Wright Lake Recreation Area North of Eastpoint
Open year round
Summer hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Winter hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fees: Day use $ 3; Overnight camping $ 10
Wright Lake Recreation Area (and Hickory Landing) are located approximately 25 miles north (on Hwy 65, Eastpoint, FL) of the Gulf of Mexico by car in an area known as the Forgotten Coast. These two hidden gems provide easy access to the Apalachicola River, known for its sport fishing, boating and paddling; you’ll never run out of things to do! It’s also an easy ride down to the Gulf of Mexico.
This recreation area is adjacent to Hickory Landing. The site offers both a day use area for picnicking and hiking, and a campground in a beautiful forest setting along one portion of the lakeshore. The campground includes 18 campsites suitable for RV and tent camping. Each campsite includes picnic tables, grills, tent pads and fire rings. A large bathhouse includes hot showers and flushing toilets. RVers can access the nearby dump station just beyond the entrance gate.
There’s a common area facing the lake, where visitors can grill out, play games and enjoy star gazing at night. Electric trolling motors or paddle boats are welcome. A great place for nature viewing, the area around Wright Lake is one of the best places in the Apalachicola National Forest to see pitcher plants, which bloom en masse in late March through early April.
One of the more ecologically diverse hikes, Wright Lake Trail also offers the best opportunities to see pitcher plants in bloom. Along its 5-mile route, you’ll walk along creeks, balance on a one-beam-wide bridge through floodplain forest and see red-cockaded woodpecker nests and pitcher plant bogs.
Hook up your boat and head down to Hickory Landing, which has a free boat ramp, located less than a mile away. Within minutes enjoy your favorite watersport or head out to the Gulf!
Wright Lake has ample space for large trailers to pull into each campsite. A volunteer host lives on site to assist visitors.
Interested in what wildlife can be viewed in this area? Click here to learn more.
For more information on hiking click here.
Directions: From the intersection of Hwy 98 and SR 65 in Eastpoint, drive north on SR 65 for 22.8 miles. Turn left onto FR 101 (Wright Lake Rd) and follow it west for 1.5 miles to the Wright Lake Recreation Area entrance on the right. Turn right and follow the entrance road up to the kiosk.