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Traveling Huntleys

Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Carrabelle, Apalachicola, & St. Marks NWR Florida

December 20, 2021 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated August 1, 2026

Ho-Hum RV Park is at 1 Brown Circle, Carrabelle, FL 32322; (850) 697-3926; waterfront and near-water sites, full hookups, beach access, dog-friendly; hohum.net. Apalachicola is approximately 30 miles west of Carrabelle on US-98. St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is at 1255 Lighthouse Rd, St. Marks, FL 32355; (850) 925-6121; open daily dawn to dusk; vehicle entry fee $5; lighthouse grounds free to walk; excellent birding, kayaking, and wildlife drive; fws.gov/refuge/st-marks.

Carrabelle is a small coastal city located in the eastern Florida Panhandle about 70 miles south of Georgia. This is our third stay. Its appeal can probably be summarized by the expression for the area, “the forgotten coast.” It’s relatively undeveloped, has a low population, and minimal commercialization. But it has just enough of the sugar white sand beaches, sights, amenities and restaurants for our needs. The beaches are not only dog friendly, but it’s rare for us to even see another person on one. We were here for a couple of weeks in mid December, so the weather was cold, overcast, and wet.

Sandy and Jake the dog walking the beach without anyone in sight, Carrabelle, Florida
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St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

March 6, 2020 by Michael Huntley

Last Updated: July 6, 2026

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1931 to protect the wintering grounds for migratory birds — making it one of the oldest national wildlife refuges in the United States. Encompassing over 68,000 acres of coastal marshes, tidal flats, pine flatwoods, and open Gulf waters along the Apalachee Bay, St. Marks is one of the finest wildlife destinations in the entire southeastern United States. From Manatee Springs, it was an easy three-hour drive north to Crawfordville, Florida — and worth every mile.

Historic St. Marks Lighthouse at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Apalachee Bay, Florida, built in 1842
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