Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway

The winding Tomoka River is framed by lush subtropical vegetation.

Travelers traverse the slow moving St Johns River on the historic Fort Gates Ferry. Travelers have been crossing the St Johns at this spot, in one fashion or another, since 1856.

The bow of a canoe pokes its way down the winding, tree canopied Juniper Creek, which is fed by Juniper Springs.

Sunlight streams through a wetland hardwood swamp during the dry season.

An inquisitive Florida black bear has triggered a remote camera set by biologists. The bear is in the sand pine scrub of the Ocala National Forest, which supports the highest density population of black bears in North America.

The roadway of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway is flanked by cabbage palms and oak trees. The left side of the road is land belonging to the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, and the right side of the road are lands of the Silver River State Park. A sign with the silhouette of a black bear warns motorist to be cautious of bears on the roadway.

A group of hikers pass through rare sand hill habitat of long leaf pine and wire grass on the Florida Scenic Trail in the Ocala National Forest.

A lone woman on horseback approaches on a back road that runs through forested wetlands in the Tiger Bay State Forest.

Wetland vegetation transitioning to small pines illustrates the difference even a very small change of elevation makes in the types of plants found in the flatwoods natural community.

The Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway passes through unbroken miles of sand pine and xeric oak forest, some of the rarest natural habitat in North America. The photograph was taken from atop the historic Central Fire Tower, and gives a birds eye view of the highway and forest.

Swimmers escape the Florida heat in the cool, clear water of Salt Springs.

Crystal-clear water boils up from the main vent of Alexander Springs. A hardwood swamp and cabbage palms lie in the background.

In the Juniper Prairie Wilderness Area, a pair of hikers walks down the Yearling Trail through the sandy xeric oak and sand pine scrub habitat which is favored by the gregarious Florida Scrub Jay.

The narrow River Road in the Lake George State Forest winds its way through a forest of cabbage palms and hardwoods on its way to the Bluffton Recreation Area on the St. Johns River.

Motorcyclists pass the Florida Scenic Highway sign marking the southern terminus of the South State Road 19 Spur, which is located at the southern boundary of the Ocala National Forest on State Road 19.

The Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway sign at the western terminus of the byway is located at the entrance to the Silver Springs attraction. The byway sign is in front of the landscaped entrance to Silver Springs.

One of Silver Spring’s signature glass bottom boats glides over the main spring towards the dock to join the rest of the fleet of boats.

A pair of kayakers explore the Silver River. The background is formed by the tall cypress and hardwood trees of a swamp lining the river's edge.

Directional signage marks the intersection of State Road 19 and Lake County Road 445, part of the Alexander Springs Loop of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway.

The blue, endangered Florida Scrub Jay bird sits perched on a tree branch in Ocala National Forest.