Tate’s Hell State Forest: Deep Creek Tract

Two miles of dirt roads along the Deep Creek Tract give you quick, easy access to a wet prairie in the Apalachicola River basin. Insect eating pitcher plants line the ditches around this prairie, which measures several hundred acres. Watching for other recreational users, bird Tower Rd. by foot or from your car, as well as the first 0.75 miles of Deep Creek Rd., which divides the prairie in two. Watch for overwintering sparrows like LeConte’s, Grasshopper and Henslow’s. Swallow-tailed Kites use the cypress domes from March to August; wading birds like Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons are most concentrated from March to June. In winter, ducks use the prairie’s interior and American Bitterns may be seen along the edge. In the fall, Florida Black Bears are frequently spotted in the area. Seasonal hunting takes place throughout the area; please click here for information on dates, regulations and more.