Shortly below S.R. 241, the river begins to be obstructed with willow trees that offer a challenge in maneuvering as the lazy current picks up speed. After practicing in the small willow tangles, the paddler will be prepared for the more technical, Confusion Willow Swamp. The channel splits again and again as it enters a mile long tangle of willow trees. This section of the Santa Fe should only be paddled in normal to high water in the winter when the branches are bare by those determined canoeists who want to paddle a river from its highest put-in point. From the town of Alachua proceed north on S.R. 241 for ten miles to the bridge across the Santa Fe.
Access is on the northwest side of the bridge off a poorly maintained road.
The banks are steep with occasional swampy areas and rare, small sandbars on the curves. There are a few houses scattered on this section and some pastureland on the higher banks. With the advent of Olustee Creek, the river widens to 100 feet and is deep with ten to fifteen foot high banks. There is a road and boat ramp at this point but it is on private property and is not a public access. Olustee Creek is said to be canoeable at very high-water levels.