Pitt and Sylvan Spring Recreation Area

This family-friendly site is part of the 41,000-acre Econfina Creek Water Management Area owned by the Northwest Florida Water Management District. As a popular swimming hole, this site can be busy on warm afternoons, but early mornings in spring and summer, it offers a nice access to slope/floodplain forest popular with breeding raptors and songbirds like Broad-winged Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, Red-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Northern Parula, and Kentucky Warbler. Resident species such as Carolina Wren and Pileated Woodpecker can be found and in the winter, look for Cedar Waxwing, Blue-headed Vireo and Hermit Thrush; the habitat looks good for scarce winter visitors such as Golden-crowned Kinglet and Winter Wren so be on the lookout for them. The shaded hiking trail from Sylvan Spring to Williford Spring is beautiful; look for migratory birds such as Louisiana Waterthrush. Botanists and dragonfly enthusiasts will enjoy this site and if you like to paddle or tube there is a launch point for Econfina Creek. Nearby canoe concessionaires can offer advice on routes and creek conditions; like many Panhandle creeks, the Econfina can be fast flowing and challenging with occasional obstructions that may require portages.