Barrier Islands of Franklin County
Franklin County boasts four barrier islands: St. George Island, Dog Island, Little St. George and St. Vincent Island. Running roughly parallel to the coast several miles offshore, these islands separate the fertile waters of Apalachicola Bay from the Gulf of Mexico.
St. George Island - St. George Island is the largest island of the four barrier islands. Measuring approximately 22 miles in length, the width of this narrow band of sand varies from one-quarter mile to just over a mile. At its highest it measures a full 12 feet above sea level. The island is home to about 700 full-time residents and thousands of seasonal guests. Vacationers can choose from a variety of beach homes are available for rent in all price ranges. Lodging is also available at two Island hotels. If it’s fish or crabs you want to catch, come to St. George where even the novice fisherman can bring home a fanciful treat for the evening meal. If you’ve made up your mind that you are truly on vacation and cooking is not on the agenda, St. George has a wide variety of eateries that serve only the freshest local seafood. Enjoy oysters surfside or a formal dinner in luxurious surroundings. St. George Island also has a number of great shops that include beach supplies, clothing, gifts, books bike rentals and more.
St. George is one of the last inhabited, yet unspoiled, sea islands of Florida. The east end of the island is occupied by St. George Island State Park. The 1,800 acre park features picnic areas with bathhouses, boardwalks, observation decks, nature trails and camping facilities. Portions of the rest of the island have also been purchased by the State. Development on the island has been orderly (minimum 1 acre lots unless platted prior to 1979) and the beauty of the land is well protected by low density zoning regulations and strict building codes (minimum 1,000 square foot houses). The island offers stretches of beautiful uncrowded beaches for sunning and shelling, clear Gulf waters for swimming and sailing, excellent fishing in the Gulf and the Bay, and pristine marsh and wooded areas for wildlife lovers and birdwatchers.
Little St. George Island - Officially known as Cape St. George, this island used to be part of the larger St. George Island. In 1957, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers opened a permanent pass to shorten the time required for fishing boats to get from Apalachicola to the open Gulf. The island, almost three square miles in area, bends like an arm partially extended. It is entirely owned by the State, is operated by the Department of Environmental Protection as part of the St. George Island State Park. Camping is allowed on the island but campers are required to notify the State Park when they plan to be there. The island is only accessible by private boat. Barrier Islands Page 2
Dog Island - Dog Island is the smallest inhabited island of the chain. A single sand road leading from the ferry dock meanders by about 100 homes and the eight-room Pelican Inn. Most of the homes are vacation homes as only 20 residents permanently live on the three square mile island. Most of the island is a nature preserve and the visitors who come find themselves alone with the peace of marsh and pine forest, a beach and an endless horizon. In the fall and early spring, the island is alive with migrating birds. Rest and relaxation is what visitors find here. For most guests, days on Dog Island stretch luxuriantly, like a long nap in a hammock. They begin at sunrise, with a dip in the ocean and a stroll along the beach. Shells, many unbroken by the gentle Gulf surf, crunch underfoot. A walk will take you through the “mountains,” actually a relic dune line, now ringed with gnarled sand pine and live oak. Soon the path opens and reveals, in one vista, the sweep of a barrier island: on one side, sea and dunes, the other side marsh and the bay beyond. Visitors must arrange their own transportation to the island (a ferry service is available in Carrabelle) and there is no land transportation or facilities.
St. Vincent Island - St. Vincent Island is not a typical coastal barrier island. It is triangular in shape, nine miles long, four miles wide on the east end and gradually forms a narrow point at the west end. The whole 12,358-acre island is a National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Before federal acquisition, the island was privately owned and had been used as a private hunting and fishing preserve. The owners introduced some exotic species that included zebra, eland, sambar deer and black buck. All of the zebra and eland were removed before the refuge was established. Sambar deer, a large deer native to Asia, became acclimatized and a small herd still thrives. Refuge officials have recently tried introducing red wolves to the island with great success.
Public use of St. Vincent Island is based on the concept that the island will retain its primitive atmosphere while providing opportunity for high quality outdoor experiences. Some 14 miles of beaches along the south and east shores of the refuge are open for daytime public use throughout the year. Freshwater fishing is permitted in a series of small lakes and ponds during certain times of the year. No boat motors are permitted in the freshwater fishing areas. Managed hunts for deer and hogs are held annually. Information on managed hunts is available from the refuge manager.
