Seminole State Forest
Seminole State Forest consists of over 12,524 acres of land
near the scenic Wekiva River Basin area. It offers many recreational
opportunities for hikers, off-road bicyclist, canoeist and
equestrians.
Entrance kiosk and a view of Bear Pond.
Pictures of the old hunting lodge located on Oka Road. The
steps leading into the house are all rotted away, but inside it's still
in pretty good shape. Nice little shelter if you get caught in the
rain. Next time your out there take a close look at the front door.
There's some old pictures of probably the owner embedded in the
glass.
Location
Located about 15 miles west of Sanford in Lake County,
Florida.
Directions
For
South Entrance: From I-4 exit 51, go west on
State Road 46 for about 5.7 miles. Park entrance will be on your right
shortly after you cross the Wekiva River bridge.
For
North Entrance: From I-4 exit 51, go west on
State Road 46 for about 7.7 miles. Turn right onto County Road 46A and
drive for about 5.6 miles until you reach State Road 44. Turn right on
State Road 44 and go for another 4.9 miles. Park entrance will be on
your right.
Hours
Park is open daily from sunrise to sundown.
Fees
$2.00 per person (children under six admitted free)
Includes all vehicle passengers, walk-ins, bicyclist and equestrians.
For camping: $5.00 per night for 1-5 people, $10.00 per
night for 6-10 people. For each additional person, add $1.00.
Annual Pass: $30.00
Hiking
Over 21 miles of marked hiking trails are available at
Seminole State Forest. The Florida National Scenic Trail (orange
blazes) makes up a part of these trails and begins at the park's north
entrance off of State Road 44 and ends 8 miles later at the park's
south entrance on State Road 46. Two trail loops are also
available: a 9 mile Lower Wekiva Loop (orange & white
blazes) and a 3.7 mile Sulpher Island Loop (blue &
orange blazes). There's also a 1.5 mile spur trail (white blazes) that
connect with the trails in the Lower Wekiva State Preserve area.
Plenty of parking is available at the trailheads.
There are detailed trail maps displayed at each trailhead but
unfortunately there are none that you can take with you on your
hike. Bring plenty of water since there are no potable water
sources at the park.
Trail signage at the north entrance. Take a good
look at the map before going in.
Trail registration box at south entrance of Seminole State
Forest. This is also where the Lower Wekiva Loop trail begins.
Camping
Seminole State Forest has three group campsites
(Moccasin Springs, Oak & Jumper) available for reservation and
require a State Forest Use Permit . Also available are four primitive
campsites (Shelter, Blackwater, Sulfter and Pine Lily) along the
Florida National Scenic Trail and Lower Wekiva Loop Trail. These sites
are for trail users only. Each campsite is
equipped with fire rings and some have picnic tables and grills.
By far the prettiest of the campsites is Moccasin Springs
Camp. It's located next to a tranquil little spring that flows into the
nearby Blackwater Creek. It's about a quarter mile off the Sulpher
Island Loop trail at coordinates N28° 51.147 W81° 26.633.
The Oak Group Camp is nestled among some beautiful oak
trees along Oak Pond. It's near the intersection of Sulpher Road and
Loop Road at coordinates N28° 50.842 W81° 27.269.
Canoeing
Located off of Sand Road next to the Blackwater
Creek bridge is the canoe launch point (N28° 51.487 W81° 26.228). A
State Forest Use Permit is required. No gasoline motors are permitted.
Hunting
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
manages hunting at Seminole State Forest. For up-to-date information on
regulations and
current
hunting schedules, please go to MyFWC.com.
| Hunting Schedule 2012 - 2013 |
| Archery |
Sep. 22 - 30 |
| Muzzle Gun |
Oct. 26 - 28 |
| General Gun |
Dec. 1 - 9 |
| Small Game |
Jan. 12 - 27 (weekends only) |
| Spring Turkey |
Mar. 16 - 20, 23 - 27 |
Maps
GPS Data
Local Weather
Trail Reports
- 17-Dec-2001: The Florida Trail and Sulpher Island
Loop Trail are great shape. They have been recently mowed and lopped.
Can't say the same for the Lower Wekiva Loop or the White Spur trail
going into the Lower Wekiva State Preserve. These trails are obviously
not getting much attention. Expect heavy growth and faint trail
markings along the way.
Contacts
- For State Forest Use Permits: write to the Leesburg
Forestry Station at 9610 CR44, Leesburg, FL 34788 or phone (352)
360-6675 or 360-6677.
Links
Last
updated on 14-Mar-2013
