From the
Jennings State Forest website:
Location
Jennings State Forest can be found in the northern section of Clay County, which is located in northeastern Florida. The forest is approximately 10 miles southwest of Jacksonville, and 5 miles southwest of Orange Park. The State Forest has 5 entrances along the perimeter of the forest. Access to the eastern section of the forest is available from State Road 21 to County Road 220A, and access to the western section is available from U.S. 301 to County Road 218. The forestry center is situated on the north end of Long Horn Road which adjoins State Road 218.
Natural Features
There are more than 15 different natural biological communities on Jennings State Forest, each with unique plants, animals, and physical characteristics. This results in an abundance of wildlife residing in the forest. Fire is needed to maintain many of these communities. The Division of Forestry uses prescribed fire to manage these communities in order to maintain the required habitat for the many unique plants and animals that occur within them. Included among the different types of natural communities are sandhill, slope forest, flatwoods, seepage slope, dome swamp, blackwater stream, and seepage stream. Photo of bottomland forest.
Raccoon, otter, alligator, and wading birds can be seen along North Fork Black Creek and other tributaries found throughout the forest. White-tailed deer, wild turkey, hawks and song birds can be found in the uplands.
Several ravines can be found in Jennings State Forest, representing the slow but never ending process of erosion by the force of water. These ravines are located along seepage streams leading to North Fork Black Creek. The spring fed streams are visible when canoeing between Powell Ford and Ellis Ford on North Fork Black Creek. Photo of ravine.
Recreation
The forest is open during daylight hours for hiking, bicycling, canoeing, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing. Be advised that other recreational activities occur on the forest during seasonal hunts.
This State Forest contains 2 hiking trails (Fire and Water and North Fork Black Creek) that are included in the Florida Division of Forestry's Trailwalker Hiking Program. The North Fork Black Creek Trail is a 5 mile loop trail that offers a variety of ecosystems for the hiker to explore. Canoeing is available on North Fork and Black Creeks with several landings along the waterways. The Fire and Water Nature Trail is an informative 1.7 mile trail which will give you an insight into how fire and water effect the various forest communities as well as explain our restoration efforts on the forest.
Jennings State Forest is open to regulated hunting and fishing under the direction of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. We encourage non-hunting recreationists to check the Wildlife Management Area regulations and season dates before visiting Jennings State Forest.
Hunting requires a license and permit and is allowed only in designated Wildlife Management Areas during appropriate seasons, fishing also requires a valid license. Visit MyFWC.com/hunting for information.