The Goethe Giant

Hugging the Goethe Giant

Deep within Goethe State Forest in Levy County there is an ancient giant cypress tree. It is known as the Goethe Giant and it is 9 ft in diameter, 105 feet tall, and 342 inches in circumference. This amazing tree is located off of the Big Cypress Boardwalk Trail.

Trailhead Area

Boardwalk Trail

To find the trail, follow SR 121 east from US 19 or west from CR 336 and look for Cow Creek Road, a dirt road leading north from the pavement at the forest’s western edge. It’s in great shape for passenger vehicles. At the first fork, stay right. Drive 3.2 miles north on the dirt road to the parking area on the left. You'll see a trailhead with a sign that says Big Cypress Trail, a kiosk and picnic table. The trail is really shaded and is very lush and green. The trail is short only about a quarter mile or so and you will eventually come upon a boardwalk that was made from the trees harvested in this forest. Follow this boardwalk to the end and you will encounter this giant cypress.

The tree is massive and there are similar large trees nearby in this forest but this one is the highlight. I took some time here to reflect upon the history and imagined the countless others that passed by and touched it over the centuries. I hope it will be here for many years to come for others to see and experience. Stand at the base of it and look straight up you will be amazed!

Goethe State Forest was named for J.T. Goethe from whom most of the land was purchased under Florida’s Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) Program in 1992. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, much of the original old-growth pine and cypress was harvested. Railroads were built by lumber companies to haul out the timber and evidence of raised railroad beds can still be seen in Goethe’s flatwoods. The remaining residual timber was allowed to grow and some interplantings were conducted during the years under J.T. Goethe’s ownership. Although most of the old growth timber was harvested, small areas of longleaf pine still remain in the forest with some trees reaching over 200 years of age. The giant cypress tree here was left alone by the logging companies because it had defects and was not suitable for harvesting. Well that is good news because today we can still enjoy this rare beauty. Many trees this old around the state have either been destroyed or have been harvested. I posted the coordinates, a link to my hike that I tracked and videos below as well. Enjoy!

View My Hike Here