Tag Archives: Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail

Pictures: Knights Ferry to Nankin Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03

We got the big trash jam and discovered an even bigger one, on the Trashjam cleanup, Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03.

[Banners, trash, river]
Banners, trash, river

Thanks to the eight people who came, and to Russell Allen McBride for organizing. We also saw posts of the old Knight Bridge sticking up in the river, some interesting plants, two dead deer, and a Great Blue Heron. Plus a creek that wasn’t on the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Wate Trail. And rocks. Many rocks.

Thanks to the two Valdosta city officials who did RSVP that they couldn’t. Don’t worry, we’ll be doing it again, with more advance notice. Pencil in Saturday, December 17th, for now.

This is mostly legacy trash from past years, now that the Sugar Creek Watergoat is catching much of it. But there’s more coming out of Three Mile Branch, and it’s still Valdosta’s responsibility even when it washes down the river, just like spilled sewage is Valdosta’s responsibility.

How do we know it’s Valdosta trash? Here’s some new evidence.

This was in the first big trash jam. Michael’s Deli has been closed since December 24, 2021, but it sat right on One Mile Branch, and its styrofoam cups washed down Sugar Creek into the Withlacoochee River. Continue reading →

Old Troup Bridge Pilings –Phillip Williams 2022-11-23

Phillip Williams sent some pictures of the old wood pilings he found in and at the Little River just downstream (south) from Troup Bridge, which carries GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) over the Little River, just west of Valdosta past Val Tech Road.

This is relevant to his pretty well documented idea of where the streets and buildings of old Troupville really were located, and my slightly different idea. More on that later.

[Old wood pilings just below Troup Bridge, GA 133 @ Little River --Phillip Williams]
Old wood pilings just below Troup Bridge, GA 133 @ Little River –Phillip Williams

He wrote, “These are three of the wooden pilings. My theodolite app on my phone has them being about 6′ apart from one another, given 3° of separation and about 106′ from where I was standing on the east bank.” Continue reading →

Individual Langdale Park Trails 2022-12-01

Update 2022-12-02: In-progress Langdale Park trail map @ VLPRA 2022-12-01.

Had some discussions with Bobby McKenzie and Phillip Williams about the names of the Trails at Langdale Park. Much of this is still tentative, but I’ve added names to the WWALS map derived from Phillip’s map.

[Example trails in Langdale Park --Phillip Williams]
Example trails in Langdale Park –Phillip Williams

Here are images of each trail, with links into the WWALS WLRWT map for that trail.

You can pan and zoom in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail,

We are all ears for corrections, suggestions, additions, etc.

No doubt George Page and Jessica Catlett at Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) will organize integrating all this information into their own VLPRA map, which I hear does exist.

Meanwhile, for the WWALS map, remember: Continue reading →

Trails at Langdale Park 2022-11-29

Update 2022-12-01: Individual Langdale Park Trails 2022-12-01.

VLPRA is fortunate to have a couple of explorers trailblazing Langdale Park and reporting back. Bobby McKenzie and family have been out there for a year or more, sending back videos. Phillip Williams has been bushwhacking probably as long, and has made a map of Langdale Park trails. Maybe you’d also like to explore.

[Pictures and Maps, Langdale Park Trails]
Pictures and Maps, Langdale Park Trails

This is all related to water trails, which want to record nearby hiking trails, and to the trash situation, since the explorers report trash in several locations, including tires in a borrow pit.

I look forward to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) publishing its own map of the trails in this 178-acre park by the Withlacoochee River, with Three Mile Branch running through it, and some other streams previously unmapped. And it sure would be nice to have trail signs that identify trails by name or number, not to mention some bridges and boardwalks need fixing up.

Meanwhile, here are the trails Phillip Williams has mapped so far. Continue reading →

Trashjam cleanup, Knights Ferry to Nankin, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03

Update 2022-12-05: Pictures: Knights Ferry to Nankin Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2022-12-03.

Clean up trash jams on the balmy blackwater Withlacoochee River. Looks like the weather will be almost 80 degrees. We will definitely get in a swim or two.

