Palatlakaha River

{{short description|River in the United States of America}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

The Palatlakaha River is a river in Lake County, Florida. It forms the principal headwater of the Ocklawaha River, a tributary of St. Johns River. The source of the Palatlakaha River is at Lake Louisa, itself fed from the Green Swamp by two streams known as Big Creek and Little Creek.

From Lake Louisa the river flows north through a chain of lakes known as the Clermont Chain of lakes. In order the lakes are Lake Susan, Lake Minnehaha, Lake Palatlakaha, Lake Hiawatha, Lake Minneola, Cherry Lake, Lake Lucy and Lake Emma. From Lake Emma the river flows through a swampy area to enter Lake Harris.{{cite web|url=http://www.explorecp.com/palatlakaha.html|title=Background, history and geography of the Palatlakaha River|accessdate=2011-11-30}} An account of a kayak ytip in 2008

The river is 44 miles long. The upper section of the river forms the 26 mile long Palatlakaha Run, a waterways trail for canoeists and kayakers organized by Lake County.[http://www.paddlelake.com/runs/palatlakaha_run.aspx Lake County Blueways website: Palatlakaha Run] There are 6 water level control dams on the river that are closed to keep water levels higher during drier periods.