Lake Woodruff Wilderness
The Native Americans who once lived here harvested the rich food supply and left behind mounds, middens, and artifacts dating back 10,000 years. The native population began to dwindle after the Spanish explorers arrived in the early 1500s. In 1823, Major Joseph Woodruff acquired the DeLeon Springs area (the infamous Fountain of Youth) and gave his name to the nearby lake. In 1964, the same year the Wilderness Act was passed, the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge was set aside as migratory bird habitat and as a Wilderness in 1976. You'll find very little evidence of human domination in this country of freshwater marshes, lakes, and streams, just plenty of wildlife.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Florida |
| Size | 1,066 acres |
| Designated | 1976, by Congress |
| Center point | 29.10° N, 81.47° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 4 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- WildfirePine Lakes
13 mi from the center point · 119 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 4.2 miKilkoff House ↗Deland, FL
- 4.3 miStetson, John B., House ↗DeLand, FL
- 4.9 miDeLand Memorial Hospital, Old ↗DeLand, FL
- 5.2 miBarberville Central High School ↗Barberville, FL
- 5.3 miWright, James W., Building ↗DeLand, FL
- 5.4 miHaynes, Alexander, House ↗DeLand, FL
- 5.6 miDeLand Hall ↗DeLand, FL
- 5.8 miStockton--Lindquist House ↗DeLand, FL
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Florida
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lake Woodruff Wilderness?
1,066 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Lake Woodruff Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Lake Woodruff Wilderness in?
Florida.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Lake Woodruff Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1976.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Lake Woodruff Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Lake Woodruff Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 29.100° N, 81.467° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Lake Woodruff Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Pine Lakes at 13 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Lake Woodruff Wilderness?
The National Register has 24 listings within 15 miles, including Kilkoff House and Stetson, John B., House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.