We just came home from a few days in the Florida Caverns state park in north Florida. The Chipola may be the most paddle friendly river I’ve seen. Frequent river access opportunities and well marked “mile markers” on the river. Several side streams to poke up in to find beautiful spring vents, large and small. There are caves to explore, some seen from the water, others need to have a guide to find. You may want to add this to your list of places to paddle if you come south.
@tjalmy said:
We just came home from a few days in the Florida Caverns state park in north Florida. The Chipola may be the most paddle friendly river I’ve seen. Frequent river access opportunities and well marked “mile markers” on the river. Several side streams to poke up in to find beautiful spring vents, large and small. There are caves to explore, some seen from the water, others need to have a guide to find. You may want to add this to your list of places to paddle if you come south.
That’s worth looking into. Thanks Tom.
I seem to recall that there is a subspecies of redeyed bass there called the Chipola Bass.
I heard they leave footprints.
Chipola flows through dead lake to the Applachilcola Well worth the down stream portion too.
Chipola is a Seminole Indian word meaning “where the giant alligators feed”. Be careful.
LOL! Very few alligators! Try south Florida, like Myakka, if you want a serious encounter! Or the lakes around my house!
I’m very familiar with Myakka and the surrounding area. I was born and raised there. In my opinion, if it’s fresh water in Florida, no matter how small, there’s a gator hiding somewhere waiting to eat.
I grew up in FL too and swam and waded many freshwater locations. More gators there now than then as they were already over hunted back then. Still lightening kills more folks there than gators. Thunderstorms on the water with lots of lightning are of more concern to me than gators being present. It is wise to avoid gators 9-10" and larger as they are top predators. I have never been threatened by any gator while paddling. Did have a 12-13" gator show an interest in me while snorkeling near Merritt Island once, but got back in the boat and started the engine which made it go under and swim off. Much like rattlesnakes and cottonmouths a little common sense and awareness of what is going on around you greatly reduces any risk.
Now out in the Rockies I have been stalked by Mountain Lions while calling like an Elk. Two left me alone as soon as they realized I was Human. One backed off when I moved toward it, but it took two warning shots to convince it to run off. I worry more about people tailgating me on the highway than I am about gators.
I’ve been threatened by a Gator before. They’re obnoxious when they’re drunk.
LOL, It would seem Gators and Seminoles may lack manners when tailgating together.
No more than Gamecocks and Dawgs.
LOL classic comedy! The moral to the story is don’t give your in-laws a gun when wrestling gators!! Or use the classic comedy defense "The >:) made me do it! 
Or perhaps…"…on safari I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in them I’ll never know. ".
There are 2 types of bodies of freshwater water in Florida – those with gators and those about to have gators!
Kayakers to the rescue:
And more recently:
Is there any shuttle service anywhere? We paddled the Dead Lake system down to the Chipola but the river current on it ran so hard that going downstream and then up was out of the question.
I’m sorry, I don’t know. I go with friends and family, so we always have shuttle service available. Usually my pickup truck! Our two on the roof, and whatever they can stuff in the bed!
