FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. \u2013 With its sweltering summers, thick humidity, and outrageous hurricane season, some might be inclined to describe Florida as a \u201chellish\u201d place to live.<\/p>\n
Well, it turns out they\u2019re not too far off base.<\/p>\n
In Florida\u2019s panhandle sits Tate\u2019s Hell State Forest<\/a> \u2014 a huge tract of marshlands, wooded areas and swamps that span over 200,000 acres.<\/p>\n Tate\u2019s Hell is located in Franklin County between the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers, and it plays host to a diverse array of flora and fauna. <\/p>\n A section of the Florida Department of Transportation’s “MyFlorida Transportation Map” showing where Tate’s Hell State Forest is located (Florida Department of Transportation)<\/p>\n Historically, the site was used to produce timber in the late 20th century, though the reason it\u2019s so well known is thanks to its colorful moniker.<\/p>\n According to state officials, the story behind the forest\u2019s name stems back to 1875, which is when a farmer by the name of Cebe Tate reportedly journeyed into the swamp bearing only a shotgun and his hunting dogs.<\/p>\n Tate was searching for a panther that had been killing his livestock, but he instead got lost in the dense swamp for over a week.<\/p>\n A large, swampy area at Tate’s Hell State Forest (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)<\/p>\n There are different versions of what transpired during Tate\u2019s adventures in the swamp \u2014 suffering snakebites and drinking from turgid waters, for example \u2014 but all of the tales agree that the environment took a hefty toll on him.<\/p>\n Finally, after wandering lost through the forest, Tate stumbled across a couple of local passers-by near Carrabelle. When asked what had happened to him, Tate could only manage one line before dying on the spot.<\/p>\n \u201cMy name is Cebe Tate, and I just came from Hell!\u201d<\/p>\n Boardwalk overlooking dwarf cypress trees at Tate’s Hell State Forest during the winter (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)<\/p>\n The tale was recounted by Florida singer Will McLean in his eponymous folk song, \u201cTate\u2019s Hell<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n In this rendition of the legend, the panther killed Tate\u2019s hunting dogs in the marsh, and the long hunt caused Tate to become disoriented in the forest. After being bitten by a snake, Tate\u2019s leg turns green, resulting in Tate\u2019s death at the end of the story.<\/p>\n Wildflowers in bloom at Tate’s Hell (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)<\/p>\n Despite the morbid background, though, Tate\u2019s Hell is nowadays open to the public, and it offers plenty of activities<\/a> like biking, fishing, hiking and horseback riding.<\/p>\n Visitors can also camp in the forest, though it\u2019s only allowed at designated campsites by permit from the Florida Forest Service. <\/p>\n It\u2019s also an easy trip to make. A day pass for the state forest is only $2, and visitors can stay from sunrise to sunset. <\/p>\n Warren Bluff Campground at Tate’s Hell (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)<\/p>\n Just be careful not to get lost \u2014 the FDACS provides an online map of the forest to help visitors navigate their way through the terrain.<\/p>\n For more information on Tate\u2019s Hell, to purchase a pass, or to make a reservation, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Boardwalk overlooking dwarf cypress trees at Tate’s Hell State Forest during the summer (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)<\/p>\n