Those who wish to explore the interior of the island request a permit from the refuge manager. Camping is limited to that authorized in conjunction with planned hunts. More information may be obtained by contacting the Refuge at (850) 653-8808.
St. George Island - St. George Island is the largest island of the four barrier islands. Measuring approximately 22 miles in length, the width of this narrow band of sand varies from one-quarter mile to just over a mile. At its highest it measures a full 12 feet above sea level. The island is home to about 700 full-time residents and thousands of seasonal guests. Vacationers can choose from a variety of beach homes are available for rent in all price ranges. Lodging is also available at two Island hotels. If it’s fish or crabs you want to catch, come to St. George where even the novice fisherman can bring home a fanciful treat for the evening meal. If you’ve made up your mind that you are truly on vacation and cooking is not on the agenda, St. George has a wide variety of eateries that serve only the freshest local seafood. Enjoy oysters surfside or a formal dinner in luxurious surroundings. St. George Island also has a number of great shops that include beach supplies, clothing, gifts, books bike rentals and more.
St. George is one of the last inhabited, yet unspoiled, sea islands of Florida. The east end of the island is occupied by St. George Island State Park. The 1,800 acre park features picnic areas with bathhouses, boardwalks, observation decks, nature trails and camping facilities. Portions of the rest of the island have also been purchased by the State. Development on the island has been orderly (minimum 1 acre lots unless platted prior to 1979) and the beauty of the land is well protected by low density zoning regulations and strict building codes (minimum 1,000 square foot houses). The island offers stretches of beautiful uncrowded beaches for sunning and shelling, clear Gulf waters for swimming and sailing, excellent fishing in the Gulf and the Bay, and pristine marsh and wooded areas for wildlife lovers and birdwatchers.
Little St. George Island - Officially known as Cape St. George, this island used to be part of the larger St. George Island. In 1957, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers opened a permanent pass to shorten the time required for fishing boats to get from Apalachicola to the open Gulf. The island, almost three square miles in area, bends like an arm partially extended. It is entirely owned by the State, is operated by the Department of Environmental Protection as part of the St. George Island State Park. Camping is allowed on the island but campers are required to notify the State Park when they plan to be there. The island is only accessible by private boat. Barrier Islands Page 2
Dog Island - Dog Island is the smallest inhabited island of the chain. A single sand road leading from the ferry dock meanders by about 100 homes and the eight-room Pelican Inn. Most of the homes are vacation homes as only 20 residents permanently live on the three square mile island. Most of the island is a nature preserve and the visitors who come find themselves alone with the peace of marsh and pine forest, a beach and an endless horizon. In the fall and early spring, the island is alive with migrating birds. Rest and relaxation is what visitors find here. For most guests, days on Dog Island stretch luxuriantly, like a long nap in a hammock. They begin at sunrise, with a dip in the ocean and a stroll along the beach. Shells, many unbroken by the gentle Gulf surf, crunch underfoot. A walk will take you through the “mountains,” actually a relic dune line, now ringed with gnarled sand pine and live oak. Soon the path opens and reveals, in one vista, the sweep of a barrier island: on one side, sea and dunes, the other side marsh and the bay beyond. Visitors must arrange their own transportation to the island (a ferry service is available in Carrabelle) and there is no land transportation or facilities.
St. Vincent Island - St. Vincent Island is not a typical coastal barrier island. It is triangular in shape, nine miles long, four miles wide on the east end and gradually forms a narrow point at the west end. The whole 12,358-acre island is a National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Before federal acquisition, the island was privately owned and had been used as a private hunting and fishing preserve. The owners introduced some exotic species that included zebra, eland, sambar deer and black buck. All of the zebra and eland were removed before the refuge was established. Sambar deer, a large deer native to Asia, became acclimatized and a small herd still thrives. Refuge officials have recently tried introducing red wolves to the island with great success.
Public use of St. Vincent Island is based on the concept that the island will retain its primitive atmosphere while providing opportunity for high quality outdoor experiences. Some 14 miles of beaches along the south and east shores of the refuge are open for daytime public use throughout the year. Freshwater fishing is permitted in a series of small lakes and ponds during certain times of the year. No boat motors are permitted in the freshwater fishing areas. Managed hunts for deer and hogs are held annually. Information on managed hunts is available from the refuge manager.
Those who wish to explore the interior of the island request a permit from the refuge manager. Camping is limited to that authorized in conjunction with planned hunts. More information may be obtained by contacting the Refuge at (850) 653-8808.
