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Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

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Apalachicola National Forest

Noted for its botanical beauty, the Apalachicola National Forest is the largest National Forest in Florida, sweeping south and west of Tallahassee

Tallahassee      ( 30.177157, -84.678564 )      

Protecting more than 571,000 acres of vast interior swamps, pine flatwoods, and a portion of the Woodville Karst Plain, the Apalachicola National Forest is a massive place, and a soggy place.

Tributaries born in swampy bays and bogs drain towards the Sopchoppy, Ochlockonee, and Apalachicola Rivers.

This is a wild landscape, a major destination for anglers and hunters, with many landings and hunt camps used during spring and fall hunting seasons.

While a handful of very scenic paved roads cross the forest, most roads here are dirt, heavily rutted and often full of deep mud holes.

A handful of recreation areas hug natural lakes and river shorelines. Campers are welcome at Camel Lake Recreation Area, Wright Lake Recreation Area, and Porter Lake Recreation Area.


Resources

Our books and apps covering this region

Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover The Hiking Trails of Floridas National Forests Parks Preserves book cover Florida Trail small coffee table book Florida Trail history book

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Land Manager: USDA Forest Service
Phone: 850-523-8500
Fees: Day use ($3 per vehicle) and camping fees are charged at most of the popular recreation areas, including Silver Lake, Camel Lake, Porter Lake, Wright Lake, and Leon Sinks. Always check ahead to see if a particular location is open.

An annual vehicle pass costs $40. Your National Parks / National Federal Lands Pass is honored at all of these locations for day use fees.

Ranger Stations:
Apalachicola Ranger District, 11152 NW SR 20, Bristol. Phone: 850-643-2282
Wakulla Ranger District, 57 Taff Drive, Crawfordville. Phone: 850-926-3561
Both ranger stations are typically open Mon-Fri 8-4


Recreation Locations

 
Click on any location above to pull up details on that destination.


Featured Destinations

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

Florida Trail, Apalachicola
Florida Trail, Sopchoppy

Florida Trail, Sopchoppy

Florida Trail, Sopchoppy
Florida Trail, Sopchoppy River

Florida Trail, Sopchoppy River

Florida Trail, Sopchoppy River
Bradwell Bay (Mary McKinley)

Florida Trail, Bradwell Bay

Florida Trail, Bradwell Bay
Florida Trail Bristol Roadwalk

Florida Trail, Bristol Roadwalk

Florida Trail, Bristol Roadwalk
Tupelo swamp Florida Trail

Florida Trail, Camel Lake to Savannahs

Florida Trail, Camel Lake to Savannahs
Florida Trail Jewel to Vilas

Florida Trail, Jewel to Vilas

Florida Trail, Jewel to Vilas
Florida Trail at Cox Branch

Florida Trail, Porter Lake to Jewel

Florida Trail, Porter Lake to Jewel
Ochlockonee River near Porter Lake

Florida Trail, Bradwell West to Porter Lake

Florida Trail, Bradwell West to Porter Lake
Bonnet Pond

Florida Trail, Vilas to Camel Lake

Florida Trail, Vilas to Camel Lake
Silver Lake

Silver Lake Trail

Silver Lake Trail
Pitcher plant bog

Apalachee Savannas Scenic Byway

Apalachee Savannas Scenic Byway
 
ALL Destinations


Botanical Highlights

Home to the fabled Bradwell Bay Wilderness, a stand of virgin cypress and white pine, the Apalachicola National Forest is also one of the best places in the eastern Panhandle to see pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants in its bogs.

The top areas for viewing pitcher plant blooms in March and April are along the western edge of the forest near Sumatra and the Apalachee Savannas. Here are some of our photos from that area.


Articles

Ocean Pond Olustee

National Forests in Florida Implement New Fees

July 24, 2019//  by Sandra Friend

Effective July 26, 2019, fees go up at many National Forest campgrounds, boat ramps, and recreation areas

Hunting dogs

Safety During Deer Hunting Season

November 8, 2018//  by Sandra Friend

During hiking seasons in Florida, you are often sharing the trails with hunters. General gun season – deer hunting – is the main hunting season for hikers to be concerned about.

Bear bags hanging at sunset on the AT in Georgia

Do Not Feed the Bears

February 27, 2018//  by John Keatley

Bear bagging is the art of hanging your food properly out of reach of bears. If you’re a Florida backpacker and haven’t learned how, here’s a short course. Securing your food from bears is required in the Ocala, Osceola, and Apalachicola National Forests.

 
ALL Articles


Explore More!

Even if you never leave your car to explore the trails, a trip through the Apalachicola National Forest will convince you that it is worth visiting time and again.

The scenic drives alone – especially along SR 65, SR 67, and the Big Bend Scenic Byway – mean immersion into longleaf pine forests and places of botanical beauty.

More daring drivers and off-road cyclists try out the many clay and sand backroads that lead to places like Post Office Bay and Monkey Creek.

Hikers find that its challenging hiking trails have their payoffs, including one of Florida’s most remote sections of the statewide Florida Trail.

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

With more than 80 miles of backpacking across the Apalachicola National Forest, this Florida Trail segment is one of the wettest and wildest in the state.

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

77.9 miles. Florida’s largest national forest, Apalachicola is a very lush place, which means soggy feet and spectacular botanical diversity south of Tallahassee.



Download forest map (PDF) Official Website


NEARBY: Apalachicola, Apalachicola River, Bristol , Crawfordville , Sopchoppy, Tallahassee | PART OF: Northwest Florida

Category: Backpacking, Biking, Camping, Destinations, Equestrian, Launch Points, National Forests, Northwest Florida, Off Road Biking, PaddlingTag: Apalachicola River, Big Bend Scenic Byway, Blountstown, Bristol, Car Camping, Carrabelle, Crawfordville, Eastpoint, Locations, National Forests, Ochlockonee River, Primitive Camping, Sopchoppy, Sopchoppy River, St. Marks, Tallahassee

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Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

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The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

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Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

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Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
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Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Sunlight streaming through morning fog

Wakulla State Forest

Wakulla State Forest
Pitcher plant slope

Florida Trail, Hutton

Florida Trail, Hutton
Waterfall at Weeping Ridge

Weeping Ridge Trail

Weeping Ridge Trail
Blooming season at Maclay Gardens

Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park

Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park

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