Shired Island–Dixie County’s Hideaway-And A Great Spot To Fish Natural North Florida

Posted on by Tommy Thompson
The Shired Island Boat ramp allows launching into Shired Creek, with quick access to the Gulf
The Shired Island Boat ramp allows launching into Shired Creek, with quick access to the Gulf
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The Dixie Mainline Loop runs between Horseshoe Beach and Suwannee, FL. It’s a graded, mostly single-track limestone road.

What Florida’s Dixie County doesn’t have in the way of population or big cities (Cross City is the “big city”!), it makes up for in laid-back and remote coastal towns.  While Suwannee and Horseshoe Beach are the most prominent spots on the map (they have restaurants, marinas, condos to rent and  boat ramps), Shired Island is just a “spot” at the end of a 9-mile drive south from the intersection of lonely CR351 and  CR357 (there’s a sign!). And CR357 isn’t a busy road either, as it connects downtown Cross City and US19 to Horseshoe Beach.  As someone once said, “you have to want to go to Shired Island to go to Shired Island”!

If you’re a fisherman, or someone looking for a nice primitive camping adventure, consider heading to Shired Island.  There, you’ll find a nice boat ramp that can handle small boats, including airboats, shallow draft flats skiff and of course, paddlecraft.  You can also launch from the beach at the park’s campground, which has a restroom, cold showers and garbage containers.
Shired Creek is just one of the many coastal creeks feeding into the Gulf of Mexico near Shired Island
Shired Creek is just one of the many coastal creeks feeding into the Gulf of Mexico near Shired Island
There's a beach at the Shired Island Park campground, as well as a short fishing pier.
There’s a beach at the Shired Island Park campground, as well as a short fishing pier.  The beach is a short walk from the camping area.
While shallow-draft boats are useful, wading some of the many shell and oyster bars in the area will get you more fish!
While shallow-draft boats are useful, wading some of the many shell and oyster bars in the area will get you more fish!

If camping’s not your thing, you might want to consider staying in either Horseshoe Beach or Cross City.  Suwannee is a possibility, and there’s a shortcut (The Dixie Mainline) between CR357 and CR449 at Suwannee.  Compass Realty in Horseshoe Beach is a good place to contact regarding lodging there, and I highly recommend the Putnam Lodge in Cross City for lodging and food.

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