Where Florida’s peninsula transitions into the panhandle, a 220 mile scenic byway introduces sightseers and byway travelers to the Big Bend. This coastal region is filled with a diverse mix of natural beauty, ranging from the pine and hardwood hammocks to the coastal dunes, salt marshes, bays and beaches. Its spring fed rivers, including the world’s largest spring, adds a variety of recreation sites for any outdoor lover.
   Here on the Big Bend, the byway circles the Apalachicola National Forest just to the south of Tallahassee, and covers the coastal shores between the towns of Newport and Apalachicola. A long list of attractions (over two dozen) offers a strong hint that this byway requires multiple day outings. The byway covers nine parks, three wildlife preserves, national and state forests, five local scenic drives, and various Forgotten Coast beaches and recreation areas.
   Some of the byway features are found at the Ralph G. Kendrick Dwarf Cypress Dome at Tate’s Hell, the St. George Sound Scenic Drive, St. Mark’s Wildlife Refuge, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park and the historic town of Apalachicola.
   Here along the Big Bend, the byway's coastal towns still thrive on the bountiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This view on Apalachicola Bay captures a cluster of shrimp boats tugging on their mooring lines, ready for a day on the Gulf. Lighthouses continue to mark the Big Bend's picturesque river inlets and dangerous shoals, assuring fishermen that their home port is nearby. And each day is capped off with another unique west coast sunset.

     Byway Map