About
The Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve is a 413 acre parcel of undeveloped wetlands located on Florida’s Nature Coast. It consists of mixed hardwood, pine, and cabbage palm forest, tidal marshes, and several salt ponds. The Preserve has a 30 foot observation tower, salt pond boardwalk, Gulf accessible canoe/kayak dock, and a 4500 square foot Education Center. Located at 1001 Old Rock Road, just off Hwy 40 West, in Yankeetown FL, the Preserve is open daily from dawn to dusk. Directions to Preserve
If you are looking for a great place for nature photography, hiking, paddling, or bird watching come and enjoy the Preserve (Trail Map). The Education Center also has regularly scheduled talks, presentations, and other hosted events. Calendar
A mobile app, offline guide, to the Preserve is available for download from the Apple App Store and from Google Play.
History of the Preserve
In the late 1990’s the Town of Yankeetown saw an opportunity to protect and preserve a parcel of land that was to become the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve. The property was purchased with a grant from the Florida Community Trust. Development of the Preserve land and infrastructure has been accomplished with grants from the Florida Recreational Development Assistance Program, Felburn Foundation, Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the Friends of the WGP. The Preserve had its grand opening February, 2009.