Big Shoals State Park - White Springs, FL - Florida State Parks

Wildflowers of every color are in bloom and the river is flowing once again! Come out and enjoy a day of hiking, biking, bird watching and horseback riding, we have 28 miles of trails within Big Shoals State Park and over 6 miles of that visitors can hike along the banks of the Suwannee River.  If you feel like taking a slow and very pleasuring trip down the famous Suwannee River then come on out and enjoy a day of canoeing. If you are experienced and more adventurous you can challenge yourself on Florida’s only class III rapid, the Big Shoals. The famous Shoals run over a lime rock base and are part of Florida’s Cody Scarp; it’s a breath taking site to see.  Being so far from the main highways means the park is always quiet. The only sounds you will hear is from nature, the birds singing, the wind rustling through the trees and depending on which trail you take you will be able to hear the roaring waters of the Suwannee River’s Big and Little Shoals.  Pack your camera and picnic lunch and come check out Florida's only class III rapids! When the water level on the Suwannee River is between 59 and 61 feet above mean sea level, the Big Shoals rapids earn a Class III Whitewater classification. Please contact the Ranger Station for accurate river levels.  Big Shoals Public Lands offer over 6 miles of river frontage in the park where visitors can hike the trails along the riverbanks. We invite you to walk the beautiful nature trails or have a nice picnic under the oaks. This is a day you'll long remember, the ideal family outing. Big Shoals State Park also offers you a chance to be able to view numerous birding and wildlife opportunities while hiking, biking or horseback riding some of the 28 miles of trails within the park. For those people that like to hike in the late afternoon, we have a bat house at the Big Shoals entrance, which everyone should see. Anyone that sticks around for the sunset will be able to see hundreds of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats fly out of the bat house.