TL;DR of Unit Management Plans - Historic White Springs

2005 Public Lands Management Plan (page 55-6)

Woodpecker Trail. The Woodpecker Trail will be a multi-purpose paved recreational trail that is envisioned to connect BSPL with Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park and the Town of White Springs. The first phase of the Trail was completed in 2004 with funding from the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) program and connects the Little Shoals and Godwin Bridge entrances within BSPL. The meandering trail is separated from existing service roads by a vegetative buffer, except where limited by environmental conditions. The 10-foot wide asphalt trail will serve pedestrians, skaters and bicyclists.

Several options exist to extend the Woodpecker Trail into White Springs. One option is for the trail to be aligned along the State Road 135 corridor and local roads in White Springs. Trail connections beyond the BSPL boundary will require the support and initiative of other government agencies to secure funding and ensure operational and public safety issues are adequately addressed. A second option is to route the trail west from the Little Shoals Entrance and then south through the Barnett Tract of the Swift Creek Conservation Area (SCCA), across US 41 and then west through other tracts of the SCCA towards Stephen Foster Folk Culture State Park. Existing jeep trails on these public lands provide a logical trail corridor. Advantages of the latter option include less potential conflicts with vehicular traffic and the reduced need for ROW acquisition. However, environmental constraints on the SCCA may prove challenging to constructing a paved shared use trail. Whatever routing is pursued, completing the vision of the Woodpecker Trail is considered important to its viability as a recreational trail. It is recommended that representatives from the Division, SRWMD, Hamilton County, White Springs, DOT and the bicycling community discuss the merits of these two routings and develop a plan to complete the Woodpecker Trail. Both alternative routings are included on the BSPL Conceptual Land Use Plan.

2025 Big Shoals Management Plan (page 55)

Woodpecker Trail

Objective: Expand trail connectivity between state parks through inter-agency collaboration.

The woodpecker trail is a multi-use paved recreational trail that travels throughout the BSPL. A multi-purpose paved recreational trail is envisioned to connect BSPL with Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park and the Town of White Springs. The first phase of the Trail was completed in 2004 with funding from the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) program and connects the Little Shoals and Godwin entrances within BSPL.

Several options exist to extend the Woodpecker Trail into White Springs. One option is for the trail to be aligned along the State Road 135 corridor and local roads in White Springs. A second option is to route the trail from the Little Shoals Entrance and then south through the Barnett Tract of the Swift Creek Conservation Area (SCCA), across US 41 and then west through other tracts of the SCCA towards Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.

Trail connections beyond the BSPL boundary will require coordination and implementation efforts with other government agencies and landowners to secure funding and ensure operational and public safety.Specifically, representatives from DRP, SRWMD, Hamilton County, White Springs, DOT, and cycling community members will have to develop a plan.