Undiscovered Florida – 20 Best Things in Hamilton County

Hamilton County is full of historic places, scenic rivers, and undiscovered trails. Hamilton calls itself “Florida’s Front Porch.” Notice you can hear the quiet. And the beautiful, diverse landscape. You’ll enjoy sitting on the porch.

Thecounty has over 32,000 acres of public lands. Hamilton is encircled by theSuwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers and split in half by the Alapaha. Drivinginto White Springs from Live Oak, I think I crossed county lines three times inabout a mile. Sometimes you are in a county, and when you cross the street (orbridge), you are in another county, even though you’re in the same town! Andsince frequently the rivers are county lines, as you float down a river, onecounty will be on your left, and another county on your right!

1. Big Shoals State Park

Big Shoals has been a place of recreation,hunting, fishing, and shelter for at least 7,000 years. This extraordinaryplace still attracts people with its mineral (sulfur) springs and its rapidsfor kayaking. There are beautiful vistas of the Suwannee River from theriverside bluffs. The area was used as a quarry by Native Americans, who madestone-chipped tools from the river’s limestone. 

2. The Undiscovered “OtherRiver”

Natural North Florida is known for itsrivers:  the Santa Fe, Ichetucknee, Withlacoochee,and Suwannee. But what about the Alapaha? It was described as “unspoiled, wild,and scenic” in 1979, and as “jungle-like in its remoteness…the darkreddish-brown waters of the Alapaha wind through a swampy wonderland teemingwith wildlife.” You can expect to see kingfishers, turtles, owls, turkeys,herons, pileated woodpeckers, anhingas, hawks, alligators, and fish.

For your own safety, always make a float planbefore you head out. There is a free one online. What a handy way to leave emergency information atthe put-in and take-out points!

Starting in Georgia, the Alapaha River flows202 miles, ducking underground at the Dead River Sink and returning aboveground in the Alapaha Rise. It joins the Suwannee River in Hamilton County, andthey make their way to the Gulf of Mexico. During the dry season, the water isso sparse you can hike the sandy path of the riverbed. There are a couple ofplaces in Hamilton County to access the river and find camping spots:  Gibson Park and Jennings Bluff. Jennings Bluff is a part of The Great Florida Birding Trail.

Jennings Bluff is a coming attraction for Hamilton. The plans are drawn for a camp, and step one will be restrooms. The area is beautiful, with tall bluffs. My host, Mia Mauldin, was a fearless leader, so off we went to the bottom to explore the stream and cypress knees.

An undiscovered secret at Jennings Bluff is the Dead River or the “disappearing Alapaha River.” The river flows into a large pool, and the next thing you know, it has been “sucked” down a big hole and disappeared under the bluff. The mystery – where did it go!?

3. That Smell is Sulphur!

The sulphur springs in White Springs, thoughtto have curing powers, were used by the Native Americans until the early 1800s,when the European settlers moved into the area. The spring is a secondmagnitude spring, and the natives believed the place to be sacred, so thehealing spring was visited by the sick from all tribes, and they were notdisturbed while at the spring. 

By the 1830s, White Springs was beingpromoted as a health resort. The first mineral spring to be commercialized wascalled Jackson Springs. In 1831 a log spring house was built. By the 1880s,there were 500 rooms for rent in area hotels and boarding houses.

The concrete and coquina structure that standstoday was constructed in 1903. Clinical exam rooms, dressing rooms, and shopswere built next to the spring. Four levels of balconies surrounded the spring.The area thrived on tourism while “tourism” was still an undiscovered source ofrevenue! 

During the Civil War, families who evacuatedFlorida’s coastline came to the area for safe shelter in the undiscovered“Rebels Refuge” along the river.

4. Float on Down the River

The Suwannee River usually flows at a rate oftwo or three miles an hour. It provides a leisurely trip, and there are whitesand beaches along the way—just begging for picnic stops. But pick up a map,and ask a few questions before starting out. The upcoming Big Shoals is asection that requires portage. So you need to know where to stop paddling andstart toting your boat if your put-in is above the shoals! 

The steep ravines and high bluffs surroundingthe Suwannee and those elevations permit the river to rise to 65 to 135 feetabove sea level. When the water reaches 59-61 feet, Big Shoals turns into aClass III White Water area! Those elevations also provide growing areas forspecies more typically found in the Appalachians. Talk about undiscovered diversity!

