Big Bend Scenic Byway

Florida

National Scenic Byway

Map

Byway Details

Designation
National Scenic Byway
Length
190 mi in Florida

About Big Bend Scenic Byway

The Big Bend Scenic Byway is a 190-mile drive through the Apalachicola Ranger District of the National Forests in Florida. It links a string of small communities along the way, including Sumatra, Carrabelle, Panacea, Sopchoppy, Fort Braden and St. Marks. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to make the drive. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Wewahitchka show April highs around 78°F and October highs around 80°F, while July and August bring highs near 89°F and the most wet days of the year. Trails sit right along the route. The Florida Trail, Apalachicola East and the West Hiking Loop are all within a few tenths of a mile. For an overnight stay, Porter Hunt Camp & Trailhead is about 1.2 miles away.

Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Oct–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 63–85°F and lows of 40–62°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Wewahitchka, FL weather station, 15 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.

  1. Jan63° high40° low
  2. Feb66° high43° low
  3. Mar72° high49° low
  4. Apr78° high54° low
  5. May85° high62° low
  6. Jun88° high69° low
  7. Jul89° high72° low
  8. Aug89° high72° low
  9. Sep86° high68° low
  10. Oct80° high58° low
  11. Nov71° high47° low
  12. Dec65° high42° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Towns along the route
Sumatra · Carrabelle · Panacea · Sopchoppy · Fort Braden · St. Marks

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for National Forests in Florida as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)

    Big Bend Scenic Byway — Scenic drive in Florida | Roamze