
Big Bend Wildlife Management Area
Located along the Gulf Coast in Taylor and Dixie counties, the five units of the Big Bend WMA extend from the mouth of the Aucilla River to just past the town of Horseshoe Beach. Birders regularly see shorebirds, herons and egrets, waterfowl, rails and raptors. The area is renowned among butterfly enthusiasts for the variety and sheer numbers of butterflies (https://myfwc.com/recreation/lead/big-bend/butterflies/) spotted on seasonal wildflowers, particularly in the summer and fall. We recommend four areas within the WMA: Hickory Mound, Jena Unit – Road to Nowhere, Hagen’s Cove and Tide Swamp. Hagen’s Cove and Tide Swamp are only ten minutes apart by car, but the drive time between the other access points at this large WMA can be anywhere from half an hour to over an hour.
Featured Image: Reddish Egret
Sites At This Location
Tide Swamp Unit
This rustic site has an excellent nine-mile driving tour, which offers access to the scenic coastal hardwoods and managed pine forests found on this portion of the WMA. Foot and bicycle traffic is welcome year-round, and numerous tram roads meander through the area (note: some gates may be locked). Vehicular access to Horse Island Rd. (north side of CR 361, across from northernmost hunter check station) is allowed only during hunting season. Songbirds like Golden-crowned Kinglet, Orange-crowned Warbler, Hermit Thrush and White-throated Sparrow occur here in winter, and Veery, Prothonotary Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler and Blue Grosbeak turn up during spring and fall migration. Bird from your canoe or kayak on the Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail; launch at the Dallus Creek Landing boat ramp. Swallow-tailed Kite, Barred Owl and Belted Kingfisher are possible. This site is superb for butterflies in late summer and fall when carpets of wildflowers decorate the landscape. Look for Pipevine Swallowtail, Common Wood-nymph, Southern Pearly-Eye, Appalachian Brown, Southern Broken-Dash and Twin-spot Skipper. While driving or hiking, watch for Gulf Coast Box Turtles and Gopher Tortoises crossing the road or trails.
Site Information
This Site is Free to Enter
View Seasonal Hunting Information
Managing Agency
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Operational Hours: Open to public access year round.
Size: 22,484 acres
Jena Unit – Road to Nowhere
The “Road to Nowhere” is a paved road that runs from Steinhatchee for 12 miles nearly all the way to the Gulf. Birders and wildlife watchers will want to explore the southern end of the road, which skirts along the eastern boundary and eventually terminates inside the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area’s Jena Unit. From the road, scan the pools and tidal creeks for wading birds. Check the flats for shorebirds like Red Knots and Marbled Godwits. The black needle rush marsh plays host to the elusive Black Rail. Listen for them singing in March and April; early morning at sunrise is best. A bridge over a tidal creek near the road’s terminus is a good place to look and listen for Clapper Rails, which are much easier to see or hear than their smaller relative! Butterfly viewing can be very rewarding here. Look for Great Southern White, Palamedes Swallowtail, Whirlabout and Delaware Skipper. Much of the adjacent land along the road is privately owned, so be careful not to trespass. Also beware of the soft road shoulder and traffic. Boat ramps are provided along CR 361 at Sand Ridge Road, Rocky Creek Road and Sink Creek Road. They provide access to the Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve and the 105-mile Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail. Look for wading birds at the Sink Creek Rd. boat ramp.
Site Information
This Site is Free to Enter
View Seasonal Hunting Information
Managing Agency
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Operational Hours: Open to public access year round.
Size: 449 acres
Hickory Mound Impoundment
To access this superb off-the-beaten-path site, visitors have to drive 6 miles on privately-maintained Cow Creek Grade. The dirt road can be rough, but the drive is worth it. Good dike roads within the WMA surround the impoundment providing excellent vantages of brackish marsh and scattered islands of sabal palms and oaks. The southernmost edge of the site overlooks salt marsh good for Marsh Wren and Seaside Sparrow; the northernmost edge tunnels through thick, scenic, coastal hardwood swamp. An observation tower is located near the midpoint of the impoundment road; boat ramps are available as well. Wintering ducks and shorebirds are this site’s real forte. More than 20 species of duck have been recorded; Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Lesser Scaup and Hooded Merganser are common. Look for wintering and migratory shorebirds; Reddish Egret and Roseate Spoonbill can be found in the fall. In late spring, look for Gull-billed Terns, and Black Terns in late summer. During spring and fall migration more than 20 species of wood-warbler have been recorded including Kentucky and Tennessee; Hooded and Swainson’s breed in the area. Rarities such as Ross’s Goose and Lapland Longspur have been found. More than 75 butterfly species have been recorded at this site. On the west side of the impoundment, the Bat House Trail runs for one mile past a large bat house used by Brazilian Free-tailed Bats.
Site Information
This Site is Free to Enter
View Seasonal Hunting Information
Managing Agency
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Operational Hours: Open to public access year round.
Size: 14,427 acres
Hagen’s Cove
This beautiful site has an excellent viewing tower overlooking marsh, mudflats and the waters of the Gulf. Look for large flocks of shorebirds and wading birds in winter, spring and fall; a spotting scope will provide great views. Plan to arrive on an incoming tide to enjoy Marbled Godwit, Greater Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin and Western Sandpiper. Reddish Egrets are common in late summer and fall, and in winter you can find ducks such as Bufflehead and Lesser Scaup. Bald Eagles nest here and are regularly observed between October and April; look for Northern Harriers quartering the salt marsh in winter. Look and listen for Clapper Rails, Marsh Wrens and Seaside Sparrows in the salt marsh; Nelson’s Sparrows and Sedge Wrens may also be present in winter. Picturesque pine flatwoods lining the entrance drive shelter resident Wild Turkey, Brown-headed Nuthatch and Eastern Towhee.
Site Information
This Site is Free to Enter
View Seasonal Hunting Information
Managing Agency
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Operational Hours: Open to public access year round.
Size: 117 acres