Recreation

Merritts Millpond

Merritt’s Millpond, a nationally recognized redear sunfish fishery, is fed by Jackson County’s Blue Springs, a collection of springs popular with cave divers, swimmers and families seeking cool salvation from Florida’s hot summer sun. The springs stay at a constant 70 degrees year-round. Jackson County leases the springs from the state, and is dedicated to making the springs one of the county’s great attractions.

The 202-acre millpond has produced seven state record and two world record redear sunfish. Merritt’s Millpond is unique, having incredibly clear and hard water, which supports a large population of snails, a favorite treat for redear sunfish, among numerous other fish. Sport fishing is a lucrative business in Jackson County.

In the late 1800s, the Blue Springs were impounded in order to build and operate a grist mill. The mill created a reservoir—the seven-kilometer-long Merrit’s Millpond. At one time, Florida Public Utilities powered a small electric generated plant by harvested the energy of the water in the area, where the millpond dam is now located.

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Blue Springs Recreation Park

The Blue Springs Recreational Park provides more than just entertainment and relaxation. The springs produce more than 64.6 million gallons of water each day. In the summer, the park can draw up to 1,000 visitors a day, who relish the cool respite of the clear water. Hundreds of acres surround the springs, offering perfect places for family picnics and jungle gyms for the children.

Blue Springs has quickly become a renowed dive spot, attracting diving enthusiasts from across the globe. According to the Florida Geological Survey, diver reports indicate the area is underlain by caves and tunnels hundreds of feet long and that some depths approach 300 ft.

Blue Springs Recreation Area: Blue Springs Recreation Area is located at the head of a first-order magnitude spring*, which feeds the cypress lined Merritts Mill Pond. There are picnic grills, pavillions and covered tables plus swimming, volleyball, paddleboats, showers, restroom facilities, fenced playground and a concession stand . Photography and bird-watching are also excellant at this location. Bird-watchers, if you can download documents in Format, you may download a Florida Birds Checklist courtesy of The Florida Audubon Society.

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Golf Courses and Clubs

With its verdant, green rolling hills and majestic, hundred-year-old live oak trees, Jackson County is offers the perfect landscape for outstanding golf courses. No matter what your handicap, Jackson County has the perfect course, including one offering 18-holes and two with 9-holes.

The largest of the three, Indian Springs Golf Club, is located in Indian Springs, just off U.S. 90 east of Marianna. This challenging course offers yardages of 5,235, 5,961, 6,558 and 7,013 from the red, gold, white and blue tees, respectively. The distances range from the shortest, hole number 13, which is between 106 and 150 yards, depending on the tee used, to the longest, hole number 1, which is between 487 and 603 yards. The par for this challenging course is 72.

Indian Springs is open to the public seven days a week. Winter hours are 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., while during the summer, the course operates from 6 a.m. until just before dark. ISGC offers a range of reasonable prices. Weekday rates start at $23.65 for seniors and $29 for non-seniors. Weekend rates are $32.25 and include all appropriate taxes. The course occasionally will offer specials, particularly for Jackson County residents. Memberships are available for both residents and non-residents, those living outside a 25-mile radius of the clubhouse. Memberships run from Nov. 1 to Oct. 31. Prices differ based on the applicant’s residency and how many people will be included in the membership, such as a spouse or children. Junior memberships also are available for those 18 and younger. The membership allows the golfer to play without green fees being charged, and accords a tee time preference—with at least one week’s notice. Other restrictions apply.

ISGC is located at 5248 Clubhouse Drive. Call (850) 482-8787 or (800) 587-6257 for green fees and other information. Take U.S. 90 east out of Marianna. Approximately one mile east of the U.S. 90-Route 73 intersection, make a left onto Indian Springs Road. Then turn right onto Seminole Drive, followed by a right onto Appalachee Trail. Make a right onto Clubhouse Drive and continue to the clubhouse.

The convenience of a nine-hole course can be found at either Marianna Oaks or The Florida Caverns courses.

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Three Rivers State Park

Along the edge of Lake Seminole, where the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers converge, is Three Rivers State Park. Pine and hardwoods mix in this area of Florida, nestled close to the southwest Georgia border. The 682-acre park occupies two miles of shoreline along the lake, and is a perfect place for fishing, boating, hiking and relaxing.

Fox squirrels, white-tailed deer and gray foxes roam the wilderness, while stately magnolias, dogwood, pines and oak shade the numerous trails in the park. Full-facility campgrounds and modern cabins are also available for overnight stays.

Rolling hills and ravines, a special topography for Florida, dominate the area’s environment, and is reminiscent of the Appalachian Mountains, with high pineland communities and hardwood hammocks.

One of the best times to visit the park is in spring, as bright and beautiful wildflowers bloom along the various trails. Violets and trillium can be found covering the lush, green forest floor, while redbud, dogwood and wild plum trees are alight with blooms. Winter is the perfect time of year for bird-watchers as migratory waterfowl rest on Lake Seminole and songbirds fill the trees.

Fishing is probably the most popular activity at the park, as Lake Seminole is known for being one of the best sites in the country for freshwater fishing. A fishing pier is located on the northwest corner of the park and a boat ramp and dock for those visitors with watercraft.

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