Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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 Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
Location in Florida
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| Location | Clay County, Florida, USA |
| Nearest city | Keystone Heights, Florida |
| Area | 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) |
| Established | 1935 |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park is a beautiful Florida State Park. It covers almost 2,400 acres (about 8 square kilometers) of land. You can find rolling sandhills, wet marshes, deep ravines, clear lakes, and scrub areas here.
The park is located in Clay County, Florida, between the cities of Gainesville and Jacksonville. It's about six miles (10 kilometers) north of Keystone Heights. Gold Head Branch is one of the oldest state parks in Florida. Many of its buildings, like the cabins, were built a long time ago in the 1930s. They were constructed by a group called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In 2020, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site!
Amazing Animals and Plants
This park is home to many different kinds of wildlife. You might spot fox squirrels running around. Look up to see birds like southeastern kestrels, red-tailed hawks, and even bald eagles flying high. On the ground, you could see wild turkeys and gopher tortoises. These tortoises dig big burrows in the sand.
Other animals living here include pocket gophers, foxes, and white-tailed deer. There are also many different kinds of wading birds near the water. The park is also full of colorful wildflowers. Some of these include blazing star, goldenrod, and lopsided Indian grass.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
There are lots of exciting activities you can do at Gold Head Branch State Park! You can go fishing in the lakes or enjoy horseback riding on special trails. If you like being on the water, you can go canoeing. On hot days, swimming in the lake is a great way to cool off.
The park also has many trails for hiking. It's a perfect place for wildlife viewing, so bring your binoculars! If you want to stay longer, you can go camping with full facilities. There are also cozy lakeside cabins you can rent. You can enjoy a picnic with your family overlooking Little Lake Johnson. There's even a beach on the lake for relaxing. The park has four marked hiking trails and a seven-mile (11-kilometer) horseback riding trail.
Park Hours
Florida state parks, including Gold Head Branch, are open every day of the year. This includes holidays! You can visit the park between 8:00 AM and sundown.
