U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...
state of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...
Inverness
Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histo ...
,
Floral City
Floral City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,216 at the 2010 census. The community is home to the Floral City Heritage Hall Museum and hosts the Floral City Heritage Days the firs ...
Withlacoochee State Forest was acquired by the federal government from private landowners between 1936 and 1939 under the provisions of the
U.S. Land Resettlement Administration
The Resettlement Administration (RA) was a New Deal U.S. federal agency created May 1, 1935. It relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities planned by the federal government. On September 1, 1937, it was succeeded by the Farm Sec ...
. The land acquired by the government would be named the Withlacoochee Development Service. The
U.S. Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Nationa ...
managed the property until a lease-purchase agreement transferred the property to the Florida Board of Forestry in 1958.
Ghost towns within the community include Mannfield, Orleans, Oak Grove, Stage Pond, Croom, Rital, Richloam, Clay Sink, and others. Historic sites within the forest include the Etna Turpentine Camp Archeological Site and
Richloam General Store and Post Office
The Richloam General Store and Post Office, is a general store as well as a former post office and railroad station located within the Withlacoochee State Forest in the former community of Richloam, Florida. It is located on Richloam-Clay Sink Ro ...
.
Recreation
The World Wildlife Fund listed the Withlacoochee State Forest as one of the "10 Coolest Places You've Never Been in North America" by the World Wildlife Fund. Activities include miles of trails for hiking, bicycling, horseback riding and canoeing. It includes several separate land tracts with many natural communities and habitats for wildlife. These tracts consist of the Two Mile Prairie Tract, the Homosassa Tract, the Citrus Tract, the Juniper Creek Tract, the Croom Tract, and the Richloam Tract.Withlacoochee State Forest Trailhead Map (Florida Division of Forestry) /ref> There are recreation activities for the use of visitors. Many hiking trails run through the forest including, but not limited to the
Florida Trail
The Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. It currently runs , from Big Cypress National Preserve (between Miami and Naples, Florida along the Tamiami Trail) to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, ...
, the
Withlacoochee State Trail
Withlacoochee State Trail is a long paved, multi-use, non-motorized rail trail in Florida located in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. It follows along the Withlacoochee River and passes through the Withlacoochee State Forest. It is the ...
slash pine
''Pinus elliottii'', commonly known as slash pine,Family, P. P. (1990). Pinus elliottii Engelm. slash pine. ''Silvics of North America: Conifers'', (654), 338. is a conifer tree native to the Southeastern United States. Slash pine is named after ...
,
longleaf pine
The longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') is a pine species native to the Southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from East Texas to southern Virginia, extending into northern and central Florida. In this area it is also known as ...
bald cypress
''Taxodium distichum'' (bald cypress, swamp cypress; french: cyprès chauve;
''cipre'' in Louisiana) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States. Hardy and tough, this tree adapts to a wide r ...
,
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
,
maple
''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since ht ...
, and others, providing dense canopy trails for visitors.
See also
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Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is located near Homosassa Springs, Florida, in the United States. The park is one of the notable locations in the state to view manatees. Visitors can get close to the animals on a floating observatory. B ...
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Lake Townsen Regional Park
Lake Townsen Regional Park is a park located in northeastern Hernando County
Hernando County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat i ...
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Nobleton Wayside Park
Nobleton Wayside Park a park at 29061 Lamkin Drive in Nobleton, Florida that includes a boat ramp launching point on the Withlacoochee River as well as a shelter, basketball court, and picnic tables.Cypress Lake Preserve