When: Gather 9 AM, Paddle 10 AM, End 3 PM, Saturday, December 3, 2022

Put In: Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, 6499 Knights Ferry Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601.

GPS: 30.71205, -83.45554

[Trash composite 2022-11-26]
Trash composite 2022-11-26

Continue reading →

Ellaville Westlake & Jennings RR Bridge and Lee Bowstring Bridge, Withlacoochee River @ FL 141 2022-11-26

Ken Sulak, retired from USGS, is a bubbling spring of information about old bridges and ferries in Florida. Here’s what he sent recently about three Withlacoochee River bridges: a railroad bridge and two road bridges.

[EWJ RR Pillar and Lee Bowstring Bridge Lally column; Photos: Ken Sulak]
EWJ RR Pillar and Lee Bowstring Bridge Lally column; Photos: Ken Sulak

You can see two of them on the WWALS paddle from Allen Ramp on the Withlacoochee River to Suwannee River State Park, 2023-02-04. Continue reading →

Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River, 2023-02-04

Update 2023-02-02: An hour later: Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River 2023-02-02.

Double Door Spring is an awesome thing to see for those who haven’t seen this part of the wild and beautiful Withlacoochee River. We will pass numerous rocky shoals requiring some skills so this outing may not be appropriate for beginners and young children. There are many other clear springs to explore.

When: Gather 8 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 3 PM, Gather 9 AM, launch 10:30 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, February 4, 2023

Put In: Allen Ramp, 2726 SW 64th Way Jasper, FL 32052, in Hamilton County, Florida.

GPS: 30.449167, -83.221328

Take Out: Suwannee River State Park Ramp, Left bank of the Suwannee River, upstream from Withlacoochee River Confluence, 3631 201st Path, Live Oak, FL 32060, in Suwannee County, Florida.

Bring: 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. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings

Plus $5 per vehicle parking fee payable at SRSP.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Double Door Spring, Withlacoochee River, Photo: John S. Quarterman 2019-06-01
Double Door Spring, Withlacoochee River, Photo: John S. Quarterman 2019-06-01

Continue reading →

Troupville at flood with dogs 2022-01-20

Me and the dogs were curious to see what the site of future Troupville Nature Park looked like at high water.

[Collage, Troupville River Park site, 2022-01-20]
Collage, Troupville River Park site, 2022-01-20

We did not make any exciting new discoveries; we just went to see how far we could go south and east at that water level. Well, we did find plenty of trash of various kinds.

The water level has been higher, but it was pretty high:

  • 14.5′ (147.3′ NAVD88) on the Folsom Bridge Gauge (Little River @ GA 122).
  • 14.16′ (124.56′ NAVD88) on the Valdosta Gauge (Withlacoochee River @ US 41 or North Valdosta Road)

Many pictures are on the WWALS website.

You can trace our path be the loop of binoculars on this Continue reading →

Trash cans at Freedom Park 2022-11-21

Bobby McKenzie reported yesterday, “I’m at Freedom Park and what is new? I count 11 trash receptacles strategical placed in the baseball parking lot….guess what in them..😆 trash”

[Trash cans at Freedom Park 2022-11-21]
Trash cans at Freedom Park 2022-11-21

Imagine that: trash cans in a parking lot, like Valdosta city ordinances require.

And people do use them. Continue reading →

Creeks bad, OK River Water Quality 2022-11-13

Apparently the rain Thursday did not have much effect, although there were E. coli hot spots when we tested again Sunday. The Withlacoochee River from GA 133 on down seems OK for swimming, fishing, and boating, although there’s not much water until you get farther down than that.

[Chart, Creeks and Rivers, Swim Guide, 2022-11-13]
Chart, Creeks and Rivers, Swim Guide, 2022-11-13

Looks like the Withlacoochee River is also OK from Skipper Bridge on down, except Langdale Park Boat Ramp tested very high. Also, upstream Franklinville Landing was too high. Continue reading →