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John M. Bethea State Forest

• Trail guide
• MapQuest location
• Property map

Size:

37,736 acres. This property is jointly owned with the state of Florida.

Location:

Northern Baker County, approximately 12 miles north of Glen St. Mary.

Description:

This property provides a wildlife corridor between Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to the north and Osceola National Forest to the west. The property includes 2.9 miles of frontage on the St. Marys River, and was acquired under the Conservation and Recreation Lands program and the Save Our Rivers program to protect the river’s watershed. While much of the area was previously managed for silviculture (tree farming), emerging natural communities include flatwoods, basin swamp, dome swamp, wet flatwoods and bottomland forest.

Wildlife viewing:

The area serves as a wildlife corridor, and is home to Florida black bear, river otter and Florida saltmarsh vole. Bird species include red-cockaded woodpecker, wood stork, bald eagle, grasshopper sparrow and sandhill crane.

Recreational activities:

1. Hunting, horseback riding, canoeing and fishing. more info

Restrictions: more info

1. Off-road vehicles (including motorcycles and all-terrain or track vehicles) are not allowed on property.

Access:

The property has five access points and is also accessible by water via a canoe launch on the St. Marys River north of State Road (SR) 2.

For more information:

Contact the Florida Division of Forestry at (904) 259-4688.