Around North Florida

St. Marks historic Railroad Trail begins at Florida's capital city, runs through the Apalachicola National Forest and ends in the coastal community of St. Marks. The twenty-mile line began operating in 1837 to provide a connection between the territorial Capital and the gulf coast. In the 1850s, the railroad was modernized and used to transport cotton, which it did through the early 1900s. Thus, the line played an important role in the cotton trade providing this valuable raw material for shipment to textile mills in the north of the United States and in Europe. St. Marks' is also distinguished as Florida's longest operating line, serving for 147 years. Costs finally prompted the railroad's abandonment in favor of trucking.

In 1984 the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) purchased 16 miles of the old railroad corridor to preserve its original environmental surroundings. First, the paved recreational trail, which is 30 feet wide, was constructed (now the Florida Park Service maintains nearly 174.00 acres of land leased by the Department of Environmental Protection from FDOT since 1987). In September 2003, the Office of Environmental Services approved the Land Management Plan (LMP), which serves as the basic statement of policy and direction for the management of Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail as a unit of Florida's state park system. Among its important components there is a provision for an inventory and assessment of the natural and cultural resources and also preservation of the park's environmental values, including tourism and visitor experiences. Studies revealed an average of $10.00 spent per person per visit; in 2006 almost two hundred thousand people used the trail pumping nearly 2 million dollars into the local economy.

The original rail trail does not exist anymore (only a small sample remains at the Main Trailhead); it is all covered by asphalt. Trail points of interest (north to south) include Munson Hills Off-road Bicycle Trail, Natural Bridge historic battlefield (six miles east of Woodville) and Boundless Playground in the Wakulla Station Trailhead, which is barrier-free area and configured to support children's activities. The paved trail (first opened in 1988) provides an excellent workout for bikers, walkers and horseback riders. There is also a wildflower garden, extending from the Boundless Playground area to and along the paved trail. The DOT donated wildflower seeds and signs, which were planted in January of 2007. The seeds, which germinate in the springtime, include Coreopsis Lanceolata, Blackeye Susans and Phlox. The paved trail of St. Marks is represented by mixed forest, which includes palm trees, laurel and red oaks, mockernut hickories, southern magnolia, American holly, American beech sweetgum, black cherry and others. No endangered species that are listed by the Florida Natural Area Inventory are known to reside in or depend on the corridor.

The St. Marks Trail management places its major emphasis on maximizing the recreational potentials of the trail; however, preservation of resources remains important. According to the LMP it includes the timely allowance of prescribed fires; continuing efforts to remove invasive, exotic plants from the trail corridor and associated parcels, protection of deer, and prevention of illegal dumping from the adjacent landowners. One of the recreational goals is to improve existing trailhead areas to augment visitors' experience, which should include additional interpretive signage and displays.

Today, the city of Tallahassee is extending the trial nearly three miles north and west through FAMU and FSU to Ocala Street. St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail represents a unique opportunity to relax in the fresh air and enjoy nature.

Sources Consulted:
The FDEP Office of Greenways & Trails pamphlet.
St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Tallahassee, 2007)
State of Florida, Department of Environmental Protection (Division of Recreation and Parks), Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park, Unit Management Plan, September 2003.