3-Day: CR-145 → Suwannee River SP (~32 mi)
A trip plan from the Blackwater Paddler’s Guide. Day by day, what we eat, what we carry, and what to check before you drive.
Day by day
Food plan
Day 1: wraps, foil-packet dinner, s'mores. Day 2: pancakes, pasta dinner. Day 3: oatmeal, tuna wraps.
Water
1 gallon per person per day; the springs are a swim stop, not a guaranteed refill.
Check the gauge before you commit
USGS 02319000 — Withlacoochee River near Pinetta, FL (CR-150), just above the Suwannee confluence. Tannic and flashy: it rises sharply after Georgia rain and drops low in drought.
Read the trend after rain, not just the number, and never launch at flood. Also on the SRWMD portal (mysuwanneeriver.org).
Permits and access
No permit. Primitive camping in Twin Rivers State Forest and on sandbars; Madison Blue Spring SP nearby for day use.
Camping
Twin Rivers State Forest access and high sandbars; Madison Blue Spring State Park for a day stop and swim.
Hazards on this run
Limestone shoals and outcrops, flashy current after rain, strainers, and low water in drought. Limited cell service.
Best season for this trip
Late winter and spring after rain up top; the spring-fed Florida reach near Madison Blue holds water more steadily.
Shuttle and outfitters
No full-time livery — self-shuttle. WWALS Watershed Coalition (Suwannee Riverkeeper) maintains the access list and levels.
Field note
This is the Withlacoochee that feeds the Suwannee — not the central-Florida one. Up top it's tannic and rain-fed; by the time you reach Madison Blue Spring the limestone and clear water take over. Watch the Pinetta gauge; it comes up fast when Georgia gets rain.
How many days is the Withlacoochee River trip?
3-Day: CR-145 → Suwannee River SP (~32 mi). The plan runs 3 days.
How much water do you need on the Withlacoochee River?
1 gallon per person per day; the springs are a swim stop, not a guaranteed refill.
Do you need a permit for this Withlacoochee River trip?
No permit. Primitive camping in Twin Rivers State Forest and on sandbars; Madison Blue Spring SP nearby for day use.
What gauge should you check before this trip?
USGS 02319000 — Withlacoochee River near Pinetta, FL (CR-150), just above the Suwannee confluence. Tannic and flashy: it rises sharply after Georgia rain and drops low in drought. Read the trend after rain, not just the number, and never launch at flood. Also on the SRWMD portal (mysuwanneeriver.org).
What are the hazards on this run?
Limestone shoals and outcrops, flashy current after rain, strainers, and low water in drought. Limited cell service.
Go deeper
The Withlacoochee River river guide has the runs, access and conditions in full. The free Paddler’s Guide covers seventeen rivers. Watch the films from this water.