Withlacoochee State Forest

About Withlacoochee State Forest

The size and diversity of Withlacoochee State Forest offers visitors a wide variety of wildlife and natural resources, as well as a diverse ecosystem. By using sound ecosystem management, the forest administration ensures that forest resources are used for the benefit of all, including wildlife, wildlife habitat, water quality, recreation and wildlife management. It is currently the largest state forest in the state of Florida, divided into eight distinct tracts.

Withlacoochee State Forest has several watercourses that flow through different parts of the property. The U.S. Forest Service has managed the property since a lease that handed it over to the Florida Board of Forestry in 1958. It was acquired by the federal government in the late 1950s from a private landowner in a land swap with the state of Florida.

The most notable is the Withlacoochee River, which winds through 13 miles of forest and flows into Lake Okeechobee. This outstanding Florida water has been recognized as one of the top ten watercourses for water quality in the United States and recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Department of Natural Resources and the National Park Service.

A variety of tree species form a dense canopy along the way, and in the forest you can find pines, oaks, birches, pineapples, pines, cedars, elms, oaks, chewing gum, chinquapine, hickory, chewing gum, hazelnuts, pecans, maple, walnut, sequoia and oak.

Spring visitors will enjoy the colourful flowers of many wild flowers, and the national forest is planted with a variety of wild flowers such as blueberries, blueberries, blackberries and blueberries.

The location of Withlacoochee State Forest provides easy access for many visitors, as it is only a short drive from the state park system and the city of Daytona Beach. The state forest is located on the west side of Lake Okeechobee, south of downtown Orlando, Florida, and north of Interstate 95.