Upper Sopchoppy River

This stream has very swampy headwaters that are floatable, but may require some searching before the main channel is discovered. Farther downstream the river becomes clearly defined by limestone banks and is very meandering, requiring you to maneuver carefully and skillfully.

The level of this river depends greatly on recent rainfall, so that although it is floatable as far up as the bridge over Forest Highway 13 nearly every month throughout the year, daily floating conditions vary constantly. The U.S. Geological Survey stream gauge at Oak Park Bridge on Forest Road 346 should read between 10 and 14 feet before the Upper Sopchoppy can be considered canoeable; otherwise you will encounter considerable dragging around logs and over sand bars between pools.

Immediately downstream from the Forest Highway 13 bridge, the river flows six miles through the Bradwell Bay Wilderness and is pristine and remote. Picnicking and resting on sand bars is possible during moderate to low water. However, camping along the river is discouraged because of the extreme and sudden variability of water flows.