Message from Our Director

Stories Old and New 

Waiting to be discovered in...the Real Florida.  

It was around this time last year that we first announced the Florida Park Service’s acquisition of a parcel at the headwaters of the Shoal River in Walton County. A year of anticipation finally came to a head on January 23 when we officially welcomed visitors to “Shoal River Headwaters State Park,” Florida’s newest state park!    

The nearly 2,500-acre area along tributaries of the Shoal River has had minimal development in its history, and as a result, few amenities are currently available at the park. We are excited for what’s to come at this park as we seek public input and manage it according to our mission to provide resource-based recreation while preserving, interpreting and restoring natural and cultural resources.   

In a letter to one of his friends, pioneering Florida Botanist Alvan Chapman wrote, "I have lived in this Florida nearly six years and I have not begun to find her out yet.” Well, I’ve lived in Florida all my life, but standing there as we opened Shoal River Headwaters State Park, I felt a connection to Dr. Chapman’s sentiment—there is still so much to be discovered and experienced in the wild places of Florida. Learn more about Shoal River Headwaters State Park. 

Another exciting thing coming up is the annual reenactment of the Battle of Natural Bridge at—you guessed it—Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park. The story of the battle is an interesting crossroads of geology and history. If you live in the Big Bend area, I encourage you to come see the recreation of Florida’s second-largest Civil War battle to learn about this exciting piece of Tallahassee’s story.  

Florida is full of stories, but there’s also plenty of room for you to make memories for stories of your own, maybe at a state park near you.

See you in the parks, 
Chuck Hatcher, Director
Florida State Parks