St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Florida Panhandle


About 25 miles southeast of Tallahassee you'll find the St Marks National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1931 to provide a winter habitat for migratory birds. It spans a whopping 70,000 acres and has approximately 43 miles of gulf shoreline along its coastal boundary. Within the park's protected marshes, rivers, estuaries and islands, a diverse range of flora and fauna thrives. It's a wildlife photographer's dream, with beautiful contrasts between land, sea and sky.

Be sure to start your visit with a trip to the visitor center for information on the park's numerous walking and hiking trails and the lowdown on just how many species of critter live here. If you only have time for a short visit, follow Lighthouse Rd all the way to the coast to enjoy Florida's most photographed lighthouse, completed in 1842 and still a functioning beacon today.


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