{"id":271166,"date":"2026-05-14T17:54:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:54:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/271166\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T17:54:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:54:12","slug":"under-an-hour-from-tallahassee-is-floridas-lovely-riverside-state-park-for-fishing-camping-and-swimming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/271166\/","title":{"rendered":"Under An Hour From Tallahassee Is Florida’s Lovely Riverside State Park For Fishing, Camping, And Swimming"},"content":{"rendered":"

Outside of the busy beach destinations of Florida’s panhandle, 40 miles south of Tallahassee, is Sopchoppy<\/a>, a\u00a0quaint little town with “Old Florida” charm that’s home to a state park. At the meeting point of the\u00a0Ochlockonee and Dead Rivers\u00a0sits Ochlockonee River State Park, a quiet riverside haven\u00a0where nature lovers, families, or anyone searching for a peaceful escape can come to unwind. Camping and swimming are popular here; however, fishing is one of the main attractions, as anglers can cast their lines in freshwater and saltwater here.<\/p>\n

More than that, you can hike the 2.6 miles of multi-use trails and ride a bike\u00a0through\u00a0the old-growth woodlands. Travelers often come to the park for the wildlife,\u00a0so be on the lookout for the red-cockaded woodpecker,\u00a0which was recently removed from the endangered species list. Plus, the little\u00a0white squirrels that live inside the longleaf pine forest are always stopping by the campsites to say hello to the visitors.\u00a0After a day of activities, you can settle in to watch the golden sun as it sets over the waterway.\u00a0When the evening fades to darkness, you can gaze at the glowing night skies from your campsite.<\/p>\n

Travelers on their way to the panhandle beaches who are\u00a0willing to take the detour will experience a natural and more relaxed side of Florida here. Panama City Beach is about 120 miles away, and the Tallahassee Airport is under an hour, making the park an easy car ride for those visiting the area. Come for the fishing, camping, and water activities, but stay to experience the natural flow of this quiet riverside park in Florida.<\/p>\n

Read more: Florida Beach Towns That Could Pass For The Caribbean<\/a><\/p>\n

Catch fresh and saltwater fish on the Ochlockonee River\"A<\/p>\n

A boat ramp surrounded by trees at Ochlockonee River State Park in Florida, with views of brackish water. – Adam Wiley\/Google Reviews<\/p>\n

Curious about the name and how to pronounce it? It comes from the\u00a0Apalachee people, who once lived in this “less crowded side” of Florida\u00a0\u2014 with its forests and forgotten villages<\/a>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0as well as\u00a0parts of South Georgia.\u00a0Ochlockonee, pronounced “o-klock-nee,” translates to\u00a0“yellow waters<\/a>,” due to the yellowish tint of the river. The waterways at\u00a0Ochlockonee River State Park<\/a> are a diverse\u00a0mix of fresh and saltwater, meaning anglers will be fishing in one of Florida’s brackish ecosystems. Cast your line from the shores or bring your boat and launch from the ramp.<\/p>\n

Want to reel in freshwater fish? From the ramp, go upriver and get ready to hook largemouth bass, catfish, and bream. For saltwater species like redfish and trout, you’ll want to head downriver closer to the bay, where the river is flowing faster. Some locals have reported catching both fresh and saltwater species in the same spot, though.\u00a0As a bonus, the park has a cleaning station\u00a0to prepare your fish for dinner at your campsite. You’ll need both your saltwater and freshwater fishing licenses<\/a> to cast your line here, so don’t leave home without them.<\/p>\n

Camp in a forest and wade in the waters of the Ochlockonee River\"A<\/p>\n

A campsite in a wooded area with a yellow tent and a canopy inside Ochlockonee River State Park in Florida. – Travis Eisenhauer\/Google Reviews<\/p>\n

Staying overnight<\/a> allows you to spend more time at Ochlockonee River State Park. When camping here, you will have a choice of 30 spaces, with options for both primitive and RV (up to 40 feet) camping. Although the woodland sites aren’t sprawling, visitors appreciate the privacy and the easy access to the river and trails. Expect full hookups with electricity and water, a bathroom with showers, a dump station, a fire pit, and a picnic table. Additionally, there is a place to hang wet clothes and a spot to clean dishes. You’ll have everything you need for an overnight stay.<\/p>\n

After your night of camping, spend some time paddling or swimming in the river. At the\u00a0swimming area, there is a\u00a0sandy spot\u00a0available to play, and you can wade in the shallow waters. Families can enjoy the simple swimming area and gather for quick meals at the picnic tables. While many people will make the easy\u00a0drive to the\u00a0world-class fishing and pristine beaches at nearby Alligator Point<\/a>, the longleaf pine forests and the scenic river make swimming at Ochlockonee River State Park unique, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While you’re in the area, carve out time to browse the streets of Sopchoppy, one of Florida’s quirkiest towns<\/a>. It’s less than 5 miles from the park, making it an easy add-on to your trip.<\/p>\n

Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter<\/a> and add us as a preferred search source<\/a> for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets.<\/p>\n

Read the original article on Islands<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Outside of the busy beach destinations of Florida’s panhandle, 40 miles south of Tallahassee, is Sopchoppy, a\u00a0quaint little…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":271167,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[28,116193,116192,116191,232,49711,234,233],"class_list":["post-271166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tallahassee","tag-florida","tag-longleaf-pine-forest","tag-ochlockonee","tag-ochlockonee-river-state-park","tag-tallahassee","tag-tallahassee-airport","tag-tallahassee-headlines","tag-tallahassee-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=271166"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271166\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/271167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=271166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=271166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=271166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}