WATER & COAST
Steinhatchee River
Taylor County · North Florida & First Coast
A river of 34.5 miles that forms the boundary between Taylor County and Dixie County.
ABOUT THIS PLACE
It rises in Mallory Swamp, just south of Mayo in Lafayette County, and drains a basin of 586 square miles before reaching the Gulf. For about a mile near the US 19 crossing the river goes underground and runs as a subterranean stream, which is ordinary behavior for a river cutting through limestone in this part of Florida and still surprises people who are watching for it. Steinhatchee Falls sits eight miles above the mouth. The only two communities on the river are Steinhatchee and Jena, facing each other near the water, one in Taylor County and one in Dixie. Older maps and records spell the name Hittenhatchee, Esteenhatchee or Isteenhatchee. The river mouth is a working port: commercial boats land sheepshead, mullet, gag and red grouper, Spanish mackerel, white grunt, hogfish, stone crab and blue crab. Upstream the water is tannic and quiet, and paddlers use it for long unhurried trips. For anyone looking at property in this part of the Big Bend, the river is the reason the towns are where they are
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