Last updated on May 24th, 2020 at 01:58 pm
Florida State Forests are opening off-road vehicle trails in three forest reserves on Friday, May 22, as the Forest Service eases into Phase 2 of its re-opening plan.
State forest campgrounds (see list below) have been open for several weeks.
OHV trails in Blackwater River State Forest, Tate’s Hell State Forest and Withlachoochee State Forest will open with limited capacity to annual pass-holders only.
Day-use passes and new annual passes are not being issued at this time, according to the announcement.
State Forest campgrounds were opened earlier this month. Find a complete list below.
Open OHV Trails
Blackwater River State Forest
West of Jacksonville, Blackwater River State Forest is the state’s largest forest. The Clear Creek Riding Area offers separate, color-coded trails for ATVs and motorcycles.
Clear Creek OHV Riding Area is open. (The Clear Creek Campground remains closed)
Trail Maps: East side | West side
These forest campgrounds are open: Bear Lake, Coldwater, Hurricane N, Hurricane S, Karick N, Karick S
For campground reservations, go to ReserveAmerica
Tate’s Hell State Forest
West of Lake City, Tate’s Hell State Forest has a 150-mile OHV trail system that passes through cypress swamps, pine flatwoods and multiple rivers.
Tate’s Hell OHV Trail System is open.
These forest campgrounds are open: Womack Creek Campground, Cash Creek Campground, Rock Landing Campground, High Bluff Primitive Sites, Deep Creek Primitive Sites, Picketts Bay Primitive Sites, New River Primitive Sites, Crooked River Primitive Sites, Womack Creek Primitive Sites, Juniper Creek Primitive Sites, Sumatra Primitive Campsite
For campground reservations, go to ReserveAmerica
Withlacoochee State Forest
South of Gainesville, the Withlacoochee State Forest has 2600 acres of off-roading area with beautiful views and thrilling riding trails called the Croom Motorcycle Area.
Croom Motorcycle Area is open. Trail map
These forest campgrounds are open: Cypress Glen, Crooked River, Hog Island, Holder Mine, Mutual Mine, Tillis Hill Equestrian
For campground reservations, go to ReserveAmerica
These Forest Campgrounds Are Open
Forest Service campgrounds are different than Florida State Parks campgrounds.
Generally, they are less developed with fewer amenities, and they are more isolated (with less security). Best of all, they are often easier to reserve than state parks.
Reservations at Forest Service Campgrounds can be made online at ReserveAmerica
Blackwater River State Forest
(Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties)
Campgrounds that are open: Bear Lake, Coldwater, Hurricane N, Hurricane S, Karick N, Karick S
Recreation: Hiking, biking, horse and birding trails. Florida National Scenic Trail. Boat ramp, canoe launch, dock, fishing. Hunting, restroom, showers, electricity, water, pavilion, picnic tables, grills, stables, paddocks and kitchen/hall. Pets? Yes.
Closed: Krul Recreation Area, Sweetwater Trail, Clear Creek OHV Campground.
Cary State Forest
(Duval, Nassau counties)
Campgrounds that are open: Cary Campground
Recreation: Hiking and equestrian trails. Hiking, biking and horseback riding allowed on roads. Hunting, restroom, showers, pavilion, picnic tables and grills. Pets? Yes.
Charles H. Bronson
(Seminole, Orange counties)
Camping? Yes.
Recreation: Hiking and equestrian trails. Fishing. Hunting, wildlife viewing, grill and picnic tables. Pets? Yes.
Etoniah Creek
(Putnam County)
Camping? Yes.
Recreation: Hiking, equestrian and birding trails. Florida National Scenic Trail. Dock and fishing. Hunting, restrooms, water, pavilion, picnic tables and grills. Pets? Yes.
Four Creeks
(Nassau County)
Saul’s Landing Campground is open to the public.
Recreation: Hiking, biking, horse allowed on roads. Boat ramp, canoe launch and fishing. Hunting, picnic tables and grills. Pets: yes.
