St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge



St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, in Wakulla County, Florida, is one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the United States. Established in 1931 as a wintering ground for migratory birds, it encompasses more than 83,000 acres (336 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 several 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, a historic landmark of the state.

The refuge is inhabited by black bears, bobcats, otters, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, amphibians, alligators, snakes, freshwater and saltwater fish, as well as many different species of birds, including wading birds, waterfowl, and raptors.

The refuge attracts a sizable volunteer base that participates in outreach initiatives, research projects, and public events. The St. Marks Refuge Association's friends' group and the photography club supply the majority of volunteers for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (St. Marks NWR).

From 2009-2016, St. Marks NWR served as a winter home for young, endangered whooping cranes. These captive-hatched cranes were taught to follow an ultralight aircraft piloted by costumed Operation Migration pilots on a journey of more than 1,200 miles from central Wisconsin to Florida. The refuge is also a stopping point for the yearly monarch butterfly migration. A festival is hosted annually to educate people on the practice of tagging monarch butterflies as they continue through their migration.

The setting of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy was inspired by the St. Marks NWR.

Wilderness
Designated in 1975 by the U.S. Congress as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, the St. Marks Wilderness makes up 17,350 acres of the refuge. The Florida National Scenic Trail traverses the refuge for 41 miles, including a portion of the wilderness area.

Access
Public access points to the refuge are located at:
 * Panacea Unit
 * Otter Lake, in Panacea
 * Bottoms Road, in Panacea
 * Skipper Bay Road, south of Medart


 * 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.