St. Johns River

The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida. It flows 310 miles north from its headwaters in Indian River County to the Atlantic Ocean east of Jacksonville. Its headwaters sit only about 27 feet above its mouth, so the river drops roughly one inch per mile and flows very slowly. The river drains a basin of 8,840 square miles and passes DeLand, Palatka, Green Cove Springs and Jacksonville. Between Palatka and Jacksonville it is as much as 3 miles wide, and much of the river within Jacksonville is estuarine. The Ocklawaha River is its largest tributary. The St. Johns was named one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in 1998.

The upper 60 miles of the river, in Brevard County, pass through lakes of 350 to 4,500 acres, including Lake Hell'n Blazes, Lake Washington, Lake Winder and Lake Poinsett. This stretch is not marked for navigation, and its water level changes by about six feet a year. From Lake Monroe near Sanford downstream, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredges and maintains a navigable channel. Public launches include Hatbill Park near Titusville, the Highway 50 ramp near Christmas, Palmetto Bluff and Brown's Landing near Palatka, Governor's Creek near Green Cove Springs, and Lonnie Wurn, Arlington Lions Club Park and St Johns Marina in Jacksonville. During floods, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) declares parts of the river idle speed/no wake when set gauge heights are reached. In Duval County, the river has manatee speed zones and security zones at Naval Station Mayport, NAS Jacksonville and the port.

The river holds 183 species of fish. Largemouth bass, black crappie and bluegill draw anglers from across the country.