Update 2024-01-29:
Outing cancelled. “We would have been wading. There are two deep gullies east of Rt 129 that will be flooded for awhile.”
Join veteran Florida Trail hiker Randy Madison
for a winter hike along creeks and over a historic bridge to Suwannee Springs on the Suwannee River near Live Oak, Florida.
This hike will take us down beautiful Camp Branch, also know as
Disappearing Creek. Disappearing Creek tumbles down a narrow canyon and
disappears into a 15 foot high limestone rock wall before resurfacing and
then going under ground again to resurface finally just before emptying
into the Suwannee River.
After the descent of Camp Branch and a break at Disappearing Creek,
we’ll head down the Suwannee on the Florida Trail to cross Crooked Branch,
accend the Greasy Gully to summit Devils Mt, elevation 137ft, then follow
the River passing through a scenic area with the hike ambling along the
edge of some open cliffs, then a couple nice sandbars before coming in
to the Graffiti Bridge, old 129.
We’ll take the blue trail from the Graffiti Bridge back to the Suwannee
Springs ruins and our cars. Bring lunch, plenty of water, bug spray and
appropriate clothing for the outing.
The hike down Camp Branch is through open forest and can be strenuous,
so if you’re not up to uneven terrain and a little bush whacking this may
not be a hike for you.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 9:15 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, February 3, 2024
Put In: Camp Branch Trailhead. I-75 exit 451, south on US 129, left onto CR 132 SE, right (south) onto SE CR 25A, right onto SE 89th Way, approximately 1 mile to the parking area, 12982 SE 89th Way.
GPS:
30.3779, -82.8788
Camp Branch and Suwannee Springs
in
the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Water Trail.
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