The Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway crosses the Ocala National Forest in a rough cross shape, running about 123 miles between Silver Springs, Ormond Beach, Pittman, and Palatka through what locals still call the Big Scrub.
President Theodore Roosevelt designated this land a national forest in 1908, when it was widely dismissed as the land nobody wanted: harsh sand pine scrub and dry, infertile soil. That same scrub turned out to be the largest of its kind in the world, and it’s now home to the densest population of Florida black bears anywhere in North America, along with rare and endangered plants and animals found nowhere else.
Florida designated the route a state scenic byway in 2008. The drive follows State Road 40 east-west through the heart of the forest and State Road 19 north-south, with a long eastern finger of the route reaching almost to Ormond Beach, passing Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge and several state parks and forests along the way.
Natural springs are the drive’s biggest draw, with huge volumes of cool, clear water feeding streams lined with subtropical vegetation. The Florida National Scenic Trail crosses the byway in several places for anyone who wants to add a hike to the drive.
Route Details: Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway
Silver Springs (0 miles)
The byway begins near Silver Springs State Park, one of the largest spring systems in the world and the site of glass-bottom boat tours that have run since 1878, making it one of the oldest tourist attractions in Florida. It’s a natural first stop and the drive’s best EV charging access point.
Ocala National Forest entrance (15 miles)
Heading east on SR 40, the byway enters the Ocala National Forest proper, with the dense sand pine scrub of the Big Scrub closing in on both sides of the road. The Lake George Ranger Station near the forest’s edge has maps and current conditions for anyone planning stops inside the forest.
Juniper Springs (30 miles)
Juniper Springs is one of the best-known recreation areas in the forest, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The spring run is fed by hundreds of smaller bubbling springs, and a swimming area and trail make it a popular midway stop.
Alexander Springs (45 miles, via SR 445 spur)
A spur road off SR 19 leads to Alexander Springs, another major spring recreation area within the forest, with clear water popular for swimming and snorkeling. It’s one of several springs that make the detour worth the extra miles.
Pittman and Lake Dorr (50 miles)
Pittman marks one of the byway’s four official starting points, and the nearby Pittman Visitor Center, a historic Civilian Conservation Corps-built cabin, sits across from Lake Dorr. It’s a good stop for orientation if approaching the byway from the south.
Salt Springs (65 miles)
Salt Springs Recreation Area sits in a lush, tropical setting within the forest, with another large natural spring and a popular campground. It’s one of the most-visited stops in the northern half of the Ocala National Forest.
Palatka (90 miles, northern spur)
The byway’s northern spur reaches toward Palatka on the St. Johns River, an American Heritage River that forms part of the route’s eastern boundary. This stretch marks the edge of the forest giving way to the St. Johns River valley.
Tiger Bay State Forest and Tomoka State Park (115 miles)
As the byway’s eastern finger approaches Ormond Beach, it passes through Tiger Bay State Forest and near Tomoka State Park, site of the former Mount Oswald Plantation, which grew sugar, indigo, and cotton using enslaved labor until British rule ended in Florida in 1785.
Ormond Beach (123 miles)
The byway ends at I-95 in Ormond Beach, where the route’s strongest EV charging exists, including an Electrify America site with both 350 kW and 150 kW chargers. It’s a natural connection point to Florida’s Atlantic coast for anyone continuing a longer trip.
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