The Hannums, over at American Canoe Adventures, can help you plan and take a trip throughundiscovered water adventures. The boatshed is right on the corner in WhiteSprings. Whether you need a kayak for a few hours, a complete vacation package,or to finally buy your own Old Town Canoe, ACA has you covered. Thisfamily-owned place has been serving the people visiting Hamilton County since1995. They provide shuttle services to popular Suwannee River locations fromthe Okefenokee Swamp to the town of Suwannee on the Gulf of Mexico. I think theguys must love to drive! 

Interesting tidbit:  There are five bridges with Suwannee River in theirname.

5. Enjoy the Music

The 200-foot Carillon Tower at Stephen FosterFolk Culture Center State Park houses 97 bells that play concerts daily. Thecarillon is one of the largest musical instruments made in the WesternHemisphere. It is also the world’s largest carillon (in number of tubular bells),they were installed in 1958.

Thecarillon holds an electronic roller that plays Foster’s tunes, which echoacross the park’s grounds. On the first floor, visitors find historicalexhibits and dioramas that depict the scenes described in Foster’ssongs. 

6. Roadtrip! 

Take a tour of the back roads in your car.You can spot wildlife right along the road if you just know what to do andwhere to look! Animals and birds have become accustomed to vehicle traffic, soyou can “sneak up on them” in your car. Get out early in the morning or late inthe afternoon—those are the primary times that animals are moving. The eastside of Hamilton County is more wooded, so you can expect to spot wildlife:turkey, deer, owls, bald eagles, hawks (watch the utility lines above yourhead!), the occasional bear, armadillos, and hogs. Drive slowly and stick tothe dirt roads. After a rain, roadside ditches will be filled with water,attracting birds.

While paddling, do it quietly. Don’t yell back and forth to your fellow paddlers, and keep the music off. You’re on the river for a peaceful time, so make the most of it. This way, those undiscovered birds and otters will be discovered.

7. Spend the Night withStephen Foster

In 1931, Josiah Lilly, son of Eli Lilly (thepharmaceutical manufacturer,) came up with the idea of a memorial to StephenFoster, the composer of over 200 songs in his brief life. The FloridaFederation of Music Clubs took the plan and ran with it. When they received adonation of land in White Springs, The Center was born, and the park opened in1950. In May of 1953, the first Florida Folk Festival was held, and this willbe its 70th year!

The museum has an embarrassment of musicalriches—it did start out operated by music clubs, after all! I’m no expert, butI found the beautiful pianos, keyboards, and organs a fantastic display. Thereis one I’d never heard of or seen (no surprise there!) called the Paul vonJanko Keyboard. Invented in 1882 in Hungary, it has six rows of keys, arranged in stair-step fashion.You’d think the piano player would need to be built like Vasudhārā, theBuddhist goddess with all those arms! But, as you play on row one, the samekeys in the other two “odd” rows engage; and as you play on row two, thecorresponding keys on the “even” rows also strike. Concert pianists used thepiano before World War I in the United States and Europe. A piano classdropout, I’m lucky to still read music and can find middle “C.”

Now a state park, the center encompasses 888 acres. There are fivecabins along the river, near the canoe launch. There is a pavilion forlectures, performances, or just enjoying the shade beside the river. The parkalso has 45 camping sites for RV or tent camping.

8. Down the River to theSpring House

TheSuwannee was flowing slowly during my visit. It made for an ideal morningfloating lazily downstream in my canoe. The water was as smooth and provided perfectreflections for photography. Canoeing put me right across the river from WhiteSulphur Spring and the remnants of the bathhouse. 

The 3-mile trip took a couple of hours, but Istopped for photography (a lot!). My host, Mia, and I started at the US 41Bridge and kayaked to the Stephen Foster State Park, right in my cabin’sbackyard!

9. Bird Watching

I saw a sign for an entrance for farmers. Ithought I’d found a local farmer’s market, which I love, but it turned out tobe more of a shipping center with lots of 18-wheelers. BUT…making that wrongturn meant I had to find a way back out of the parking area…and the search tookme along the side of a small pond. Now, photographers are constantly scanningfor subjects, and sure enough, I spotted a big bird near the water’s edge.Zooming in, I was thrilled to realize I had spotted a young Bald Eagle. Youknow they’re a juvenile when their head hasn’t turned white yet; that usuallyhappens between the fifth and seventh year.

