Ochlockonee River State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ochlockonee River State Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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 Ochlockonee River State Park
Location in Florida
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| Location | Wakulla County, Florida, United States |
| Nearest city | Sopchoppy |
| Area | 543 acres (220 ha) |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
Ochlockonee River State Park is a cool place in Wakulla County, Florida, in the southern part of the Florida Panhandle. It's located right on the Ochlockonee River, not too far from the Gulf of Mexico. This park is special because it's surrounded by big natural areas like the Apalachicola National Forest and the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. It's also a very important home for a rare bird called the red-cockaded woodpecker.
Park History
Ochlockonee River State Park opened in 1970. It sits where the Ochlockonee River meets the Sopchoppy River and Dead River, forming Ochlockonee Bay. The park is about 4 miles south of a town called Sopchoppy, Florida.
The park covers about 543 acres. But because it's next to the Apalachicola National Forest and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, it's part of a huge protected area of about 632,000 acres!
Long ago, from about 300 to 1000 AD, Native American people from the Weeden Island culture lived in this area. Later, in the 1700s, people used the pine trees here to make "turpentine." This was a big business back then. You can still see some pine trees with special marks on them from where the turpentine was collected.
Amazing Nature and Animals
Ochlockonee River State Park is a great example of a natural "pine flatwoods" environment. This means it has lots of pine trees and open grassy areas. You can also find some thick groups of live oak trees. Many kinds of golden wiregrass grow here too.
This park is super important for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. These special birds like to build their nests in old longleaf pine trees.
Besides many different kinds of birds, you might also spot other animals like bobcats, black bears, white-tailed deer, gopher tortoises, and fox squirrels. Sometimes, you can even see white-colored squirrels! These are eastern gray squirrels with a unique genetic change that makes their fur white.
River Life
The park is located at the top of Ochlockonee Bay, which is an estuary. This means it's where fresh water from the Ochlockonee and Sopchoppy Rivers mixes with salty water from the Gulf of Mexico. This mix creates "brackish water," which is a little bit salty and a little bit fresh.
Because of this special water, you can find both fresh and saltwater fish here. You might catch Largemouth bass, bream, catfish, speckled perch, and other fish. Blue crabs also live in these waters.
Fun Things to Do
There are lots of fun things to do at Ochlockonee River State Park! You can go bicycling, birdwatching, boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking, or kayaking. You can also go swimming and enjoy watching the wildlife.
The park has nice picnic areas where you can eat your lunch. If you want to stay longer, there are full camping facilities with 30 spots for campers.
If you like to explore, there are two nature trails: the Ochlockonee River Nature Trail and the Pine Flatwoods Nature Trail. The Pine Flatwoods trail is about 2.6 miles long, perfect for a good hike!
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