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Local Area
NATURE
Refuges
Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge - Made up of 13 islands offering marine life, birds, reptiles. Call 352-493-0238
http://lowersuwannee.fws.gov.
Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge - Located in Levy and Dixie counties, offers biking, fishing, canoeing, hiking trail from refuge headquarters to Suwannee River. Call 352-493-0238 - http://lowersuwannee.fws.gov.
Parks and Forests
Andrews Wildlife Management Area - South of Fanning Springs - Feature forestland, champion trees, nature trails, birding. Call 352-493-6020
Blue Springs Park - Bronson, Levy County - Part of the headwaters of Otter Creek and the Waccasassa River, located between Bronson and Chiefland on Hwy 339-A off US 27-A, offers picnic sites and swimming in crystal clear water. Call 352-486-9002 or the Levy County Parks office at 352-486-5127.
Cedar Key Museum State Park - Cedar Key - See listing under "Museums."
Cedar Key Scrub Reserve - Hwy 24, six miles east of Cedar Key - Hiking trails through habitat areas reserved for endangered Florida Scrub Jay. Call 352-543-5567 -
http://www.floridastateparks.org
Fanning Springs State Park - Fanning Springs - On Suwannee River; offers swimming, hiking, diving, first magnitude springs. Call 352-463-3420 - http://floridastateparks.org
Goethe State Forest - Expansive old growth forest, located in southeast Levy County, large red-cockaded woodpecker population, extensive trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding. Call 352-465-3617;
http://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/
Manatee Springs State Park - West of Chiefland - Contains crystal-clear spring run, the Suwannee River, first magnitude springs, trails, manatees visit during winter months. Call 352-493-6072; http://floridastateparks.org
Shell Mound Park - Cedar Key - Adjacent to a prehistoric Indian mound and nature trail off Hwy 347 on CR 326 outside Cedar Key, offers kayaking, camping, boat ramp and picnicking. Call (352)543-9600 or Levy Cunty Parks office at (352)486-5127.
Wekiva River Run and Henry Beck Park - Gulf Hammock - An "Outstanding Florida Water" off US 19/98 at Gulf Hammock on Hwys 326/343, offers swimming and picnicking in a clear spring run. Call (352)486-5326 or the Levy County Parks office at (352)486-5127.
Greenways and Trails
Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway - Inglis - Created from the aborted Cross Florida Barge Canal. Is 110 mile linear park that provides opportunities for fishing, boating, hiking, biking and horseback riding. Call (352)447-1720; http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/
Inglis Island Park - Entrance South of Withlachochee River - Scenic trails offer landscape of cypress swamp, pine flat woods, hardwood hammock, overlook for Lake Rousseau. Call (352)447-1720
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/
Dixie Mainline - Suwannee - Nine mile historic trail connects Salt Creek and Shired Island. Traverses upland pine forests, bottomland hardwoods, and tidal marshlands. Call (352)493-0238 - http://lowersuwannee.fws.gov.
Shell Mound Park - Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge - Trail .03 mile loop, crossing over an ancient Indian shell midden. Provides view of coastal estuary and the Gulf of Mexico. Call (352)493-0238
http://lowersuwannee.fws.gov.
Nature Coast State Trail - Trailheads in Trenton, Fanning Springs, Cross City, Chiefland - Paved trail 31.7 miles long for wakers, runners, horseback riders. Diverse landscape. Call (352)493-6072
http://floridastateparks.org
State Parks - Various state parks have trails of varying length and difficulty. http://www.floridastateparks.org.
Natural Springs
Hart Springs - 6 miles north of Fanning Springs - Family oriented, large swimming area, hiking, boardwalk along river. Cave diving available. Call (352)463-3444. http://www.hartsprings.com
Ginnie Springs - Northeast of Bell - System of eight springs with surrounding park offering swimming, snorkeling, diving opportunities. Call (386)454-7188. http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/
Blue Springs - Northeast of Bell - Spring with exceptionally clear water, allowing view of stunning underwater scenery; swimming, snorkeling, long boardwalk follows spring flow to Santa Fe River. Call (386)454-1369. http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/
Guaranto Springs - North of Old Town. Spring surrounded by park on Suwannee River. Call (352)498-1219
Rock Bluff Springs - On Suwannee River - Privately owned, accessible only by boat; swimming and snorkeling; rock retaining wall. Land is privately owned. Call (352)463-3467
Fanning Springs State Park - Fanning Springs - First magnitude springs; swimming, snorkeling. Call (352)463-3420. http://www.floridastateparks.org/fanningsprings/default.cfm
Manatee Springs State Park - West of Chiefland - Crystal clear spring run; first magnitude springs; swimming, diving. Call (352)493-6072. http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/default.cfm
Birding Sites
Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge - North End (Dixie County) - Four sites - Shired Island Beach, Dixie Mainline, Fishbone Creek, Salt Creek - at north end of refuge. Birds range from wintering shorebirds, songbirds, to bald eagles - (352)493-0238 http://www.fws.gov/lowersuwannee/
Road to Nowhere - Southeast of Steinhatchee Fifteen Mile Road to Gulf; waders, red knots, songbirds, black rails possible. Call (352)463-3310 http://www.dixiecounty.org
Hart Springs Park - Six miles north of Fanning Springs - Boardwalk along Suwannee River provides viewing of wood storks, pileated woodpeckers, prothonotary warblers, bald eagles, red-shoulder hawks. Call (352)463-3444. http://www.hartsprings.com
Fanning Springs State Park - Fanning Springs - Eastern phoebes, in the open; trail through forest offers migrants such as Mississippi kites. Call (352) 463-3420. http://www.floridastateparks.org/fanningsprings/default.cfm
Wildlife Management Area - South of Fanning Springs - Turkeys, worm-eating warblers, Eastern wood-pewees, screech owls, Mississippi kites and swallow-tailed kites possible. Call (352) 493-6020.
Manatee Springs State Park - West of Chiefland - Large vulture roost, waders, ducks along river; far shore has cryptic limpkins. Call (352) 493-6072. http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/default.cfm
Cedar Key Scrub State Park - Six miles east of Cedar Key - Home to scrub-jays, short tailed hawks, bald eagles, ospreys. Call (352) 543-5567. http://www.floridastateparks.org/cedarkeyscrub/default.cfm
Number 4 Bridge and Fishing Pier - Cedar Key - Numerous shorebirds, clusters of sandpipers, beautiful white pelicans. Call (352) 543-5600. http://www.cedarkey.org.
Cedar Key City Park, Marina, & Fishing Pier - Cedar Key - Waterfront offers night herons, spotted sandpipers; sand spits teem with peeps. Call (352) 543-5600. http://www.cedarkey.org.
Goethe State Forest - Southeast Levy County - Red-cockaded woodpecker clusters. Call (352) 465-3617. http://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/
Bird Creek Park - Yankeetown - Road to park passes through salf marsh and tidal creeks ending in Gulf; many types of waders. Call (352) 447-3383.
Cross Florida Greenway; Inglis Dam - Inglis - Dam offers wintering ducks, loons, and barn swallows; grassy fields of greenway have white-crowned, grasshppper, song, shite-throated, field, chipping, and vesper sparows. Call (352) 447-1720. {