List of Florida state forests

Florida State Forests
A trail at Jennings State Forest
Area	More than 1,236,000 acres (500,000 ha)
Established	1936; 90 years ago (1936)
Visitors	More than 2.2 million (in 2016)
Governing body	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Forest Service
Website	www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests

The Florida state forest system consists of 38 state forests and one working ranch managed by the Florida Forest Service (FFS), a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Together they cover more than 1,236,000 acres (500,000 ha) in 39 of Florida's 67 counties. The forests are managed for multiple uses such as timber, outdoor recreation, habitat for game and nongame wildlife, and the protection of water resources and archaeological and historical sites. Most of the forests are also run as wildlife management areas under a cooperative agreement with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and they offer hiking, camping, paddling and designated off-highway vehicle trails.

Florida's state forests and state parks began as a single program. In 1935 the Legislature authorized the Florida Board of Forestry to manage forests and parks that the federal government had acquired and turned over to the state, and each tract was assigned to one system or the other by its "highest use": land suited to timber and lacking unusual scenic, historic or botanical value went to forestry. The first state forest, Pine Log State Forest, was bought from the Henderson-Waits Lumber Company in 1936, and Cary State Forest followed in 1937. Three more began as federal land-use and resettlement projects of the 1930s, Blackwater River, Welaka and Withlacoochee, and came to the state by lease or deed between 1938 and 1958. Most of the system is far younger. Purchases in almost every year from 1987 to 2009, funded through the Conservation and Recreation Lands Trust Fund and the Preservation 2000 program, brought the number of state forests to 35, and later land has come through Florida Forever. Of the 39 units in this list, 29 were first acquired after 1989. The newest, Sandy Creek State Forest in Bay County, was bought in 2025.

This list covers all 38 state forests managed as of 2026^[update], as well as Babcock Ranch Preserve, a Florida Heritage Working Ranch that the FFS has managed alongside them since 2016. The units range in size from Blackwater River, at more than 226,000 acres the largest state forest in Florida, to the 58-acre Holopaw State Forest. For each forest the table gives the year the state first acquired it, its counties, its area, the streams and lakes on or beside it, and a short description of its landscape and recreation.

