Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuge in Dixie County, Florida.

Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge covers 53,000 acres in southeastern Dixie and northwestern Levy counties, about fifty miles southwest of Gainesville. It holds twenty miles of Suwannee River estuary and twenty miles of Gulf coastline, where offshore islands and tidal creeks meet salt marshes, cypress domes, pine forests and bottomland hardwood swamps. Boardwalks and observation towers overlook the habitat.

This sanctuary was established in 1979, converting former timber lands into protected habitat. The creation of the refuge marked a shift toward preserving coastal delta ecosystems for long-term conservation.

The Shell Mound, a midden about 9 metres (30 ft) high, stands within the refuge and may be as much as 3,000 years old. It is the clearest surviving trace of the people who lived along this river delta before European settlement, and other evidence of ancient habitation lies nearby.

Access is available through Nature Drive in one county and Dixie Mainline in another, with numerous walking and driving options. Prepare for changing water levels and damp conditions, especially during warmer months.

The refuge is home to the Florida salt marsh vole, a species found nowhere else in the world. More than 250 bird species share the area with other native animals.