STATE PARK CAMPGROUND EVACUATIONS AND PARK CLOSURES FOR TROPICAL STORM COLIN

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Media Advisory: June 6, 2016

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

STATE PARK CAMPGROUND EVACUATIONS AND PARK CLOSURES FOR TROPICAL STORM COLIN

~Evacuation of state park campgrounds and park closures to ensure visitor safety~


TALLAHASSEE, Fla.The Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service announces the evacuation of campgrounds and closure of several additional state parks across Central and North Florida due to imminent weather conditions including strong winds and rain.

Since the advisory issued earlier today, these campgrounds have also been evacuated:

  • Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach
    (Flagler County)
  • Hillsborough River State Park, Thonotosassa (Hillsborough County)
  • Ochlockonee River State Park, Sopchoppy (Wakulla County)
  • St. Andrews State Park (some campsites), Panama City (Bay County)

Since the advisory issued earlier today, these state parks have also been closed:

  • Econfina River State Park, Econfina (Madison and Taylor counties)
  • Hillsborough River State Park, Thonotosassa (Hillsborough County)
  • Ochlockonee River State Park, Sopchoppy (Wakulla County)
  • San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park, St. Marks (Wakulla County)
  • Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, Tampa Bay (Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties)

As announced earlier today, the following state park campgrounds have been evacuated and remain closed:

  • Anastasia State Park, St. Augustine (St. Johns County)
  • Anclote Key Preserve State Park, near Tarpon Springs (Pasco County)
  • Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin (Pinellas County)
  • Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park, St. George Island
    (Franklin County)
  • Fanning Springs State Park, Fanning Springs (Levy County)
  • Faver-Dykes State Park, St. Augustine (St. Johns County)
  • Fort Clinch State Park, Fernandina Beach (Nassua County)
  • Lafayette Blue Spring State Park, Mayo (Suwannee County)
  • Lake Griffin State Park, Fruitland Park (Lake County)
  • Little Talbot Island State Park, Jacksonville (Duval County)
  • Manatee Springs State Park, Chiefland (Dixie County)
  • Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, Rodman, Shangri-La,
    Ross Prairie and Santos campgrounds (multiple counties)
  • Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park, Keystone Heights (Clay County)
  • O’Leno State Park, High Springs (Alachua County)
  • Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Micanopy (Alachua County)
  • Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon (Marion County)
  • River Rise Preserve State Park, High Springs (Alachua County)
  • Rock Springs Run Reserve, Apopka (Orange, Lake and Seminole counties)
  • Sebastian Inlet State Park, Marina Campground, Melbourne Beach
    (Brevard County)
  • St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere (Brevard and Indian River counties)
  • Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, White Springs
    (Hamilton County)
  • Suwannee River State Park, Live Oak (Hamilton and Columbia counties)
  • Tomoka State Park, Ormond Beach (Volusia County)
  • Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka (Orange, Lake and Seminole counties)

These state parks remain closed until further notice:

  • Anclote Key Preserve State Park, near Tarpon Springs (Pasco County)
  • Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin (Pinellas County)
  • Cedar Key Museum State Park, Cedar Key (Levy County)
  • Cedar Key Scrub Preserve State Park, Cedar Key (Levy County)
  • Crystal River Archaeological State Park, Crystal River (Citrus County)
  • Crystal River Preserve State Park, Crystal River (Citrus County)
  • Egmont Key, Tampa Bay (Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties)
  • Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, the Withlacoochee Bay Trail segment (Levy County)
  • Silver Springs State Park, Wild Waters Water Park, Ocala (Marion County)
  • Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, five river camps and Anderson’s Landing (multiple counties)
  • Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee (Hernando County)
  • Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park, Port Richey (Pasco County)
  • Ybor City Museum State Park, Ybor City (Hillsborough County)

Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gilchrist, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Pasco, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia and Wakulla.

Florida's State Park system is one of the largest in the country with 174 state parks, trails and historic sites covering nearly 800,000 acres. For more about Florida State Parks and closure updates, visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/.

The 2016 Atlantic Hurricane season runs from June 1 – November 30. For additional information about severe weather in Florida, and to Get A Plan, visit FloridaDisaster.org and FLGetAPlan.com. Follow the State Emergency Response Team on Twitter at @FLSERT and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FloridaSERT.