Goethe
(Alachua, Levy counties)
Open campgrounds: Tidewater Campground, Watermelon Pond Campground
Recreation: Hiking, biking and equestrian trails. Great Florida Birding Trail. Fishing. Hunting, restrooms, pavilion, picnic tables and grills.. Pets: yes.
Indian Lake
(Marion County)
Indian Lake State Forest is approximately 4,466 acres of rolling sandhills and pastures just north of historic Silver Springs in Marion County.
Indian Lake Campground (5 primitive sites) is open. Online Reservations
Recreation: Hiking and equestrian trails. Pets: Yes.
Jennings State Forest
(Clay, Duval counties)
There are more than 15 different natural biological communities on Jennings State Forest, including sandhill, slope forest, flatwoods, seepage slope, dome swamp, blackwater stream and seepage stream.
Camping? Yes.
Open: Hammock Campground (10 tent sites).
Closed: Maple Set Campground (4 tent sites), Watermelon Pond Primitive Campsites (3 tent sites)
Recreation: Hiking and equestrian trails. Canoe launch and fishing. Hunting, wildlife viewing, restroom, pavilion, picnic tables and grills. Pets: yes.
Closed: Pioneer Trail, North Fork Recreation Area, Indian Ford Recreation Area, Ellis Ford Recreation Area, Live Oak Lane Recreation Area, Knights Landing Recreation Area
John M. Bethea State Forest
(Baker County)
Campgrounds open: Maple Set Campground (4 tent sites)
Recreation: Hiking trails. Equestrians allowed on roads. Canoe launch and fishing. Hunting, picnic tables and grills. Pets: Yes.
Lake George State Forest
(Volusia)
Lake George State Forest consists of four tracts of land primarily comprised of slash pine, longleaf pine, bottomland hardwoods, and interspersed cypress and bay depressions.
Campground closed: River Road Campground (10 tent sites)
Recreation: Nature, hiking and equestrian trails. Canoe launch, dock and fishing. Restrooms, water paddocks, pavilion, grill and picnic table. Pets: yes.
Lake Talquin State Forest
(Gadsden, Leon and Liberty counties)
Composed of 10 main tracts of land, along with several smaller tracts. Most of the forest adjoins the Ochlockonee River and Lake Talquin. Upland pine forest represents the largest plant community found on the forest.
Campgrounds open: High Bluff Campground (32 RV or tent sites)
Campground Closed: Fort Braden (3 tent sites)
Recreation: Hiking, biking, horse and birding trails. Canoes, kayaks and power boats are allowed. Boat ramp, canoe launch, dock and fishing. Hunting, nature study, restroom, showers, pavilion, picnic tables and grills. Great Florida Birding Trail. Pets: Yes.
Myakka State Forest
(Sarasota County)
Myakka State Forest is primarily mesic flatwoods with a mixture of longleaf pine and slash pine overstory and palmetto understory. Numerous depression marshes are scattered throughout the flatwoods, providing many opportunities for viewing wading birds and other wildlife.
Camping open: Myakka Primitive Campsites
Recreation: Hiking, biking and horse. Dock and fishing. Hunting, picnic tables and grills.
Okaloacoochee Slough (OK Slough) State Forest
(Hendry, Collier counties)
The Okaloacoochee Slough is a 32,370-acre pristine slough oriented north-south through the forest. This unique natural system provides a large roaming area of contiguous habitat for a variety of wildlife species. The forest is home to listed, threatened and endangered species, including the Florida panther, Florida black bear, sandhill crane, wood stork and gopher tortoise.
Campground open: Panther Pond Campground
Recreation: Hiking, biking and equestrian. fishing. Hunting, boardwalk, wildlife viewing, grills and picnic tables.
Picayune Strand State Forest
(Collier)
Campgrounds open: Horse Primitive Camp, Kirkland Hammock Primitive Camp
Recreation: Hiking, biking and horse. Fishing. Hunting, wildlife viewing, horse stalls, pavilion, grills and picnic tables
Pine Log State Forest
(Bay, Washington counties)
Campsites open: Sand Pond Campground, Pine Log Primitive Sites
Recreation: Hiking, biking, horse and birding. Florida Birding Trail. Boat ramp, canoe launch, dock, fishing. Hunting, restroom, showers, electricity, water, pavilion, picnic tables, grills.
