Significant as the site of the first coastal fortress in Northwest Florida, San Marcos de Apalache protects several generations of battlements at the confluence of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers.
There are faint tracings of the original wooden stockade fort completed by the Spanish in 1679 at the confluence of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers to the remains of the masonry structure occupied up through the Civil War. Visit the small museum before walking the interpretive trail along the rivers. There is a military cemetery on the premises.
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Overview
Location: St. Marks
Length: 0.6 mile
Lat-Long: 30.152600, -84.210300
Type: loop and spur
Fees / Permits: $1 for museum, free to walk the trail
Good for: children, history, interpretive, views
Difficulty: 2 of 5
Bug factor: 3 of 5
Restroom: Yes
Tour the museum before beginning your walk for a better understanding of the history of this site. The park is open Thu-Mon, 9-5. San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park website
Directions
From US 98, follow Port Leon Road south through St. Marks to its end.
Hike Details
An interpretive walk through this significant historical site, the 0.6-mile trail (with markers keyed to a brochure you can obtain inside the museum) leads you through layers of ruins of various fortresses that once stood on this spot. Completed by the Spanish in 1679, the original wooden stockade fort was destroyed by a hurricane which drowned the garrison. Walk the side trail down to its location at the confluence of the Wakulla and St. Marks Rivers for an excellent view of the estuary, framed by gnarled cedars. The St. Marks State Trail (35 mile bicycle trail to Tallahassee) starts in the adjacent Riverfront Park.
