BIG SHOALS STATE PARK

By  Mike Miller October 20, 2025

Big Shoals State Park covers 3,350 acres near White Springs, Florida. It sits along the Suwannee River.

The park has Florida's largest whitewater rapids, a rarity in the state. Limestone bluffs rise 80 feet above the river.

Trails wind through forests and wetlands. Visitors hike, bike, kayak, fish or hunt. Wildlife and birdwatching are also popular.

Big Shoals State Park whitewater rapids

Native Americans, including Apalachee and Timucua, lived here for centuries. They quarried limestone for tools and used mineral springs for healing.

In the 1500s Spanish explorers arrived. In the 1800s settlers came for timber. The turpentine industry boomed, with stills processing pine resin. Camps dotted the land.

By the late 1800s, mineral springs at nearby White Springs attracted tourists. The area declined after the industry faded in the 1930s.

The state, Suwannee River Water Management District, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission acquired the land from 1986 to 1989. The park opened in 1990 to protect the river and bluffs. 

Big Shoals State Park has two entrances: Little Shoals at 11330 SE County Road 135,  and Big Shoals at 18738 SE 94th Street, both in White Springs, FL 32096.

From I-75, exit at White Springs, follow US 41 north, then go east on County Road 135. The park is open daily from 8 AM to sundown. 

Dirt roads lead to parking areas; high-clearance vehicles help in wet conditions. There are more than 28 miles of trails suitable for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.  

To view the rapids from the Big Shoals entrance, hike the 1-mile Big Shoals Trail (yellow blaze). From the Little Shoals entrance, take the 0.5-mile Mossy Ravine Trail (blue blaze).

Check river levels for the rapids before visiting. Only experienced canoe and kayakers should attempt to navigate the shoals.

Paddling the shoals is not recommended. There is an area available for portaging around the shoals.  Call (386) 397-4331 for updates. 

• The rapids reach Class III whitewater when the river hits 59-61 feet above mean sea level.  

• Limestone bluffs create unique overlooks not found elsewhere in Florida.  

• The park holds 15 natural communities, including baygalls and highland hammocks. 

• Wild turkeys and barred owls thrive in the pine flatwoods.  

• Turpentine stills left behind from the 1800s camps can still be seen in the area through the fern overgrowth. 

BIG SHOALS STATE PARK WEBSITE

Florida is the fastest-growing state in the United States and also the fastest-changing.  If you see anything in this article that has changed or is in error, please let me know.

Our free daily Ezine, Florida Heritage Travel, has 18,000 subscribers.  We also have 130,000 followers on Facebook who love off the beaten path Florida.