Paul Clark/Flickr Creative Commons
Wakulla Springs State Park is one of those intriguing “lost in time” destinations that are slightly off the beaten track, but it’s easily reached by taking Hwy 261 south off of I-10 in Tallahassee, FL. Hwy 261 turns into Hwy 319 as you head south of town, then you’ll turn left onto 267 and right onto Wakulla Springs Rd to enter the park.
Wakulla Springs State Park is centered around one of the Earth’s deepest and oldest fresh water springs, with an estimated average output of around 400,000 gallons per minute! Needless to say the spring has been around since very ancient times, and the bed of the spring and resulting Wakulla River is littered with historical sites, as well as the bones of mastodons, prehistoric armadillos, giant Sloths, camels, etc etc etc. Glass bottom river boat tours are available, as well as swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving within the springs itself. On land there are hiking trails, biking trails, riding trails, birdwatching opportunities, as well as the lodge.
The lodge is a beautiful Spanish style mansion built in 1937 by a relative of the DuPont family. It has 27 rooms for guests and each room has a marble bathroom. Each room also features a telephone and period correct antique furniture, and thankfully a period correct lack of a television set. The Lodge also has a conference room or two as well as The Ball Room Restaurant overlooking the springs.
One of the unique examples of wildlife that can be viewed at Wakulla Springs are the West Indian Manatees. They are present year round, but most commonly during the months between October and January. Of course you’ll see some alligators, fish of all sorts, and turtles in the springs, but the park is also home to a vast array of bird life as well as white tail deer and wild turkey.
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