Dead Lakes State Recreation Area, Recreation area in Gulf County, Florida.
Dead Lakes State Recreation Area spans 83 acres of natural land where longleaf pines, magnolia trees, and bald cypress stand in dark waters. A boat ramp at 510 Gary Rowell Road provides water access, with facilities including bathrooms, showers, and a fish cleaning station.
The site operated as a fish hatchery under the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission from 1936 to 1951. It was then converted to serve the public as a recreation area.
The water body connects to Wewahitchka, where local beekeepers continue collecting honey from tupelo trees that thrive in the surrounding swamp. This practice shapes how residents relate to the land and remains central to the region's identity.
Access to the water is straightforward through the boat ramp at 510 Gary Rowell Road, where basic facilities are available on-site. Be prepared for changing water levels and variable visibility in the dark water.
The lakes formed when sandbars from the Apalachicola River blocked the Chipola River, creating a 6,700-acre water body filled with submerged cypress remains. This geological process gives the location its distinctive appearance and dark water.
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