Lake George Forest and Wildlife Management Area
8,062 acres / 2 trails / 5.3 miles
Entrance and parking: 998 Nine Mile Point Road, Pierson, Florida | Map
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Amenities: Hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, group camping, horseback riding, pavilion, fishing, hunting (see rules), Great Florida Birding Trail
The 8,062-acre Lake George Forest and Wildlife Management Area is part of a 35,380-acre wildlife management area that provides more than 20 miles of contiguous habitat for many species of Florida’s wildlife along Lake George and the St. Johns River.
Two marked trails lead to several of Florida’s natural communities including pine flatwoods, cypress swamps, and marsh. The blue trail passes Lake George, the second largest lake in Florida and the largest lake along the St. Johns River.
The Lake George area has the second largest population of bald eagles in the lower 48 states.
The 4.2-mile horse trail, which begins at the horse trail parking lot off Ninemile Point Road, passes several plant communities, both natural and planted.
Pine flatwoods, which dominate the site, are characterized by an overstory of slash and longleaf pine, a midstory of bays, wax myrtle, and water oaks and an understory of gallberry and palmettos.
The conservation area was acquired in 1990 by Volusia County and the St. Johns Water Management District. Volusia County used funds from the Environmentally Endangered Lands program that was approved by the county's voters in 1986. Previously, the land was owned by the Union Camp Paper Co., which used it for timber production.
The trail along Lake George winds through hardwood hammock dominated by live oak, sweet bay, magnolia, and sabal palm with an understory of palmetto. Wildlife along the trails may include osprey, bald eagle, barred owl, pigmy rattlesnake, black bear, bobcat, river otter, fox, deer and turkey.
Management plan
Map and directions
Trail map [PDF]
Animal checklist [PDF]
Plant checklist [PDF]
Preserve rules [PDF]
Volusia County conservation lands are managed using a program of professionally accepted principles of resource and ecosystem management for the benefit of, and enjoyment by, present and future generations.
