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Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner - James R. Karels, Director

State Forests:
•	State Forests
•	Fees and Other Information
•	Recreation Programs
•	At-A-Glance Recreational Activities
•	Recreation Guide to Florida's State Forests (pdf, 5M)
•	Florida's State Forests Brochure (pdf, 623k )
•	Volunteer Opportunities

Take an active role in protecting forests for future generations with the Friends of Florida State Forests

Wetland restoration is an integral part of the Division of Forestry’s management of state forest resources. Find out more about these projects in the Hydrological Restoration Activity Report.

Blackwater River State Forest has two Trailtrotter equestrian trails.

* Karick Lake Loop, Sweetwater, and Bear Lake Loop Trails are in the Division of Forestry Trailwalker Program

Blackwater River S. F. is part of the
Great Florida Birding Trail

Florida Trail logo.
Blackwater River S. F. is part of the Florida Scenic Trail

Forestry Home > Forest Management > State Forests > Blackwater River State Forest

Recreation at Blackwater River State Forest

Trails
Hike	Bike	Horse ++	Canoe
Camping Camp sites* (most sites with electric) Other Picnicking, Fishing, Hunting, Boating, Nature Study, Leashed Pets Allowed Recreation Sites Bear Lake \| Bone Creek \| Camp Paquette \| Coldwater \| Hurricane Lake \| Karick Lake \| Krul \| More \| Wildlife Management Areas

Blackwater River State Forest has outstanding forest and water resources that offer a variety of recreational opportunities such as hiking, swimming, camping, canoeing, fishing, hunting, nature study, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

State Forest Fees and Information

++ Stables available by reservation.
* First come first serve except for Coldwater Recreation Area and the youth group camping areas.

Bear Lake Recreation Area

Please Note:
June 1, 2009 Update: Bear Lake Recreation Area remains closed due to weather-related damage, and it is unclear when the recreation area will reopen
May 8, 2009: Due to severe erosion from recent rain events the Bear Lake Recreation Area has been closed . The closure is expected to last at least 30 days or until lake waters recede and safety concerns are addressed. More details.

Features

Bear Lake (107 acres)
Fishing
Hiking trail
Mountain bike trail
Canoeing
Picnicking
Leashed Pets Allowed

Facilities

Campsites with electricity
Restrooms and showers
Dining facility (reservations are required: Call 850/ 957-6140)
Boat ramps
Pier

Trails

Bear Lake Mountain Bike Trail loops around the Bear Lake complex for 6 miles
Bear Lake Loop Hiking Trail* circles around Bear Lake for 4 miles.
Panhandle Birding Trail: Bear Lake Loop (#19) pdf, 1.4M

Bone Creek Recreation Area

Features

Picnicking
Swimming
Fishing
Canoeing
No pets

Facilities

Restrooms
Pier

Camp Paquette

Features

Youth Groups Only
Five acre lake
Hiking trail
Fishing
Canoeing
Swimming
No pets

Facilities

Open air pavilion
Restrooms and showers
Pier
Reservations required:
Call 850/ 957-6140

Coldwater Recreation Area

*NOTE: Ten miles of trail are now open for horseback riding at Coldwater after the recent major floods. The remainder of the trails are still closed due to safety concerns and are presently under repair. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. For more information about this recreation area, contact the Florida Division of Forestry at 850-957-6161.

Features

*Equestrian Trails+
Canoeing
Swimming
Picnicking
Leashed Pets Allowed

All horses must have proof of current negative Coggins test results when on state lands.

Facilities

Horse stalls
Campsites with electricity
Restrooms and showers
Dining facility

Reservations are required for the dining facility and all campsites in this recreation area. For reservations call 850\ 957-6161 weekdays between 7:00 am and 3:30 pm Central Time.

Trails

Coldwater Creek Canoe Trail is 18 miles.
Coldwater Creek Paddling Trail (pdf, 684k)
Coldwater Equestrian Trail
Panhandle Birding Trail: Three Notch Road (#18) pdf, 1.4M
Paddling Coldwater Creek (feature article from VisitFlorida.com)
+ The Coldwater Equestrian Pink Trail and Yellow Trail are part of the Trailtrotter Program.

Hurricane Lake Recreation Areas

North Hurricane Lake Recreation Area:

Features

Hurricane Lake (318 acres)
Fishing
Hiking trail
Leashed Pets Allowed

Facilities

Campsites with electricity
Restrooms and showers
Boat ramp
North Hurricane Lake Youth Area is a primitive camping area with restrooms nearby. Reservations are required for the Youth Area: Call 850/ 957-6140

Trails

The Wiregrass Hiking Trail passes through the campground at North Hurricane Recreation Area and is 13 miles long.

South Hurricane Lake Recreation Area:

Features

Hurricane Lake (318 acres)
Fishing
Canoeing
Picnicking
Leashed Pets Allowed

Facilities

Primitive campsites
Restrooms
Limited number of water faucets
Boat ramp

Trails

The Blackwater River Paddling Trail (pdf, 532k) begins at Kennedy Bridge.

Karick Lake Recreation Areas

North Karick Lake Recreation Area:

Features

Karick Lake (65 acres)
Hiking trail
Picnicking
Canoeing
Leashed Pets Allowed
Fishing

Facilities

Campsites with electricity and water
Restrooms and showers
Boat ramp
Pier
North Karick Lake Youth Area is a primitive camping area with restrooms nearby. Reservations are required for the Youth Area: Call 850/ 957-6140

Trails

Karick Lake Loop Hiking Trail is 3.8 miles. Karick Lake Trailwalker Trail (pdf, 455k)
Panhandle Birding Trail: Karick Lake (#20) pdf, 1.4M

South Karick Lake Recreation Area:

Features

Karick Lake (65 acres)
Fishing
Picnicking
Canoeing
Leashed Pets Allowed

Facilities

Campsites with electricity and water
Restrooms and showers
Boat ramp

Krul Recreation Area

*NOTE: The boardwalk portion of the Sweetwater Trail is open for hiking, however the non-boardwalk portion of the trail is temporarily closed until further notice.

Features

Five acre lake
Swimming *
Picnicking
Hiking trail *
No pets

Facilities

Swimming dock
Campsites with electricity
Restrooms and showers
Pier

Trails

Sweetwater Trail begins at Krul Recreation Area with 2900' of handicap accessible boardwalk and then continues an additional 3/4 of a mile. Sweetwater Trailwalker Trail map (pdf, 470k)
Jackson Hiking Trail

Blackwater River S. F. Region
Blackwater River North and South (the Florida Trail)
Juniper Creek Hiking Trail (DEP)
Escambia River (NWFWMD)

Contact Us:

Division of Forestry
Blackwater River State Forest
11650 Munson Hwy
Milton, FL 32570
Telephone 850/ 957-6140 or Email Blackwater River State Forest
Fax: 850/ 957-6143

BACK TO BLACKWATER RIVER STATE FOREST

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services