Interactive map

State forests

Florida state forests and Babcock Ranch Preserve

Forest name	Image	Acquired	County and location	Area	Streams and lakes	Description
Babcock Ranch Preserve		2006	Charlotte 26°51′28″N 81°39′20″W / 26.8578°N 81.6555°W / 26.8578; -81.6555	67,618.81 acres (27,364.4 ha)	Telegraph Creek	A working cattle ranch north of the Caloosahatchee River, with improved range, pinelands, dry prairie and cypress swamps. Telegraph Swamp, a cypress strand on the western half, drains toward the Caloosahatchee and Charlotte Harbor. Public access is by a hiking trail, a horse trail and an eco-tour, with hunting on part of the preserve.
Belmore		2004	Clay 29°50′58″N 81°51′54″W / 29.8495°N 81.8649°W / 29.8495; -81.8649	12,262.30 acres (4,962.4 ha)	Ates Creek, Devil's Den Creek, Bull Creek	Two tracts in central Clay County, much of them pine flatwoods, in the Black Creek watershed. On the Ates Creek Tract, Ates Creek and its tributary Devil's Den Creek have cut a mosaic of ravines. Forest roads and firelines are open for hiking, biking and horseback riding, with recreation areas on both tracts.
Big Shoals		1986	Hamilton 30°20′53″N 82°42′37″W / 30.3480°N 82.7104°W / 30.3480; -82.7104	1,814.47 acres (734.3 ha)	Four Mile Branch, Long Branch	Mostly pine flatwoods, about half a mile from the Big Shoals rapids on the Suwannee River and connected to the river by Big Shoals State Park. Four Mile Branch crosses the forest on its way to the Suwannee. The Woodpecker Trail and part of a horse trail that continues into the state park cross the forest.
Blackwater River		1938	Santa Rosa, Okaloosa 30°52′22″N 86°50′09″W / 30.8729°N 86.8359°W / 30.8729; -86.8359	226,659.52 acres (91,725.9 ha)	Blackwater River, Sweetwater Creek, Juniper Creek, Coldwater Creek, Bear Lake, Hurricane Lake, Krul Lake	Upland longleaf pine forest and sandhill drained by the Blackwater River and its three main tributaries, part of a longleaf landscape shared with Conecuh National Forest and Eglin Air Force Base that supports a large population of red-cockaded woodpeckers. About 200 miles of trail serve hikers, cyclists, riders and off-highway vehicles, and there are ten developed recreation areas.
Carl Duval Moore		1993	Putnam 29°36′22″N 81°50′58″W / 29.6061°N 81.8494°W / 29.6061; -81.8494	336 acres (136.0 ha)	Up and Down Lake, Hardesty Lake, Alligator Creek	Two small tracts of sandhill and pine flatwoods near Interlachen; the forest surrounds almost all of Up and Down Lake and borders Hardesty Lake. A 1.2-mile hiking trail with tree identification signs leads to an observation dock on Up and Down Lake.
Cary		1937	Duval, Nassau 30°23′12″N 81°52′34″W / 30.3866°N 81.8760°W / 30.3866; -81.8760	13,384.71 acres (5,416.6 ha)	Thomas Creek	Wet and mesic pine flatwoods, cypress domes and basin swamp in the watersheds of the St. Johns, St. Marys and Nassau rivers, with intact bottomland forest along Thomas Creek. The main recreation area has a campground, forest roads are open for hiking, biking and horseback riding, and the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail crosses the south end.
Charles H. Bronson		2008	Seminole, Orange 28°35′56″N 81°01′29″W / 28.5988°N 81.0246°W / 28.5988; -81.0246	11,246.24 acres (4,551.2 ha)	St. Johns River, Turkey Creek, Christmas Creek, Buscombe Creek, Joshua Creek	Wet hammock and pine flatwoods beside the St. Johns River, which forms part of the eastern boundary, crossed by several creeks running to the river. There are 19 miles of hiking trail, including 7.5 miles of the Florida Trail, 20 miles of horse trail and primitive campsites on the Joshua Creek Tract.
Etoniah		1995	Putnam 29°44′21″N 81°49′20″W / 29.7393°N 81.8222°W / 29.7393; -81.8222	8,876.30 acres (3,592.1 ha)	Etonia Creek, Falling Branch, Rice Creek, George's Lake	Rolling sandhill and scrub cut by Etonia Creek, Falling Branch and Rice Creek, whose slopes rise 40 to 60 feet and shelter plants typical of the Piedmont and southern Appalachians. The forest holds a population of the federally endangered Etonia rosemary and has trails for hiking and horseback riding.
