North Florida Things to Do
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Goethe State Forest

Goethe State Forest photo 8250 SE CR337
Dunnellon, FL 34431
Phone: (352)465-8585
Goethe State Forest
The Goethe Trail System extends throughout the forest with access available at three separate trailheads (Black Prong, Tidewater, and Apex). The forest is open during daylight hours for visitors to enjoy picnicking, hiking, bicycling, fishing, wildlife viewing, and horseback riding. All horseback riders must have proof of current negative Coggins Test results for their horses when on state lands. Overnight camping is allowed by permit only. However, private campgrounds are located near the forest. Goethe State Forest contains two hiking trails (Tidewater and Black Prong) that are included in the Florida Division of Forestry's Trailwalker Hiking Program.

The main area of Goethe State Forest is located in the southeastern portion of Levy County near the Gulf of Mexico. A smaller area of Goethe State Forest, called Watermelon Pond Unit, is separate from the main tract and is located in both Levy and Alachua Counties. Goethe State Forest has more than 15 different natural communities. A few examples are scrubby flatwoods, dome swamp, sandhill, and basin swamp. Goethe State Forest contains one of the largest tracts of contiguous, old-growth longleaf pine flatwoods in the state.