Coastal, River and Blueway Trails

St Johns River Trail

All Maps and Info Sheets are downloadable and printable in an 8.5 X 11" format. For more information on mentioned boat ramps and paddle launches, please see Launch Sites and click on the icons for additional details.

St John's River Trail Segment 22 Information

This Segment starts at Blue Cypress Lake and consists of the first eight legs of the Upper Basin of the 310 mile long north flowing river. It is the longest flowing river in Florida. Water levels vary considerably with rainfall amounts. Extremely high waters can occasionally inundate campsites, and extremely low water levels can make it almost impossible to get to some campsites. Do not paddle the upper basin during periods of low water levels, as some areas become unnavigable, and getting to some campsites may require long portages. The initial canals north of the Blue Cypress Lake can occasionally become clogged with hyacinth which may result in slow paddling and/or some portaging. Paddling is recommended when water levels are at the moderate stage. Contact the St Johns River Water Management District for water conditions. Water levels are critical in this section, so plan accordingly. Always paddle with a flag on a high pole, as this is airboat country, and high grasses can prevent good visibility. Wind can be an important factor on some of the larger lakes that the St Johns passes through. Make sure to carry plenty of water and food on this Segment because there are few stops where you can resupply. Make sure you leave a good float plan. The area south of Puzzle Lake is difficult to navigate. There are a lot of ribbon creeks in this Segment and it is easy to get lost. Although most of these ribbons eventually join the main channel, some are not navigable. Carry good maps, a compass and GPS, as there are a lot of ribbon creeks in this Segment and it is easy to get lost. This part of the trail includes short portages around weirs. This Segment is recommended for advanced paddlers only. For more details contact the St Johns River Alliance. There is an abundance of wildlife along this trail including plenty of gators, shorebirds, eagles, ospreys and waterfowl. For the remainder of the St Johns River Trail, See Segments 23, 24 and 25.

NOTE : Great care has been taken to ensure this guides accuracy, but weather, tides, and water conditions can change rapidly and create hazardous conditions. These maps are for visual reference only, please consult NOAA Charts for navigation. Paddlers should have all proper safety equipment and check conditions before departure. All paddlers should always wear PFDs while on the water, and leave a float plan. There are inherent dangers in any paddle sport. There are special hazards along the Florida rivers due to shifting tides, changing wind and weather, water levels, and treacherous bottoms with soft mud, rocks, and possible deadfall. It is up to each paddler to be aware of these dangers, to accept and be prepared for the risks involved, and to be certain they have the skills to safely paddle in these conditions.

Download and Print Instructions:

Maps: To print out maps in full size, please left click on map below to pull up full size map, then right click on full size map and choose “Save Image As”. Save to your desktop or designated folder. Print from there.

KMZ: To download the KMZ track file, click on the KMZ button. Once downloaded, locate the file on your computer and click on it. The file will then open in Google Earth. You must have the Google Earth or Google Earth Pro app on your computer or device. The downloaded KMZ file can also be directly uploaded to Garmin’s Homeport app (Garmin Explore app for Garmin InReach devices) and then downloaded to any Garmin GPS device. KMZ routes are for general navigation purposes only and may need to be adjusted for river current, water levels, and weather considerations.