Cars and driving
Black Bear Scenic Byway turns SR 40 into a forest drive
Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway links Silver Springs, Ocala National Forest, Palatka, Umatilla, and Ormond Beach with a slower road story.
Some Florida drives are not trying to get you across the map as fast as possible.
Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway uses SR 40 as its main spine between Silver Springs and I-95, with loops and spurs through Marion, Lake, Putnam, and Volusia counties. The road pulls forest, springs, small towns, trailheads, and old Central Florida geography into one drive.
The name is a clue to the landscape, not a promise that wildlife will appear on schedule. Treat it like a route to read slowly. A side stop near Silver Springs, a forest road, a Palatka detour, or an Ormond Beach ending can all change the day.
The drive shows a Florida that is not only beach traffic, theme parks, or interstate exits. You can feel the state turn sandy, piney, and quieter without leaving the road map.
Before you go, check the byway map, weather, fuel stops, forest notices, park hours, and daylight. Pull off only where it is safe and allowed. The best view is better from a real stop than from the shoulder of a moving road.
Where to see it
Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway along SR 40 and connected loops or spurs through Marion, Lake, Putnam, and Volusia counties. Check the byway map, weather, forest notices, and stop locations before building a day around it.
Official sources
Last checked against these sources: July 3, 2026.