The Unique River Sinks

A friend first took me to River Sinks south of Tallahassee in 1979. In waning afternoon light, we viewed the slanting sun rays as they struck azure pools of water, and we admired large pine and hardwood trees towering over the sinks. She swore me to secrecy with a promise that I wouldn’t tell anyone about them. “They’re special,” she said.

In the 1980s, the manager of the River Sinks tract, the U.S. Forest Service, sought to trade the area because it wasn’t contiguous to the main body of the national forest, making it difficult to manage. A group was formed, Save Our Sinks, and they helped to raise awareness about the uniqueness of River Sinks and their importance to the aquifer. Cave divers began to explore the underground connections and it was soon apparent that the nearby Leon Sinks was connected to River Sinks and then to Wakulla Springs. Most of the river sinks remained in public ownership, and it became apparent that they were special to a lot of people.

Eventually, the state of Florida bought the connecting tract between Leon Sinks and the main River Sinks tract. The tract extends across 319 on the west side, too, to protect more sinks.On a recent hike through the River Sinks tract, my twenty-something daughter was my guide since she knew the trails better than I did. We gazed in wonder at Sister Sinks, also called Promise and Go Between Sinks. A narrow land bridge separates the two. Then we hiked to Keeney Sink, which is a favorite swimming hole of Cheyenne and her friends during warmer months. The sinks looked just as they did in 1979, with tall trees and little trash. The key is to have people hike in, like at Cherokee Sink.

The River Springs tract is easy to reach. Drive down Crawfordville Highway (319) about five miles past Capital Circle. About a half mile after the Leon Sinks Tract on the right, turn left onto CJ Spears Road. The parking area is immediately on the right. Signs mark a two mile loop trail through the state park property, but once on Forest Service property, the trails are not marked. It is best to go with a friend who knows the area or take a GPS unit. Occasionally, the Friends of Wakulla Springs organizes a hike through the area. So, check out River Sinks and see for yourself how special they are.