Four Creeks		2005	Nassau 30°33′50″N 81°44′43″W / 30.5638°N 81.7452°W / 30.5638; -81.7452	13,658 acres (5,527.2 ha)	Thomas Creek, Alligator Creek, Mills Creek, Boggy Creek, Plummer Creek, Nassau River	Pine flatwoods and floodplain swamp crossed by four creeks, all navigable by small boats, that join at the east end of the forest to form the Nassau River. Four canoe and kayak landings, three recreation areas, a primitive campground and more than 43 miles of unpaved roads serve paddlers, hikers, riders and cyclists.
Goethe		1992	Levy, Alachua 29°23′38″N 82°46′03″W / 29.3940°N 82.7676°W / 29.3940; -82.7676	54,158.80 acres (21,917.3 ha)	Black Prong, Cow Creek, North Prong, Ten Mile Creek, Horse Hole Creek, Deer Pen Pond, Buck Island Pond, Watermelon Pond	A large area of natural longleaf pine flatwoods, where old pines scarred by naval stores tapping provide most of the natural nest cavities for the forest's red-cockaded woodpeckers; the Goethe Giant, a large bald cypress, grows in a wet hammock. Trails start from seven trailheads, and camping is offered in three places.
Holopaw		1961	Osceola 28°08′19″N 81°02′13″W / 28.1387°N 81.0369°W / 28.1387; -81.0369	58 acres (23.5 ha)	None	A 58-acre plantation of slash pine beside U.S. Route 192 near Holopaw, planted between 1980 and 1983. The Forest Service uses it as a demonstration area to show landowners how a typical Florida flatwoods site can be managed for timber.
Indian Lake		2007	Marion 29°16′04″N 82°03′57″W / 29.2679°N 82.0657°W / 29.2679; -82.0657	4,567.65 acres (1,848.5 ha)	Indian Lake	Mostly sandhill on karst, with at least 83 dry sinkholes; Indian Lake is a deep sinkhole lake connected directly to the Floridan aquifer, and the surrounding uplands help protect the water quality of Silver Springs. The 1.4-mile Bear-N-Oak Trail loops around the lake, and the forest also has 11.6 miles of horse trail and a campground.
Jennings		1990	Clay, Duval 30°08′26″N 81°54′34″W / 30.1405°N 81.9094°W / 30.1405; -81.9094	25,152.12 acres (10,178.7 ha)	North Fork Black Creek, Yellow Water Creek, Long Branch Creek	Pine flatwoods, swamps and bottomland forest drained by the North Fork of Black Creek and its tributaries, about 8 miles of which can be paddled; three seepage streams have cut ravines. Hiking and horse trails leave from the Old Jennings Recreation Area, and the Hammock Campground has ten drive-up sites.
John M. Bethea		2001	Baker 30°28′44″N 82°20′57″W / 30.4790°N 82.3491°W / 30.4790; -82.3491	37,736 acres (15,271.2 ha)	St. Marys River, Swamp Creek, Little River, Lake Holes Branch, Moccasin Creek, Cross Branch	Largely pine flatwoods with large basin swamps, lying between the Osceola National Forest and the Okefenokee Swamp, with about 3 miles of frontage on the St. Marys River. A 13-mile horse trail uses forest roads and firelines, and primitive camping is by permit.
Kissimmee Bend		2020	Okeechobee 27°31′30″N 81°05′38″W / 27.5250°N 81.0938°W / 27.5250; -81.0938	1,992.12 acres (806.2 ha)	None	Mainly dry prairie, a globally imperiled grassland, with marsh and hammock, in the Everglades Headwaters next to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and a national wildlife refuge; it has no permanent streams or ponds. Hiking is on service roads from a trailhead on the refuge, and the forest is open for hunting, wildlife viewing and night sky viewing.
Lake George		1993	Volusia 29°08′43″N 81°28′33″W / 29.1454°N 81.4757°W / 29.1454; -81.4757	21,185.99 acres (8,573.7 ha)	St. Johns River, Lake George, Morrison Creek, Deep Creek, Stone Pond	Floodplain swamp, wet hammock and marsh along about 3.5 miles of the St. Johns River and 1.75 miles of Lake George, with a mosaic of wetlands inland. The Bluffton Recreation Area on the river has a hiking trail, picnic shelters, a fishing pier and a canoe and kayak launch.
