# best river to yak down



## yakfisher (Mar 10, 2011)

i ve been kayaking down numerous rivers in the past months ( blackwater, clearwater, escamia, looking for some others around here that are recommended for great fishing/camping


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## BentStraight (Dec 27, 2008)

Go get an Eglin Recreation Permit and check out Boiling Creek. Put in at the bridge on Range Road 211 and go upstream before heading down to the take out at the confluence of the Yellow River, or go all the way down to Hwy 87, it's just a little further.


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## catchenbeatsfishen (Nov 25, 2007)

Juniper Creek is another good one. You can put in on Red Rock Road (off of Munson Highway) and take out on Indian Ford Road North of the Blackwater St Park. Adventures Unlimited can drop you off and pick you up (that is what we did)
It has a sandy bottom like Backwater not the "pebbley" bottom like Coldwater Creek.


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## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

Agrees with both juniper and boiling creek. boiling creek is one of the coolest around, went up there saturday, You should hear all the gators croaking. There's many a great creek and steam to yak along the florida coast. We are going towards the big bend shortly.


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## slackwolf (Oct 23, 2007)

catchenbeatsfishen said:


> Juniper Creek is another good one. You can put in on Red Rock Road (off of Munson Highway) and take out on Indian Ford Road North of the Blackwater St Park. Adventures Unlimited can drop you off and pick you up (that is what we did)
> It has a sandy bottom like Backwater not the "pebbley" bottom like Coldwater Creek.


you can also put out on the 191 (munson highway) bridge. pass red rock rd and the church while headed north on munson highway and eventually you'll come to the bridge. 
30.83357, -86.90347



A few log jams here and there before sweetwater flows into juniper, but that will get you a lot better water than just south of red rock. Log jams aren't bad before sweetwater, I was able to go under/around/over them without getting out of my WS pungo 140 when I had it. 

You can also go up sandy landing rd (forgot exact name, across from pleasant home rd on red rock rd.) and head down any of the forestry trails on your left to the sandbars north of red rock and put out just south of sweetwater if you don't want to deal with the log jams.


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## yakfisher (Mar 10, 2011)

yeah log jams are frustrating , the blackwater is the worst past the deaton bridge, it also turn s into swamp and is impassible before it reaches the coldwater .... the coldwater had about four below the munson bridge but wasnt horrible . The escambia however is flowing like crazy ....... im thinking about following it far up into alabama and trying to make it back to three mile .......


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## FLSalomon (Oct 3, 2007)

A friend of mine went down the Sepulga in Escambia County, AL. I am not sure where he puts in, but the pics of the river are really nice.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Long time ago*

I paddled my 14' canoe from Birmingport (near Birmingham) down the Warrior/Tombigbee/Alabama River system to the causeway in Mobile.

My best buddy at the time couldn't get loose so I did it solo. As I figure it now, it must have been 50 years ago this summer. Things were a lot more primitive back then. No cell phones, no GPS, not a lot of places on the river to get supplies. Oh yeah, no PVC pipe either.

Before I left, I talked to a friend who was a tug boat captain. He gave me a ton of suggestions. His most important advice was "Don't do it." He gave me a bunch of contacts and a list of places I could pick up food and water. 

It took me more than 3 weeks but it was one helluva adventure. I ate some fine meals on tugs on the way down and even got a few nights sleep on them. 

I don't recall any serious problems and remember a lot of very helpful folks. With a modern touring yak and a partner with a yak I am sure I could do it again and probably in a lot less time.


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## fla_scout (Sep 28, 2007)

Whatever you do, DON'T go south of Deaton Bridge. The other post is correct when it states that it empties into a large swamp that is nearly impossible to get out of. The only thing south of Deaton Bridge is a management area with some dirt trails that wind around the area and some private land that no one lives on near enough to the creek to get help from. If you float past Deaton Bridge you will most likely need the FWCC or local Fire Department to come get you. Cell phone service is hit and miss in this area.


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## yakfisher (Mar 10, 2011)

yeah i got about six miles below the bridge and it turned into swamp ha ha being from new mexico i thought oh a little swamp , i can make it through.......... about a mile of pulling a yak through that took me about two hours finally i made the decision to turn around ( saw an abandoned canoe back there ) if it wasnt for my gps i would have had a little trouble getting out definitely not fun after the not so fun paddle back upriver i learned to get some info about the river before you plan a trip , and dont trust topo maps


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## yakfisher (Mar 10, 2011)

that sounds like an amazing trip man without a gps and freeze dried meals it would be a better adventure thats for sure


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

I forgot how beautiful those rivers and creeks are in northwest florida. I remember coldwater creek being just that; cold. The nicest river I've floated down was econfina springs river (?) east near panama city if think. Emerald green clear waters with springs bubbling out of the limestone.


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

Check out this site for econfina creek. travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2979196-econfina_creek_canoe_livery_panama_city-i - Cached - Similar. Check out the pictures on google, nice!


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

Big Lagoon State Park

http://www.floridastateparks.org/biglagoon/default.cfm

Not a river, but on the ICW with plenty of camping, kayaking, and fishing. 

Winn Dixie, Publix, a mile away.

Jim


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## tensaw (Mar 23, 2011)

*Sepulga River - Brooklyn, Ala*

Thanks Ferd for the Sepulga promo. Below is a link.

It has boulders, cliffs, 75 yr old remains of a grist mill, good fishing, easy rapids, and an abundance of shark's teeth.

It is my favorite place to go in freshwater..

http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?location=201


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

tensaw said:


> Thanks Ferd for the Sepulga promo. Below is a link.
> 
> It has boulders, cliffs, 75 yr old remains of a grist mill, good fishing, easy rapids, and an abundance of shark's teeth.
> 
> ...


 Has anyone tasted the water pouring from the limestone above the river? I used to do this on the econfina, which had springs pouring out of the limestone about a couple of feet above the river, Man did it taste great. May need a water tester these days.


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## tensaw (Mar 23, 2011)

Have not tasted the limestone filtered water; but I will on May 14th on my next Sepulga adventure.


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