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Etoniah Creek
State Forest |
Total Acreage: 8,679
Counties: Putnam |
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Etoniah Creek State Forest contains 8,679 acres of
various natural communities. The forest was acquired
as part of the Etoniah/Cross Florida Greenway Conservation
and Recreation Lands (CARL) project. Etoniah Creek State
Forest is named after Etonia Creek, a stream which travels
2.5 miles through the eastern portion of the forest.
Location
Etoniah Creek State Forest is located in northern Putnam
County in northeast Florida. The forest headquarters is
located northeast of Florahome. From Florahome, go 2 miles
east to Holloway Road. Go north on Holloway road 2.6 miles
to the second forest road on the right (Fieldhouse Road).
The office is 1/2 mile down Fieldhouse Road.
Natural Features
Etonia rosemary
(Conradina etonia) is an endangered plant
that was first described in 1991 and is found mostly
in scrub habitat. Etoniah Creek State Forest contains
the only known population of Etonia rosemary found
on public land. |
Several of the streams found in Etoniah Creek State
Forest, including Etonia Creek, Rice Creek and Falling
Branch drift through scenic bottomland hardwoods lined
with steep sloping banks, flowing
out of George's Lake which has 491 feet of lake frontage
along the state forest boundary.
The forest is home to a variety of wildlife and is
part of a wildlife corridor that offers the black bear
a vast roaming area, a necessity for their existence.
Other types of wildlife which are commonly found on
the forest include: white-tailed deer, bobcat, fox squirrel,
wild turkey, eastern diamondback rattlesnake and great
horned owl. Species found on the forest that are listed
as endangered, threatened or species of special concern
include eastern indigo snake, gopher tortoise, Florida
scrub jay and red-cockaded woodpecker.
Recreation
Recreational activities on the forest include hiking,
fishing, canoeing, hunting, nature study, wildlife viewing
and photography. There are two designated trails for
horseback riding and trails for bicycling will be established
in the near future.
CXT Vault restroom installed at one of the ECSF primitive campsites.
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Etoniah Creek State Forest contains a hiking trail,
the Longleaf Pine Trail, that is included in the Florida
Division of Forestry's Trailwalker Program. The trailhead
for the Longleaf Pine Trail is located 200 yards off
Coral Farms Road on Tinsley Road. This trail is marked
in blue. Information on the Trailwalker
hiking program is available at the Hollister Work
Center which is located 7 miles east of Interlachen
on Hwy. 20, the forest headquarters which is located
10 miles west of Palatka on Hwy. 20, the trailhead kiosk,
or by telephoning 850/414-0871.
Etoniah Creek State Forest is managed as a Wildlife
Management Area by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission. Hunting is permitted only during designated
seasons. Visit MyFWC.com/hunting for information.
In keeping with its mission to protect
and manage Florida's forest resources, the Division
of Forestry has developed rules which apply to all State
Forest visitors. READ
MORE
Trails |
Campsites
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Other
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Hike |
Bike |
Horse |
Canoe |
Camp
sites |
with
Electric |
Leashed
Pets OK |
More Activities |
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 Primitive |
none |
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Contact Us:
Division of Forestry
Etoniah Creek State Forest
390 Holloway Road
Florahome, FL 32140
Telephone: 386/ 329-2552 or Email Etoniah Creek State Forest
Fax: 386/ 329-2554 |
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