What is the Vista Camp?

The Vista Camp's idyllic 14-acre site on the banks of the lower Suwannee River is at the heart of Refuge lands making it an ideal setting for visitors to connect to the unspoiled Florida wild lands and waters of the Nature Coast. The size and importance of the Lower Suwannee NWR can be appreciated since the sweeping views encompass both the Dixie and Levy sides of the Refuge. This final 13 river miles of the majestic Suwannee River remain undeveloped thanks to the Lower Suwannee NWR.
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Dawn at Vista by Ed Holland
Besides the location itself, the Vista Camp holds an unparalleled collection of Old Florida buildings and stands as the only public historic cultural site on the Lower Suwannee River. Built in the 1930s by the Cummer Cypress Company as a hunting and fishing camp for company executives, Vista is a rare time-capsule glimpse into 20th-century Suwannee River life. These structures, are constructed using lumber that was common in the early part of the 19th century but will likely never exist again, reflecting the people who came before us and help to shape the identity of a place. If lost, these old buildings will be gone forever—they cannot be authentically recreated. ​
We hope that one day, the majestic river-front setting, planned interpretive walkways, and historic camp buildings will tell visitors a compelling story of the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge’s conservation role in the area's wildlife corridor.
Vista can be a place to enjoy, and learn about the Refuge.
Currently, Vista is open to the public only for special occasions, such as the Friends’ Annual Meeting, Junior Ranger days, and scheduled photography, art, birding, and butterflying field trips. Friends’ goal is to make it available dawn to dusk, the same as the rest of the Refuge.

A Place Connecting People to Nature

Our hope is for Vista to become the Refuge's education center. In the near-term it might include a self-guided interpretive walk and an outdoor hub for the Junior Ranger program. In the future it might be a place to coordinate, facilitate, enhance and expand Refuge programs such as:
  • exploration of wild lands by paddling, walking and bicycling
  • scientific research
  • public talks and classes
  • wildlife exhibits such as the story of Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River 
  • art events
  • river cleanups
  • advocacy
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Former Friends' president Jay Bushnell with Junior Rangers
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The Vista houseboat by Mark Gluckman