Apalachicola National Forest

About Apalachicola National Forest

Hiking trails and roads invite you to go horseback riding, and the Apalachicola National Forest offers a variety of hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

Primitive camping is permitted in the forest and in some areas of the national forest, such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, campsites are available for a fee.

Off the beaten track, the forest offers opportunities for solitude and reflection, and deer hunting is the dominant activity in December and January.

The Apalachicola National Forest Fee Area is managed by the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program. This programme will allow 95% of the collected fees to remain in the forest and to be used for the conservation and improvement of the sites where they are collected and of the facilities where the collected fees are collected.

Leisure activities require a passport or permit, for more information see Passes and Permits. Fee payment is self-service and cannot be requested, enforced or otherwise enforced except by using an authorisation or other form of payment.

None of the campsites has electricity and generators are not allowed to operate after 10 pm, please ask your local forest authority. You can camp as long as there is air conditioning in summer, but please ask the local forest authorities.

Please note that open fires are not allowed and visitors may only stay in one place at any time of day or night, except in the summer months.

The campsites are available on the "first come, first served" principle and there are no reservations. Pets are allowed, but must be kept on a lead and are not allowed on the campsite or on the grounds of the National Park Service (NPS).

There are group campsites and cabins in the Apalachicola National Forest, but only developed campsites have a fee. The campsites are spread throughout the park and there are many water points as well as access to water tanks, showers and toilets. The Apalachicolas National Forest was developed with the help of the National Park Service (NPS) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

There are free and paid boat ramps, but easily accessible concrete ramps range from narrow gravel sections to narrow concrete sections with access to the main parking lot and the park parking lot.

All vessels are regulated and you should observe safety requirements, registration and other regulations. The lake is limited to boat trips and stranding on the lake, with a maximum depth of 3 meters and a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour.

Be considerate of those who come and leave the flowers, cypresses and knees to others to enjoy, but please do not plant them too much.

Rivers are preserved in their natural state, and each has its own characteristics, so please preserve them. Whitewater canoeing and kayaking is one of the most popular recreational activities in the park, as well as fishing and rafting.

Due to obstacles on the river, you are only allowed to move at a speed of 1.5 miles per hour and you are only allowed to drive 2-5 miles per hour with regular rest stops, including a regular stop at the main entrance of the park on the west side of the river or 1-2 miles from the trail.

Public roads are flat, but it can be deep sand and you have to duck under low hanging branches and lift your canoe over partially flooded tree trunks. Private canoe and kayak rentals are available and bikes are welcome, but the public road is flat and there is no access to the river.

Public parking is available on Munson Hills Trail, and bicycle racks, water fountains and toilets are available at the entrance. The mountain bike trail leads to the top of the mountain and to the Blue Flame Trail, the largest hiking trail in the park. This path is marked with blue flames and divided into two sections, one for mountain bikers and one for hiking and camping.

The Apalachicola National Forest has no designated hiking trails, although hikers are welcome anywhere in the forest. Pets are allowed, but must be kept on a leash and not more than 1,000 feet from the trail head.

Numerous hiking trails provide access to this trail, which is considered one of the most challenging sections. The path is marked with orange flames and is mainly shaded by flat, hilly terrain.

Backpackers do not need a permit and do not need to check in, but there is a fee, and hikers can camp as long as the tent is at least 200 meters from the trail. Backpackers donate a permit and camp in the park for the duration of the trip, so there is no fee.

In the municipality of León, about six kilometres are currently being built, and another could be drivable next year. Click here to visit the Florida Trail Association of Hikers website for more information about the trail and its routes. Tell your family and friends about your hiking plans, even though the Forest Service does not record forest users.

Six nature trails have been created in the Apalachicola National Forest, which will be part of the Florida Trail Association of Hiking Trail System.

The loop is formed by Fort Gadsden in Franklin County, and Camel Lake in Liberty County forms its blue color. The trail leads from Fort Wright State Park on the east side of the Apalachicola National Forest to the west side along a one-mile loop. It is characterized by a 2 km watercourse from Lake Okeechobee Trailhead to a point at the southern end of Camel's Lake and forms a loop.

The Trail to the Lakes in Liberty County is marked by a blue flame on a single loop, and Silver Lake in Leon County is a single loop. The path from Fort Wright State Park to Lake Okeechobee Trailhead on the east side of the Apalachicola National Forest is marked by two blue flames, one in the middle and one at the southern end of Camel's Lake. Leon Sinks in Leon County has two loops and blue, green and white bruises in different sections.

Wright Lake in Franklin County is a single loop, and various sections are marked with blue, green and white spots on different sections of the trail.

The Apalachicola National Forest has no designated horse trails, although riders are welcome on all public roads, including the main road and many private trails in the park, as well as some private roads. Horses are allowed in the recreational areas, but only for hiking, and there are few designated hiking trails. Many people choose to park on the forest road to get to their destination, so horses are only allowed on public roads as long as the vehicle does not obstruct traffic or destroy natural resources.

The Vinzant Horse Trail in Leon County is the only designated horse trail in the forest, and there is no fee for the ride. Camping with horses is allowed in this forest, but horses are not allowed on the paths, although cleaning up after dropping off the horse is expected and appreciated.

The trail head with mowed fields and amenities is located on the east side of Vinzant Horse Trail, north of Interstate 95. The path has 2 overlapping loops and is marked in different sections with white, blue or yellow flames.