18.

These pictures concentrate on Dowling Park River Camp, which is the model for the proposed Troupville River Camp just west of Valdosta, Georgia, between the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers.

Banners on the stairs, 2020:07:18 17:21:28, 30.2464159, -83.2460987

There’s also a Google Map showing the approximate locations of these pictures on the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Continue reading →

Next outings: Full Moon Banks Lake and Suwannee River Camping

Tired of being cooped up inside? Want to get out on the water? WWALS has two outings coming up with plenty of room for physical distancing.

First is an easy evening lake paddle out and back, then overnight camping with a brief upstream paddle.

Moonrise and River Camp

Banks Lake Buck Moon Paddle 2020-07-05

Come see the sun set, the bats come out, and the moon rise over Banks Lake, just west of Lakeland, Georgia, on Sunday evening, July 5, in the Banks Lake Buck Moon Paddle, If you don’t have a boat, let us know, and we can supply you one. Please be there by 7:30 PM. See previous post for more details.

Intro to Kayak and Canoe Camping at Dowling Park River Camp 2020-07-18

Experience one of the fabled River Camps on the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, in Intro to Kayak and Canoe Camping at Dowling Park River Camp. Five screened sleeping platforms! (Bring a tent if you don’t get one reserved.) Air-conditioned bathrooms with hot and cold running water and showers!

Please be at the Dowling Park Boat Ramp by Continue reading →

Intro to Kayak and Canoe Camping at Dowling Park River Camp, Suwannee River, 2020-07-18

As an introduction to Kayak and Canoe camping, we will visit the Dowling Park River Camp on the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail.

Photo: John S. Quarterman, Ramp to bathrooms at Dowling Park River Camp, 2019-06-20.

We will do a short paddle across from Dowling Park Boat Ramp in Suwannee County to the River Camp in Lafayette County. We will check in with the camp host, set up camp and continue our paddle upstream for 1 mile.

We will use Dowling Park Rivercamp as a base camp while having an intimate outing on the Suwannee River. You will have the comfort of having the boat ramp right across the river in case you forgot something or its just not working out.

Dowling Park River Camp is the model for the Troupville River Camp WWALS is proposing at the confluence of the Little River with the Withlacoochee River just west of Valdosta. Come see it for yourself!

Plus, there’s even a rope swing! There 5 are screened in platforms with fan, lighting and electrical outlets as well as multiple primitive camping sites. Along with a communal pavilion, there are also hot and cold showers and air conditioned bathrooms. There is a Camp Host that you can get firewood ($6 a bundle) and ice ($2 bag) to help lighten you load.

Platforms are available for families first until 6 July, 2020. After that platforms will be available to everyone on a first come basis. To maintain physical distancing, we recommend only families or already closely-associated groups stay in a platform. Everyone else, please bring a tent: primitive Camping is open to all. Message us with any questions/reservations and we will help you get setup.

Also there is no shuttle for this trip.

When: Gather 11:30 AM, launch 12 PM, Saturday, July 18, 2020

Put In: Dowling Park Boat Ramp. The boat ramp is on the north side of CR 250 at the Suwannee River, in Suwannee County, Florida.
That’s an hour south of Valdosta, GA, an hour west of Lake City, a little more than an hour east of Tallahassee, and an hour and a half northwest of Gainesville, FL. It’s only about half an hour from Live Oak, Madison, or Mayo.

GPS: 30.244833, -83.249

Take Out: Dowling Park Boat Ramp

Bring: a tent, plus the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.

Boats: Kayaks and maybe canoes are available to borrow but please let us know at least 2 days prior to the event. Bring your own if you have it.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

Photo: John S. Quarterman, Elevated sleeping platform at Dowling Park River Camp, 2019-06-20.

Continue reading →

Cindy Leighton with Paddle Georgia on the Withlacoochee River –Herald-Leader 2019-08-28

The story begins, “When Cindy Leighton set out on the 2019 Paddle Georgia trip on June 15, putting her kayak into the waters of the Little River, she was taking part in something Paddle Georgia hasn’t done before — heading to Florida.”

WWALS member Cindy Leighton sent us images of this story by Sherri Butler, Herald-Leader, Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia, Section B Feature Front, August 28, 2019, Paddle Georgia crosses the line for a river journey spotlighting lue springs of Florida, which goes beyond Paddle Georgia into Water Trails and River Camps.

Front page

On the feature front page, Continue reading →

Dowling Park River Camp, Suwannee River, Lafayette County, FL 2019-06-20

Some features were surprising at Dowling Park River Camp, during #PaddleGA2019.

From below

The bathrooms are on wheels! Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.