This corridor leads you through a mosaic of natural and recreational sites and communities surrounding the Big Scrub, one of Florida’s most distinctive ecosystems. The Big Scrub, created from ancient sand dunes capped with vegetation adapted to a lack of water is the largest continuous sand pine forest remaining in Florida. Traversing eastern Marion County and parts of Lake, Putnam and Volusia counties, the 60-mile-long corridor along SR 40 serves as the backbone for the byways network of scenic roads and interpretive trails.
The surrounding lands that are part of this corridor includes the Ocala National Forest, Lake George State Forest, Heart Island Conservation Area, and Tiger Bay State Forest. The many crystal-clear springs along the byway are a huge attraction, as are the region’s trail system and proximity to waterways for kayaking and boating. The Florida black bear is at its highest population density in this region; these ambassadors of the byway are often close to the road, so look out for them!