Lake Talquin		1977	Leon, Gadsden, Liberty, Wakulla 30°27′09″N 84°25′57″W / 30.4526°N 84.4326°W / 30.4526; -84.4326	19,174.59 acres (7,759.7 ha)	Ochlockonee River, Lake Talquin, Little River	Upland pine and hardwood forest around much of Lake Talquin, a reservoir on the Ochlockonee River; deep ravines and steepheads on nearly every tract hold plants and animals seldom found elsewhere in Florida. Boat ramps, campgrounds and trails are spread across the tracts, including the nature trails at Bear Creek and the lakeside Bloxham and High Bluff recreation areas.
Lake Wales Ridge		1984	Polk 27°40′35″N 81°26′47″W / 27.6764°N 81.4463°W / 27.6764; -81.4463	26,579.49 acres (10,756.3 ha)	Lake Arbuckle, Lake Godwin, Livingston Creek, Reedy Creek, Isabel Creek, Arbuckle Creek, Lake Weohyakapka	Ancient sand pine, oak and rosemary scrub in a little-disturbed mix of flatwoods, wetlands and lakes on the Lake Wales Ridge, in tracts bordering Lake Arbuckle and Lake Weohyakapka. The Florida Trail Association maintains more than 22 miles of loop trail on the Arbuckle Tract, and horseback riding is allowed on both main tracts.
Little Big Econ		1993	Seminole 28°41′15″N 81°04′00″W / 28.6876°N 81.0666°W / 28.6876; -81.0666	10,336.25 acres (4,182.9 ha)	Econlockhatchee River, St. Johns River	Floodplain marsh, hammock and pine flatwoods along about 17 miles of the Econlockhatchee River, an Outstanding Florida Water, with the St. Johns River on the eastern edge. The river is a designated paddling trail, and the forest has nearly 15 miles of hiking trail, including part of the Florida Trail, 9.3 miles of horse trail and 12.1 miles of bike trail.
Matanzas		2003	St. Johns 29°43′42″N 81°16′51″W / 29.7282°N 81.2808°W / 29.7282; -81.2808	4,699.73 acres (1,901.9 ha)	Matanzas River, Cedar Creek	A gradient from scrubby and pine flatwoods through hammock to 2.5 miles of undeveloped salt marsh on the Matanzas River, part of which is an Important Bird Area. Forest roads are open for hiking, biking and horseback riding, and Cedar Creek Campground has four primitive sites.
Myakka		1995	Sarasota 26°58′31″N 82°16′41″W / 26.9753°N 82.2781°W / 26.9753; -82.2781	8,593 acres (3,477.5 ha)	Myakka River, Big Slough (Myakkahatchee Creek), Rock Creek (Ainger Creek)	Pine flatwoods dotted with depression marshes, with the Myakka River, a state-designated wild and scenic river, crossing the northeast corner and small tidal creeks draining to it. More than 30 miles of marked trails are open to hikers, cyclists and riders, and there are drive-up, hike-in and paddle-in campsites.
Newnans Lake		2015	Alachua 29°40′12″N 82°16′09″W / 29.6700°N 82.2693°W / 29.6700; -82.2693	1,059.26 acres (428.7 ha)	Newnans Lake, Sunnyland Creek, Lakeridge Creek, Lake Forest Creek	Swamp, hammock and pine flatwoods on the western shore of Newnans Lake east of Gainesville, crossed by three creeks that feed the lake. Hiking and biking trails lead from the Lake Pithlachocco Trailhead to the lakeshore, and a shorter interpretive trail passes habitat restoration in the flatwoods.
Okaloacoochee Slough		1996	Hendry, Collier 26°34′03″N 81°20′36″W / 26.5675°N 81.3432°W / 26.5675; -81.3432	32,370.04 acres (13,099.7 ha)	Okaloacoochee Slough	Centered on a 16,998-acre (6,879 ha) slough marsh that runs north to south through pine flatwoods, on land whose elevation varies by only about 10 feet; the slough stores water for and feeds the Fakahatchee Strand and Big Cypress National Preserve. More than 27 miles of marked trails and four primitive campgrounds are open to the public.
Peace River		2014	DeSoto 27°07′37″N 81°58′16″W / 27.1270°N 81.9711°W / 27.1270; -81.9711	5,047.55 acres (2,042.7 ha)	Peace River, Horse Creek, Aurin Lake	Spans about 9 miles of the Peace River and 7 miles of Horse Creek, including their confluence, with hardwood hammocks, marshes and cypress stands; former ranch pasture is still under a grazing and hay lease. A 2-mile hiking loop and a 6-mile horse trail, open by permit, follow the creek, the river and Aurin Lake.
