St. Marks Wilderness
Located along the Gulf Coast of the Panhandle of Florida, 25 miles south of state capitol Tallahassee, St. Marks Wilderness makes up a portion of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse habitat and abundant wildlife populations make St. Marks Wilderness truly and outstanding area to behold. Visitors view wildlife across primitive saltmarshes and in hardwood swamps, freshwater pools and lakes, fragrant pine flatwoods, and pine-oak uplands. The refuge also protects 32,000 acres of Apalachee Bay that runs along the 40-some mile long coast, where visitors will see pelicans, bottlenose dolphins, manatees, sea turtles. The bay is also a popular saltwater fishing destination.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Florida |
| Size | 17,350 acres |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 30.10° N, 84.12° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 8) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedAnf Bu 50 Queens Bay Rx 0121
40 mi from the center point · 4,413 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.1 miBo Lynn's Grocery ↗St. Marks, FL
- 0.2 miSt. Marks Lighthouse ↗St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, FL
- 3.7 miSopchoppy High School Gymnasium, Old ↗Sopchoppy, FL
- 3.8 miSopchoppy School ↗Sopchoppy, FL
- 3.9 miSopchoppy Depot ↗Sopchoppy, FL
- 3.9 miPanacea Mineral Springs ↗Panacea, FL
- 6.5 miMount Beasor Primitive Baptist Church ↗Sopchoppy, FL
- 10 miOld Wakulla County Courthouse ↗Crawfordville, FL
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Florida
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is St. Marks Wilderness?
17,350 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages St. Marks Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is St. Marks Wilderness in?
Florida.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was St. Marks Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to St. Marks Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 30.101° N, 84.117° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near St. Marks Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Anf Bu 50 Queens Bay Rx 0121 at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near St. Marks Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Bo Lynn's Grocery and St. Marks Lighthouse.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.