10. Fat Belly 

No!Not mine (well, I’m not admitting it anyway.) I’m referring to Fat Belly’s BarB Que & Grill in White Springs. That’s an important statement—White Springsis small. Having a good restaurant in town is a real bonus. And Fat Belly’s isgood—really good. If I lived there, I might have to own up to thatdescription! My catfish fingers (no bones!) were light and perfectly fried. Itcame with yummy waffle fries, hush puppies, and baked beans. And sweet tea.Lots of tea. Hiking makes you hungry and thirsty! My host Mia had friedshrimp and doubled up on the waffle fries (she admits to being hooked!), andPark Ranger Watkins ordered the fried chicken and sweet potato fries. Everythinglooked good, smelled better, and tasted marvelous! Everyone in the place kneweach other, and it didn’t take them long to meet me. You gotta love a small town.

11. Scavenger Hunters

Geocaching is described as high-techscavenger hunting. Done with a hand-held GPS, it sounds like fun to me! I hearthere are many sites in the White Springs area, so I just may have to learnmore about this hunt for undiscovered treasures!

12. Dioramas 

Inside Stephen Foster State Park, the museum with those gorgeous pianos also has a display of dioramas, and there are several others on display on the Carillon tower’s ground floor. 

The dioramas illustrate some of Foster’s most popular and regional songs, like Way Down Upon the Swanee River, also known as “Old Folks at Home,” Camptown Races, Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair (written about his wife), and My Old Kentucky Home. Interesting Tidbit: There are two states whose songs were written by Foster. Can you name them?

Dioramas are much more involved than theyappear. At first look, they seem just to be a big 3-dimensional painting. Thatis until you start examining all the moving parts! A behind-the-scenes lookrevealed lots of gears and pullies, and parts of the diorama hangingupside-down as it rotated out of sight before reappearing at the beginningagain. Fourteen artists spent almost two years creating the first eight in thedisplay. Each diorama has about 1,500 hours of work invested. And the minuteattention to detail—my goodness!! For instance, in Camptown Races,the track would have been at least an eighth of a mile across; but in thediorama, the distance allotted was a mere 16 inches to give the appearance of ahorse race.

13. Dining Out at Jennings Crossroads

Start off your meal at T & T BBQ with a basket of hot fried potato chips. And ask for some Bleu Cheese Dressing to dip them in. Trust me. Then have a heaping helping of pulled pork barbeque. They smoke it out back. And, of course, you have to have baked beans, sweet potato fries, and Texas toast.

14. Step Back in Time

Take a walking tour of White Springs and enjoy the feeling of a simpler time. The Historic Walking Tour brochure lists 25 buildings in just a few town blocks. In 1997 the historic district recorded 110 structures on the National Register of Historic Places. This is even more remarkable when you learn about the February 1911 fire. That fire started in the Baptist parsonage and quickly spread through the town’s business district, destroying 35 structures!

The stately home above the Suwannee River was built in 1893 by the widow of Robert Adams, of the Adams Brothers Store. Just up the street is the 40-room river rock and brick hotel known as the Telford Hotel, built in 1903. Not too long ago, it was a restaurant. I’m ready to eat there and go upstairs for the night. Somebody–please buy this fabulous landmark! I’m positive there are more undiscovered secrets here!

15. Undiscovered HikingTrails & Bike Paths

At BigShoals Public Lands, theGodwin Bridge Road and Little Shoals are connected by the paved 3.4-mile WoodpeckerTrail for hiking and cycling. There are miles of multi- and single-use trailsin the park and along the Suwannee providing for horseback riding, off-roadbiking, and hiking. Trails traversing the public lands range from .5 miles to 6miles, one way. 

Visitors to Stephen Foster State Park canexplore the ten-mile Hammock Loop Trail on foot or by bicycle or horseback. The Florida National ScenicTrail follows theSuwannee River right through the park. The four-mile Carter Camp Trail in thepark passes through limestone formations.

Twin Rivers State Forest is at theWithlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers junction. Historically, that spot was animportant point of commerce. Both rivers were traveled by steamboats bringinggoods and people to the area. Today, miles of trails allow for nature study,hiking, biking, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing in thewestern part of Hamilton County.