Picayune Strand		1983	Collier 26°04′08″N 81°31′05″W / 26.0688°N 81.5181°W / 26.0688; -81.5181	74,008 acres (29,950.0 ha)	Faka-Union Canal	Cypress strands and subtropical hammocks on land drained by 183 miles of canals for the Golden Gate Estates subdivision in the 1960s. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is rewetting it by plugging canals, removing roadbeds and pumping water back onto the forest. Trails serve hikers, riders and cyclists, with an equestrian campground at Horseshoe.
Pine Log		1936	Bay, Washington 30°24′41″N 85°51′24″W / 30.4114°N 85.8567°W / 30.4114; -85.8567	8,036.82 acres (3,252.4 ha)	Pine Log Creek, Little Crooked Creek, Ditch Branch	Sandhill and pine flatwoods drained by Pine Log Creek, including a slash pine plantation set out in 1937 on an old blueberry farm. Eight miles of the Florida Trail cross the forest, and the Sand Pond Recreation Area has a campground with hookups and two fishing piers.
Plank Road		2017	Leon, Jefferson 30°20′15″N 84°06′31″W / 30.3374°N 84.1085°W / 30.3374; -84.1085	9,043.5 acres (3,659.8 ha)	St. Marks River, Gum Creek, Limestone Creek, Chicken Branch, Hamlin Branch	Wet pine flatwoods, swamps and bottomland forest along the upper St. Marks River and its tributaries, where the floodplain and bottomland forests are in excellent natural condition. Hunting is the main use; hiking, biking and horseback riding are on forest roads and firelines, and the river can be fished and paddled.
Point Washington		1992	Walton 30°20′15″N 86°06′13″W / 30.3374°N 86.1035°W / 30.3374; -86.1035	15,407.35 acres (6,235.1 ha)	Eastern Lake	Pine flatwoods, sandhill and swamp between Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, with a stand of old-growth longleaf pine and Eastern Lake, a coastal dune lake, on its southern edge. Trails include the Eastern Lake loops for hiking and biking, the 8-mile Longleaf Greenway Trail through the old-growth pines, and the McQuage Bayou horse trail.
Ralph E. Simmons Memorial		1992	Nassau 30°48′12″N 81°56′55″W / 30.8034°N 81.9486°W / 30.8034; -81.9486	3,638 acres (1,472.2 ha)	St. Marys River	Sandhill, upland pine and steep hardwood slopes that drop within a short distance to wet flatwoods and floodplain swamp along 6.7 miles of the St. Marys River, which borders the forest on the north and west. Scott's Landing Road leads to a group campsite and a boat ramp.
Ross Prairie		1994	Marion 29°01′09″N 82°17′09″W / 29.0192°N 82.2859°W / 29.0192; -82.2859	3,531.82 acres (1,429.3 ha)	None	Longleaf pine, turkey oak and wiregrass uplands with depression marshes and scrub, sharing almost 2 miles of boundary with the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway; there are no streams or ponds. The 2.3-mile Holly Hammock Trail leads to a primitive campsite, and riders have 15 miles of trail.
Sandy Creek		2025	Bay 30°11′46″N 85°26′11″W / 30.1962°N 85.4363°W / 30.1962; -85.4363	12,243 acres (4,954.6 ha)		Land in the St. Andrew Bay watershed, bought in 2025 through the Bear Creek Forest Florida Forever project, that links conservation lands between Eglin Air Force Base and the Apalachicola National Forest as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. It provides habitat for the gopher tortoise, Florida black bear and reticulated flatwoods salamander.
Seminole		1990	Lake 28°51′14″N 81°26′16″W / 28.8538°N 81.4379°W / 28.8538; -81.4379	30,169.25 acres (12,209.1 ha)	Wekiva River, Black Water Creek, Sulphur Run	Scrub, sandhill, pine flatwoods and swamp on karst, with the Wekiva River on the southeast edge and Black Water Creek crossing the forest, both part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; the scrub holds 30 to 50 Florida scrub jay territories. Seventeen miles of the Florida Trail run through the forest, which has more than 32 miles of hiking trail and 26 miles of horse trail.
