St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge shoreline near Lighthouse
Map of the United States
Location	Wakulla County, Jefferson County, Taylor County, Florida, United States
Nearest city	St. Marks, Florida
Coordinates	30°07′00″N 84°15′00″W
Area	68,000 acres (280 km2)
Established	1931
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Official website

St. Marks Lighthouse

Heron at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the United States. Established in 1931 as a wintering ground for migratory birds, it encompasses 68,000 acres (280 km²) spread between Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor Counties in the state of Florida.

The refuge includes several Gulf of Mexico coastal habitats, such as saltwater marshes, islands, tidal creeks, and the estuaries of seven north Florida rivers. It is home to a diverse range of plant and animal life and also has a long history of human use, including structures such as the St. Marks Lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in Florida.

The refuge is a 'gateway site' for the Great Florida Birding Trail.

Access

Public accesses to the refuge are located at:

• Panacea Unit

Otter Lake, in Panacea

Bottoms Road, in Panacea

Skipper Bay Road, south of Medart (may be closed)

• Wakulla Unit

Purify Bay Road, in Medart

Shell Point Highway, north of Shell Point

Wakulla Beach Road, east of Shell Point

• St. Marks Unit

Lighthouse Road, the main entrance, in Newport

Mandalay Bay Road, just east of the Aucilla River in Taylor County.

There is no paved public access to the refuge in Jefferson County.

External links

• St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.