Ocala National Forest
Ocala National Forest
Silver Springs, FL 34488
Phone:352-625-2520
Web: www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida
Size: 389,000 acres.
Location:Central Florida. Accessible by US 17 and 301; FL 19, 40, 42, and 314. Nearby cities/towns include DeLand, Eustis, Ocala, and Palatka.
Facilities:2 cabins, 14 campgrounds, 3 group camps, dispersed camping, picnic sites, trails, canoe rentals, boat ramps, fishing piers, rifle range, visitor centers.
Activities:Camping, hunting, fishing, boating, sailing, canoeing, water-skiing, swimming, snorkeling, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, OHV riding.
Special Features:Nation's southernmost forest and oldest national forest east of the Mississippi. Points of interest include Big Scrub, largest stand of sand pine trees in the world; Juniper Springs, a semi-tropical environment unique in the national forest system; Alexander Springs Creek Wilderness, a hardwood swamp and sand scrub pine ecosystem that provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife; a 67-mile segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail (see entry in national trails section).
See other parks in Florida.