Apalachicola National Forest, Nature reserve in Florida Panhandle, US.

Apalachicola National Forest is a national forest in the Florida Panhandle spanning Liberty, Wakulla, Leon, and Franklin counties. It covers 635,019 acres (2,569.83 km²), of which 576,374 acres are under National Forest System management. The terrain includes longleaf pine sandhills, pine flatwoods, cypress domes, and hardwood swamps along spring-fed rivers.

The United States Forest Service founded this reserve in 1936 to regulate timber operations and control erosion across the region. Decades later, officials expanded the area through land purchases and designated wilderness zones to protect sensitive ecosystems permanently.

The forest is named after the Apalachicola, a Muskogean-speaking people. Middle Woodland mound-building cultures, roughly 100 BCE to 500 CE, occupied the Apalachicola basin; Bristol Mound and Pierce Mound are linked to the Weeden Island tradition. Visitors can look for these mounds and for the longleaf pine savannas along the Apalachee Savannahs Scenic Byway.

Multiple entry points near Bristol and Crawfordville lead to hiking, camping, and fishing spots accessible via unpaved forest roads. Summer visitors should bring insect protection and pack enough water, as shaded sections are often marked by humidity.

Two designated wilderness areas, Bradwell Bay and Mud Swamp/New River, protect old stands of slash pine and tupelo trees across roughly 100 acres (40 hectares). These rare formations attract researchers who study the interplay of moisture and forest development over centuries.