Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center state park Fla

[Pine_Barren]

We have been looking into going to this park maybe in October, has anybody ever stayed at this park? We like to enjoy the outdoors like hiking and bike riding also like to relax. I was wondering what everyone thought of this park. How private are the sites and things to see and do at this park and the surrounding area. I have already read the reviews on rv reviews,just wanting to hear from fellow members that have been here good or bad. Thanks in advance

[2012Coleman]

You can see pictures of all the sites and facilities here

[fla-gypsy]

The lights at Christmas in the park are a sight to enjoy.

[Dutch_12078]

We're at Stephen Foster right now, in a large partially shaded pull-thru site. We visited the carillon tower and gift/craft shops today, and we'll visit the museum when they're having live music tomorrow afternoon. I also walked about 3 miles of trails today, and it was really enjoyable. We're only here for three nights this trip, but the park is already on our list for a longer return visit next winter.

[garmp]

We totally enjoyed it. It is a beautiful park. We only spent one night passing through and was lucky to get a site on a Thursday, as that coming weekend was a antique tractor show. Very clean and well taken care of. Trails? Can't help there, but a very clean park.

[fla-gypsy]

It is a great park in "Old Florida". The sites 4-11 are excellent large shaded sites. There are many trails throughout the park, some marked and some not. You will enjoy the peace and quiet

[Pine_Barren]

Thanks for the comments sounds like it would be a nice place to go and camp for a few day.

[wxtoad]

We have stayed at Stephen Foster a number of times and enjoy it very much. The "hiking" trails are pleasant and it's also quite interesting to take a walk through the village of White Springs - some neat old buildings.

Here is a report on our stays there, with comments and pictures.

WxToad

[scrubjaysnest]

This is a great park with many miles of hiking and mtn biking trails within the park and outside also. Craft displays some weekends. The blue grass festival as mentioned. Home of the "I Did a Ride" off road mtn bike ride of 50 to 60 miles in Jan.
Suwanee Bike Assc also does two other bike events here. Canoe and kyake rentals are also available locally.
It's a short trip to Lake City also. Plenty to do in the area. For a SP this is a favorite.

[NanciL]

We love Stephen Foster Folk Cultural SP, and stay there every October for the annual Suwannee River Canoe race that we do.
It is a beautiful well kept park with a laid back atmosphere.
The museum will take you back in time with neat diaramas (spell)of the various songs that Stephen foster wrote.
With that said, the park itself is a nice place for a walk, but if you are looking for some longer distance biking, you might be disappointed.
It is fun to bike around the park.
If you are into canoeing or kayaking there is an outfitter right there in town where you can rent canoes or kayaks and arrange a shuttle

jack L

[Padlin]

We just stayed at Stephen Foster last week and really enjoyed it. There are a few trails, including the Florida Trail, in the park that were nice. They were in the process of setting up for controlled burns so they had just tilled the trails making walking kind of tough. Still it was nice but not all that long. Close by in the same town is Big Shoals State Park with much more extensive hikes, some were also tilled up for burns. The write up says the trails are good for the big tire bikes, as we didn't bring ours along I can't comment on that aspect. I would think the surrounding countryside would be decent for road biking.

The campsites were very nice and well spaced, those along the outsides of the loops had the most privacy as usual. Bathrooms were okay, like most they were clean but dated. The washing machines and dryers were all working and only $1 if I recall correctly. There are some sites in the middle of the campground that are in grassy areas, if you look with google maps you can see which. Good for those with dogs but you of course loose the privacy of the outer sites. We stayed in #20 by the grass, for the dog. Didn't try the fishing, I did see a lot of locals launching boats for fishing in the river so I'd think it was decent. I was told catfish, largemouth, and a couple kinds of perch are caught. I've never fished in black water before, but were I to try it I think I'd have hiked the trail some to get away from the developed part of the park. There was a spot along the hiking trail they had named catfish hole, maybe it really is.

FatDaddys, the only restaurant in town, is popular with the locals. We had local caught Fried Baby Catfish that were good.

For us Stephen Foster was good for 4 or 5 nights, but we don't just sit around much.

Also tried out Blackwater SP at your corner of the state, SF had more to do then Blackwater, but Blackwater had a nicer Campground. We liked both and enjoyed the quiet.

[Pine_Barren]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I'm from the panhandle and we are just looking for different places a little further away. We have nice parks up here on the far west end of the panhandle. Trails along the river would be nice and a grassy area to walk our little dog in would be nice as long as there is shade it maybe nice. Does anybody know if the fishing is good from the river bank

[agesilaus]

I don't think I'd choose SF for hiking. They have a couple of trails tho along the River and those are nice. Get out as early as possible if you want to see critters. The main part of the park consists of a band shell and large grassy area. And the main attraction that the park has is the 3 day Memorial Day weekend music festival. Mainly bluegrass type music.

I haven't actually camped at the park so I can't comment on the CG. Not much to see in the area, White Springs is a small Florida town with limited attractions. But that will be true for almost all Florida northern and panhandle parks not on a beach.

One thing, many trails in this part of the state have what we call 'sugar sand' and in my opinion it is no fun to hike in. I don't recall the conditions of the SF trails but they are along the river and generally those trails are hard packed.

I just noticed you are from the panhandle and know all of this already...heh