Bulow Creek - Plantation Ruins to Smith Creek Landing
Northeast Florida · Flagler County · Bulow Creek
A 6.5-mile salt-marsh paddle down Bulow Creek from Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park to Smith Creek Landing, through tidal marsh and hammock in coastal Flagler County.
Launch location
A close map of the verified put-in, and a link to open it in your maps app for directions.
- Open launch map — Bulow Plantation Ruins launch29.43440, -81.13700
- Open launch map — Walter Boardman Lane Bridge launch29.40730, -81.12180
- Open launch map — Smith Creek Landing29.40960, -81.10090
Why paddle here
- A quiet, wild coastal-creek run from the Bulow Plantation Ruins down 6.5 miles of tidal Bulow Creek to Smith Creek Landing, winding through salt marsh and oak hammock apart from the busier Tomoka.
Launches, parking and access
Where you actually put the boat in, how far you carry it and over what. This is the part official sources are worst at, so it is the part we say most plainly — including where we do not know yet.
Bulow Plantation Ruins launch
Main launch- Launch type
- Historic state park river landing
- Access
- Public access
- Put-in
- 29.43440, -81.13700· open in Maps
- Fees
State park entry fee
High confidence- Parking
- High confidence
- Carry to the water
- Carry not yet measured
Nobody has checked this yet.Report the carry — How far did you carry your boat from the parking area to the water?
- How hard that carry is
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Rate the carry — How hard was that carry with a loaded boat?
- Ground you cross
- Not yet recorded
Nobody has checked this yet.Describe the ground — What did you cross on the way — pavement, sand, stairs, loose trail?
- Boat cart
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report cart use — Could you use a boat cart the whole way, or did you have to carry?
- Unloading
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report unloading — Could you unload beside the water before parking, or carry the whole way?
- Restrooms and rinse
- Not yet measured from the launch
Nobody has checked this yet.Report facilities — How close are the restrooms and showers to this launch?
The put-in at Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park; check the park gate hours before launching.
Walter Boardman Lane Bridge launch
- Launch type
- Bridge access
- Access
- Public access
- Put-in
- 29.40730, -81.12180· open in Maps
- Fees
None
High confidence- Parking
- High confidence
- Carry to the water
- Carry not yet measured
Nobody has checked this yet.Report the carry — How far did you carry your boat from the parking area to the water?
- How hard that carry is
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Rate the carry — How hard was that carry with a loaded boat?
- Ground you cross
- Not yet recorded
Nobody has checked this yet.Describe the ground — What did you cross on the way — pavement, sand, stairs, loose trail?
- Boat cart
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report cart use — Could you use a boat cart the whole way, or did you have to carry?
- Unloading
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report unloading — Could you unload beside the water before parking, or carry the whole way?
- Restrooms and rinse
- Not yet measured from the launch
Nobody has checked this yet.Report facilities — How close are the restrooms and showers to this launch?
A mid-creek access at the Walter Boardman Lane bridge, useful to shorten the trip.
Smith Creek Landing
- Launch type
- River landing take-out
- Access
- Public access
- Put-in
- 29.40960, -81.10090· open in Maps
- Fees
None
High confidence- Parking
- High confidence
- Carry to the water
- Carry not yet measured
Nobody has checked this yet.Report the carry — How far did you carry your boat from the parking area to the water?
- How hard that carry is
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Rate the carry — How hard was that carry with a loaded boat?
- Ground you cross
- Not yet recorded
Nobody has checked this yet.Describe the ground — What did you cross on the way — pavement, sand, stairs, loose trail?
- Boat cart
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report cart use — Could you use a boat cart the whole way, or did you have to carry?
- Unloading
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report unloading — Could you unload beside the water before parking, or carry the whole way?
- Restrooms and rinse
- Not yet measured from the launch
Nobody has checked this yet.Report facilities — How close are the restrooms and showers to this launch?
The downstream take-out at Smith Creek Landing.
Routes
Difficulty belongs to the route, not the location. One place can offer a beginner loop and an advanced crossing.
Bulow Plantation Ruins to Smith Creek Landing
Not yet ratedOne way (shuttle)· 6.5 mi· Shuttle requiredPut in at Bulow Plantation Ruins launch, take out at Smith Creek Landing.
A 6.5-mile one-way paddle from the Bulow Plantation ruins to Smith Creek Landing through tidal salt marsh. Navigation can be tricky where channels branch - carry a GPS, map and compass and watch the park gate hours.
Help verify this route
Have you paddled Bulow Plantation Ruins to Smith Creek Landing (6.5 mi)?
- How long did it take you, and at what pace?Report the time — How long did it take you, and at what pace?
- How difficult did this route actually feel?Rate the difficulty — How difficult did this route actually feel?
What conditions do here
How much each factor typically governs a trip at this location.
These are not live conditions. This describes how much each factor typically governs a trip here. Always check the current forecast, tide table and river level before you launch.
- Wind
- Plan around it
- Current
- Not yet assessed
- Tide
- Plan around it
- Boat traffic
- Minor factor
Planning
- Exposure
- Tidal salt marsh and hammock creek
- Seasonal
- Tidal year-round; wind and tide shape the marsh crossings. Summer heat, sun, insects and storms. Mind park gate hours.
- Best time of day
- Morning
- Reservations & permits
- State park entry; mind gate hours; shuttle required
Hazards
Easy to get lost
Confusing salt-marsh navigation with branching look-alike channels
Tidal timing matters
tide and wind
Other
park gate timing
Heat and sun exposure
heat and insects.
Salt-marsh navigation here can be genuinely difficult - channels branch and look alike, and it is easy to take a wrong turn. Carry a GPS, map and compass, mind the tide, and confirm the state park's gate opening and closing times before you launch.
Amenities and craft
Craft suited to this water
Bringing your own boat: Yes
Amenities
- Restrooms — not recorded
- Showers — not recorded
- Picnic area — not recorded
- Food nearby — not recorded
- Drinking water — not recorded
What you will see
Rentals and outfitters
No outfitter recorded here. Bring your own boat, or check nearby locations.
PaddlePin tips
Run Bulow Creek point-to-point from the plantation ruins to Smith Creek Landing and set a shuttle. The salt marsh can be a maze of look-alike channels, so carry a GPS, map and compass, and check the park's gate hours so you are not locked in at the ruins.
High confidenceBest Time of Day: Morning
High confidenceSafety Notes: Salt-marsh navigation here can be genuinely difficult - channels branch and look alike, and it is easy to take a wrong turn. Carry a GPS, map and compass, mind the tide, and confirm the state park's gate opening and closing times before you launch.
High confidence
Been here? Help keep it accurate
PaddlePin is researched from official sources. Paddlers who have actually been are how it stays true.
Contributions are reviewed before anything on this page changes. PaddlePin stays the researched directory — your report is evidence we check, not an edit to it.
Sources
Where this information came from, and when we last read it.
- Primary source — floridadep.gov, read
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