Blue Spring Recreation Area, Tates Hell State Forest – Florida Hikes

The St. James Island Unit is the most recent addition to Tate’s Hell State Forest, acquired by the state in 2020 together with property that was added to adjoining Bald Level State Park.

Collectively, these public lands defend 1000’s of acres on Alligator Level, a distant peninsula jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico south of Tallahassee.

Blue Spring trailhead kiosk

In early 2022, Bald Level State Park opened the St. Teresa Bluff Trails to the general public, and the state forest shortly adopted, permitting searching on its new tract.

Extra just lately, a day use space and campsite had been established in Tates Hell, alongside a small spring fed pond that presents a placing blue hue in the precise situations.

Swimming within the pond

Sources

Overview

Location: SopchoppyLength: 1 mileTrailhead: 29.951806, -84.485917Address: Fireplace Tower Rd, Tates Hell St Teresa Tract, SopchoppyFees: FreeRestrooms: NoneLand supervisor: Florida Forest ServicePhone: 850-681-5963

Open dawn to sundown. Leashed canines welcome. Reservations have to be made upfront for tenting. That is bear habitat: bear bag or use a bear canister.

Seasonal searching happens all through this forest. Test forward earlier than you make plans for out of doors recreation.

Instructions

Hike

Starting on the parking space, look behind the big trailhead kiosk for a blue-blazed path main into the forest.

In a tenth of a mile, the path turns onto a sandy forest highway lined with noticed palmetto, catbrier, and bracken ferns.

Blue blazed pine

The bushes change into taller, casting dappled shade because the vast pathway winds southward. Prior to now, this forest would possible have been longleaf pine sandhill habitat.

These stately conifers are lengthy gone. They had been changed with neatly rowed sand pines for pulpwood by the timber firm that owned this land.

As talked about on the trailhead kiosk, the forest service plans to reverse this distribution sooner or later, restoring the forest to a extra pure state.

Sand pine forest

Though the cover just isn’t in its authentic state, the understory presents a wholesome number of native crops, together with turkey oak, marsh pink, milkweed, and pawpaw.

Reaching an intersection of forest roads at 0.2 miles, keep to the left to stay on the path.

Milkweed in bloom

A bench and picnic desk sit close by atop a small hill overlooking the tranquil pool.

Twisted sand stay oaks present ample tree cowl for this inviting day use space.

Overlook

Earlier than the pond is clearly seen, the trail begins to descend a slope, passing a aspect path to the campsite.

Spherical the ultimate nook. A sandy seaside leads down a semicircle of azure water surrounded by a carpet of darkish aquatic vegetation.

Blue Spring

From this level, the campsite spur is a 0.2 mile spherical journey to the southern finish of the pond.

A picnic desk and hearth ring sit underneath a small clearing within the pines. From right here, return the best way you got here to finish a mile spherical journey.

Primitive campsite

Path Map

Discover Extra!

Be taught extra about Tates Hell State Forest

Tates Hell State Forest Certainly one of Florida’s extra huge state forests with over 202,000 acres, Tate’s Hell is an enormous coastal swamp sliced and diced by timber barons earlier than being preserved by the state.

Video

Mountaineering to Blue Spring in Tates Hell State Forest

Close by Adventures

Hunt Dates Reserve Campsite Official Web site

Alongside together with his spouse Chelsey, Chris Stevens shares out of doors adventures on Instagram and Fb as @sunshinestateseekers and is a co-host of a podcast about Florida’s outdoor, The Florida Madcaps. An avid hiker and camper, Chris serves as a Trailmaster and a board member for the Florida Path Affiliation.

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