Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway
A Journey Across the Greater Ocala Ecoregion
| Departure: | Silver River State Park, Florida |
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| Destination: | Tiger Bay State Forest, Florida |
| Time to allow: | 1 day |
Journey through forests, parks and prairies and discover the extraordinary natural and recreational resources found along the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway. While driving the byway, be sure to notice the long, uninterrupted stretches that are fronted by rare natural communities. This expedition is best in the cooler, drier months of fall, winter and spring.
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Start: Silver River State Park
Suggested Time at This Site: 2 hours Located near the western terminus of the byway, the 5,000 acre Silver River State Park sets the tone for the rest of the journey with 10 distinct natural communities, numerous small freshwater springs, and the Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center. Canoeing, hiking, biking, full facility camping and luxury cabins are available.
After leaving the Silver River State Park, follow the byway east across the Ocklawaha River and the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. Flatwoods featuring tall stands of longleaf pine and hardwood hydric hammock flank the byway. After a drive of 15 miles and 20 minutes, you will enter the Big Scrub in the Ocala National Forest, the largest sand pine forest in the world.
Continue through the Big Scrub until you reach the Juniper Springs Recreation Area.
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Stop 2: Juniper Springs Recreation Area - Ocala National Forest
Directions from previous place: Take the exit road from the Silver River State Park to State Road 35, then turn north on State Road 35. Follow State Road 35 for one mile to the intersection with State Road 40 (the western byway terminus), then turn east on State Road 40 (the byway). Follow the byway east for 15 miles and 20 minutes to the entrance of Juniper Springs Recreation Area.
Distance from Previous Site: 16 miles / 25.6 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 22 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour 30 minutes The Juniper Springs Recreation Area is one of the oldest and most popular National Forest Recreation Areas. Enjoy the springs, or canoe or kayak Juniper Creek. Juniper Springs Recreational Area boasts semitropical scenery not found on any other national forest in the continental United States. Hike the 0.75 mile long interpretive trail along Juniper Creek to learn about and see the unique vegetation.
For another hike, head east on the byway to the North State Road 19 Spur, then head north on the Spur for six miles and 10 minutes. Here, you can experience the very rare xeric oak and sand pine habitat with just a few minutes walk on the Yearling Trail in the Juniper Prairie Wilderness Area.
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Stop 3: Juniper Prairie Wilderness Area
Directions from previous place: Exit the Juniper Prairie Recreation Area and turn east on the byway (SR 40). Follow the byway for 4.4 miles to the intersection of State Road 40 and State Road 19 (the North SR 19 Spur). Turn north for 5.9 miles to the Yearling Trail.
Distance from Previous Site: 10.3 miles / 16.5 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 14 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 3 hours The Juniper Prairie Wilderness Area is home to the endangered Florida Scrub Jay, and even the least experienced birder should be able to spot entire families of the gregarious birds after only a short walk along the Yearling Trail, and often without having to leave the trailhead.
The Yearling Trail leads to Pat’s Island, which is not an island surrounded by water but an island of slightly more fertile soil that supports longleaf pine and other plants not found in the surrounding sea of xeric oak and sand pine scrub.
Pat’s Island was a 19th and early 20th Century farming community, now long gone, and was the setting for Marjorie Kinnan Rawling’s novel The Yearling, as well as the location for the movie of the same name.
Hike for at least 15 minutes one way on the trail, and then head back to the trailhead. If you wish to experience Pat’s Island, you should plan on a 5.5-mile hike, budget two to three hours, and be sure to bring plenty of water.
On the way to the Tiger Bay State Forest, you will pass through the remainder of the Big Scrub, cross over the lazy St. Johns River, and venture into miles of unbroken hardwood hydric hammocks and flatwoods which line the byway. If so inclined, have lunch at one of several restaurants on the St. Johns River in Astor or Volusia.
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End: Tiger Bay State Forest
Directions from previous place: Exit the Yearling Trail Head and turn south on State Road 19 to the intersection with State Road 40, a distance of 5.9 miles. Turn east on State Road 40 (the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway) and travel 29.1 miles to the entrance of the Tiger Bay State Forest.
Distance from Previous Site: 35 miles / 56.0 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 48 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 45 minutes The Tiger Bay State Forest is an important link in a wildlife corridor for species listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern. Park at the entrance from the byway and take a walk through pine and palmetto flatwoods, representative of the coastal plain pine forests found throughout the south. The forest also contains hardwood hammocks and hardwood swamps. The parking area is designed for horse trailers, and is the trailhead for an equestrian trail that includes an equestrian campground.
