Biking
Hiking
Seasonal Hunting
Kissimmee Bend State Forest is located within the Everglades Headwaters and Kissimmee River Basin. The property was purchased through the Florida Forever Acquisition Program in April 2019 with the primary objectives of protecting regional water quality and implementing resource-based outdoor recreational opportunities. The name is derived from the distinct western bend in the Kissimmee River directly west of the property.
The dominant features of Kissimmee Bend State Forest are the dry prairies and associated isolated wetland communities. Dry prairie once covered a considerable area in southern Florida, but much less remains today.
The property has been managed as an open range since 1976 and is a part of the Triple Diamond Florida Forever Project. Public ownership will assist in protecting water quality and quantity in the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee watersheds. Kissimmee Bend State Forest is managed by the Florida Forest Service.
Lightning fires have naturally maintained the grass communities and provided forage for numerous generations of cattle. Early settlers to the area gathered cattle left behind by the first Spanish explorers.
Kissimmee Bend State Forest’s biologically rich grasslands are a significant part of the Everglades Headwaters ecosystem. This unique ecosystem is known for its rare and diverse wildlife, including the Florida grasshopper sparrow, Florida scrub-jay and the crested caracara. The globally imperiled dry prairie is the primary natural community found at Kissimmee Bend, though examples of depression marsh, mesic hammock, slough marsh and wet prairie can also be found. Kissimmee Bend is within the footprint of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
Forest visitor parking is available at the Everglades Headwater National Wildlife Refuge entrance, and the public can enjoy hiking or biking access. Seasonal primitive camping is a planned recreational opportunity at Kissimmee Bend.
The entire State Forest is within the Everglades Headwaters Wildlife Management Area and is open to regulated hunting under the direction of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Visit the FWC website for information.
Day use is from sunrise to sunset.
Okeechobee District Office
5200 Highway 441 N.
Okeechobee FL, 34972
(863) 467-3220
Email Kissimmee Bend State Forest
Passes are no longer available at the State Forest office. To purchase a pass or make a reservation, visit ReserveAmerica or call 1-877-879-3859.
From U.S. 441 (north of Okeechobee): Take NW 240th Street west to NW 192nd Ave. Take NW 192nd Ave. north to NW 256th Street (dirt road) and head west. As soon as you pass the last road going north from NW 256th Street (NW 224th Ave.), look for a house on your right. Pass that house and look for the entrance gate to the forest on the north side of NW 256th Street. If you see a No Trespassing sign on NW 256th Street, you've gone too far.
The entrance gate has a combination lock. Open the gate and take the road that heads north. After approximately 3 miles, you will come to a T intersection. Go west (left) about half a mile and you are at the entrance to Kissimmee Bend State Forest.
From U.S. 98 (west of Okeechobee): Take NW 176th Ave. north to NW 240th Street. Take NW 240th Street west to NW 192nd Ave. Take 192nd Ave. north to NW 256th Street (dirt road) and head west. As soon as you pass the last road going north from NW 256th Street (NW 224th Ave.), look for a house on your right. Pass that house and look for the entrance gate to the forest on the north side of NW 256th Street. If you see a No Trespassing sign on NW 256th Street, you've gone too far.
The entrance gate has a combination lock. Open the gate and take the road that heads north. After approximately 3 miles, you will come to a T intersection. Go west (left) about half a mile and you are at the entrance to Kissimmee Bend State Forest.
Smart device mapping is possible and encouraged in the State Forests. Before visiting a forest, search for “PDF Maps” in the app store to find an app that works for you and download our State Forest map, which is georeferenced.
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