Ocala National Forest

Ocala National Forest
Farles Prairie in Ocala National Forest
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Location	Florida, U.S.
Nearest city	Ocala, FL
Coordinates	29°10′25″N 81°49′18″W / 29.17361°N 81.82167°W / 29.17361; -81.82167
Area	430,447 acres (1,741.96 km2)
Max. elevation	193 ft. (59 m): 29.0518, -81.6858
Established	1908
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service
Website	Ocala National Forest

The Ocala National Forest is the second largest nationally protected forest in the U.S. State of Florida. It covers 607 square miles (1,570 km²) of North Central Florida. It is located three miles (5 km) east of Ocala and 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Gainesville. The Ocala National Forest, established in 1908, is the oldest national forest east of the Mississippi River^[1] and the southernmost national forest in the continental U.S. The word Ocala is thought to be a derivative of a Timucuan term meaning "fair land" or "big hammock". The forest is headquartered in Tallahassee, as are all three National Forests in Florida, but there are local ranger district offices located in Silver Springs and Umatilla.