Tate's Hell		1994	Franklin, Liberty 29°52′09″N 84°49′09″W / 29.8693°N 84.8192°W / 29.8693; -84.8192	202,436.58 acres (81,923.2 ha)	New River, Ochlockonee River, Crooked River, Lake McKissack	Flatwoods and swamp around Tate's Hell Swamp, which drains to the Apalachicola River and Apalachicola Bay, with stands of dwarf pond cypress more than 250 years old but only about 15 feet tall. A boardwalk overlooks the dwarf cypress, the High Bluff Trail follows ancient dunes along St. George Sound, and more than 850 miles of unpaved roads reach boat launches and campsites.
Tiger Bay		1979	Volusia 29°13′06″N 81°11′34″W / 29.2183°N 81.1929°W / 29.2183; -81.1929	27,389 acres (11,083.9 ha)	Indian Lake, Scoggin Lake, Sawgrass Lake, Coon Pond, Tiger Bay Canal, Duke's Island Canal	Basin swamp and pine flatwoods around Tiger Bay, a large wetland that is the forest's main physical feature, with globally imperiled scrub on Rima Ridge. Several lakes and ponds are open for fishing and small boats, and trails include the 2-mile Buncombe Hill Interpretive Trail and a mile of the brick Pershing Highway, built in 1917.
Twin Rivers		1994	Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee 30°22′46″N 83°12′04″W / 30.3794°N 83.2010°W / 30.3794; -83.2010	14,981.42 acres (6,062.8 ha)	Withlacoochee River, Suwannee River	Sandhill, floodplain forest and swamp along the Withlacoochee and Suwannee rivers, which meet at Ellaville; Anderson Spring and Pot Spring, both second-magnitude springs on the riverbanks, are popular summer swimming spots. The Ellaville Trail is part of the Florida Trail, and primitive camping is allowed along the rivers.
Wakulla		1999	Wakulla, Leon 30°15′50″N 84°16′59″W / 30.2640°N 84.2830°W / 30.2640; -84.2830	4,897.08 acres (1,981.8 ha)	McBride Slough	Sand ridges, upland pine and mixed forest grading down to McBride Slough, which flows south to the Wakulla River; part of the forest is in the groundwater recharge area of Wakulla Springs, less than half a mile to the south. Trails include the 1.75-mile Nemours hiking loop and the 4.5-mile Double Springs loop for hikers and riders.
Watson Island		1976	St. Johns 29°53′33″N 81°35′01″W / 29.8924°N 81.5835°W / 29.8924; -81.5835	505.58 acres (204.6 ha)	St. Johns River, Six Mile Creek	Two tracts of wet pine flatwoods and bottomland forest interlaced with marsh, swamp and live oak hammock; the Watson Island Tract has just over a mile of St. Johns River frontage. Both tracts are open to the public but have no designated trails or facilities, and firelines serve as hiking trails.
Welaka		1992	Putnam 29°27′19″N 81°39′38″W / 29.4553°N 81.6606°W / 29.4553; -81.6606	2,287.11 acres (925.6 ha)	St. Johns River, Mud Spring run, Sulphur Spring run	A continuum from sandhill through pine flatwoods to floodplain swamp along about 2.5 miles of undeveloped St. Johns River shore, with two small springs; Mud Spring, on a hiking trail, is a popular swimming and picnic spot. Trails serve hikers and riders, and Orange Point has a primitive campsite.
Withlacoochee		1958	Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Pasco, Sumter 28°28′31″N 82°02′27″W / 28.4753°N 82.0408°W / 28.4753; -82.0408	164,073.18 acres (66,398.1 ha)	Withlacoochee River, Little Withlacoochee River, Jumper Creek, Silver Lake, McKethan Lake, Boggy Pond, Mason Creek, Otter Creek	Mostly sandhill and pine flatwoods in several tracts across five counties, with caves and limestone outcrops on the Citrus Tract, about 18 miles of Withlacoochee River shoreline, and coastal hardwood swamp on the Homosassa Tract between the Homosassa and Chassahowitzka rivers. Its recreation areas, used by visitors from Tampa and Orlando since the 1930s, include campgrounds, trailheads and a large off-highway vehicle area.

References

External links

• Official website
• Florida State Forests brochure (PDF), Florida Forest Service