Point Washington State Forest
(Walton County)
Point Washington State Forest is made up of 10 natural communities. The majority of the area consists of sandhill, basin swamps/titi drains, wet flatwoods, wet prairie and cypress swamps.
Campgrounds Open: Eastern Lake Campground 2
Recreation: Hiking, biking and horse. Hunting, restroom, pavilion, picnic tables and grills. Pets OK.
Ralph E. Simmons State Forest
(Nassau County)
Ralph E. Simmons State Forest (previously known as St. Marys State Forest) offers scenic beauty of the St. Marys River, which forms the northern boundary of the forest and serves as the forest’s primary water source. The river and two oxbow lakes along with numerous cypress stands, ponds and swamps provide an abundance of fish and serve as water sources for wildlife.
Camping Open: Ralph Simmons Primitive Campsites
Recreation: Hiking, biking and horse. Boat ramp, canoe launch and fishing. Hunting, showers, picnic tables and grills
Ross Prairie State Forest
(Marion County)
Ross Prairie State Forest is a 3,532-acre tract of public conservation land. This wetland is a freshwater basin marsh characterized by open areas of wetland grasses surrounded by live oak hammocks. These prairies will contain water in the wet season and become completely dry in the dry season.
Camping Open: Ross Prairie Primitive Site
Recreation: Hiking, horse and birding. Hunting, restroom, pavilion, picnic tables and grills.
Seminole State Forest
(Lake County)
Camping Open: Seminole Primitive Sites
Recreation: Hiking, biking and horse. Paddling and fishing. Hunting, wildlife viewing, pavilion, grills and picnic tables.
Tate’s Hell State Forest
(Franklin, Liberty counties)
Campgrounds Open at Tate’s Hell:
Womack Creek Campground, Cash Creek Campground, Rock Landing Campground, High Bluff Primitive Sites, Deep Creek Primitive Sites, Picketts Bay Primitive Sites, New River Primitive Sites, Crooked River Primitive Sites, Womack Creek Primitive Sites, Juniper Creek Primitive Sites, Sumatra Primitive Campsite
Recreation: Hiking, birding and off-highway vehicle (OHV). Bikes and horses allowed on roads. Boat ramp, canoe launch, dock and fishing. Hunting, restroom, showers, pavilion, picnic tables and grills. Pets OK.
Tiger Bay
(Volusia County)
Open campground: Bennett Field Campground
Recreation: Nature, hiking and horse. Canoe launch, dock and fishing. Restroom, water, paddocks, pavilion, grill and picnic table. Pets OK.
Closed: Indian Lake Dock
Read more: Tiger Bay Escape
Twin Rivers State Forest
(Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee counties)
Twin Rivers State Forest is comprised of 15 noncontiguous tracts. These lands were purchased with funds from the Save Our Rivers program.
Camping? Yes.
Recreation: Hiking, biking and equestrian. Canoe launch and fishing. Hunting, picnic tables and grills. Pets OK.
Welaka State Forest
(Putnam County)
Camping? Yes.
Recreation: Hiking and equestrian. Great Florida Birding Trail. Fishing, restroom, water, pavilion, picnic tables, stables and arena. Pets OK.
Closed: Mud Springs Trailhead/Trail, John’s Landing Trailhead/Trails
Withlacoochee State Forest
(Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Pasco and Sumter counties)
Withlacoochee State Forest has outstanding forest and water resources that offer a variety of recreational opportunities attracting over 1.1 million visitors annually.
Campgrounds open: Cypress Glen, Crooked River, Hog Island, Holder Mine, Mutual Mine, Tillis Hill Equestrian
Recreation: Hiking, biking, horse, off-highway vehicle and birding. Boat ramp, canoe launch, dock and fishing. Hunting, nature study, restrooms, showers, pavilions, picnic tables, grills, stables and dining halls. Pavilions and dining halls require reservations.
Closed: River Junction Day Use Area