The SuwanneeRiver Wilderness Trail beginsat the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park and runs 170 miles to theGulf of Mexico. The “trail” is a system of stops and river camps(accessible only from the river) that are spaced one day apart> This allowsadventurers to spend a day, or multiple days, in undiscovered areas of theSuwannee River. The camps have screened sleeping platforms, restrooms andshowers, and electricity with ceiling fans! There is a telephone reservationsystem (800-868-9914.) You can see so many amazing things when you get off thebeaten path! Try it…you’ll like it!

The Suwannee Bicycle Association is headquartered in White Springs. Theypublish trail maps with QR codes and have ten mapped routes on low-trafficroads. The SBA sponsors near-monthly events to undiscovered places. Maybe youshould become a member!

16. Shop for Screwdrivers,Candy, or Antiques

Walk through the hardware store. The AdamsBrothers Store was started in 1866 when Robert Adams returned to his hometownafter the war ended. This building was completed in 1892. The building is oneof Florida’s oldest wood-framed mercantile stores still standing—and in itsoriginal location.  Interesting Tidbit:  In 1999, the storefront appeared in AlanJackson’s video Little Man. Watch at the three-minute mark.

Today, known as Suwannee Hardware, the store is owned by Don and Ann Wilson. Theywill proudly point out interesting things in the store, like the firstcommercial refrigerator in Florida and their collection of old postcards fromWhite Springs—a history lesson in a scrapbook! There is a safe in the store,and with some fake TNT you can take an insta-worth selfie!

17. Enjoy A Day of Fishing

Fishing in the Suwannee can net you quite avariety of dinner options. The river has a remarkable five types of bass, seventypes of catfish, black crappie, sunfish, and numerous bream species. Check inat Rooster’sOutfitters for fishinginformation or local guide’s contacts.  SuwanneeHardware sells licensesfor fishing or hunting.

18. Visit Jasper

Make a quick trip up the road to Jasper on aTuesday or Thursday. Those are the two days that the HamiltonCounty Historical Museum and Heritage Center is open. It is worth the drive just for themilitary room, with displays taking you back to the Revolutionary period of ourcountry’s history. 

While you are in Jasper, be sure toinvestigate the Old Jail, built in 1893. The cells look ready to use at amoment’s notice. It is interesting to see the upstairs living quarters—I’mguessing the sheriff didn’t get far from the job! This was Hamilton County’sonly jail and was still used until 1984. 

The town of Jasper is still an undiscovered jewel for me. I will have to go back and spend an entire day exploring! Just while I was driving through one morning before a trip on the river, I spotted so many historic buildings! (Yes, I made one of my famous U-turns to capture pictures of this beautiful church, built in 1878.) I need to know more!

19. Where the Wild Things Grow

Hikingthe Florida Trail beside the Suwannee River in White Springs I spotted theseIndian Pipes. These unique plants go undiscovered by most people because it hasno chlorophyll and doesn’t depend on photosynthesis! This ghostly white plantis able to grow in the darkest of forests.

20. Festival Celebrations

There are lots of exciting festivals duringthe year—be sure you take part in some (or all!) At the StephenFoster Folk Culture Center State Park (whew! Say that three times fast!), you needto check out the events listed on their website. The center is devoted to keeping Old Florida andits traditions alive. Other events are listed on the Hamilton County page of events.

• Wild Azalea Festival – March
• Antique Tractor & Engine Show – March 31-April 2
• Hamilton County Rodeo in Jasper – May
• Florida Folk Festival – May, Memorial Day Weekend – this year will be the 70th!!
• Wild Blackberry Festival
• Fourth of July Celebration
• Old Time Music Weekend – September 9-11
• Come to the River Healing Arts Festival – September
• Jeanie and Stephen Auditions – October
• Quilt Show & Sale – October 21-23
• Big Shoals Pumpkin Fest – October
• Haunted Old Jail – October
• Rural Folklife Days – November
• Dulcimer Retreat – November 11-13
• Festival of Lights – December
• Christmas Parade – December

This breathtaking area of unexplored Florida is less than a day’s drive from Atlanta. Natural North Florida has more to offer than you can imagine. So plan your adventure to the natural parts of Florida, where you can explore springs, rivers, trails, history, and nature. I’ll be looking for you on the trail! 

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