HELL OF A TRIP
Visit these places named after the devil in Florida
Florida is regarded by many as a tropical paradise, a beautiful shimmering oasis with palm trees, springs and pristine beaches. But sometimes the Sunshine State’s summertime temperatures and humidity might make it feel like hell.
It’s also a peninsula steeped in centuries of history with a handful of destinations that derive their name from the devil. From Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park to Devil’s Den Spring, tourists can find a number of places that have Satan as their namesake.
The irony is that most of these places don’t conjure up images of a fiery underworld but of wonderful, wild, natural Florida. Here are places to visit that might sound like hell but are anything but:
Devil’s Den Spring
When pioneers came upon the “Devil’s Den” prehistoric spring, they saw what they assumed was smoke rising from Satan’s lair. They kept their distance, but it was just harmless steam rising from the spring. If only they had known how beautiful the place was, they could have discovered something truly remarkable.
The privately owned swimming hole is a hot spot for scuba divers and snorkelers wishing to explore the clear 72-degree waters. The spring also contains a rich history with ancient rock formations and fossil beds dating back 33 million years.
Not far from the Devil’s Den, outdoor enthusiasts can explore Devil’s Ear, Devil’s Eye and “Little Devil,” which combine to produce nearly 80 million gallons of water daily. These can be found near Ginnie Spring and the Santa Fe River.
Address: 5390 NE 180th Ave. in Williston
More information: devilsden.com, ginniespringsoutdoors.com
Devil’s Chair
Found in the Lake Helen-Cassadaga Cemetery, right on the outskirts of the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp, the Devil’s Chair seems like an ideal spot to sit for quiet reflection. In fact, that was its original intent; cemetery chairs and benches were previously common as places to rest or as monuments.
The Cassadaga Devil’s Chair is a bench made of bricks and the subject of urban legend. Some say that the devil will speak to those who sit in the chair, especially late at night. However, gates are closed after dusk and the locals take trespassing seriously.
Others have claimed to leave a full beer can on the chair only to return the next day and find it empty but sealed on top. Most of this is likely just urban legend, albeit one that’s persisted for decades and
proves fun to recount.
Address: West Kicklighter Road in Lake Helen
Devil’s Tree
Within Port St. Lucie’s Oak Hammock Park, there’s a magnificent oak that has a sinister history. Gerard John Schaefer was a police officer and serial killer who assaulted
and murdered two teenage girls (in addition to countless other victims), then allegedly hung them from this oak tree.
One urban legend claims that attempts to cut the tree down have been stopped by strange occurrences and another reports an exorcism and satanic activity at the tree. Find this
haunted spot next to Canal C-24 within the park.
Address: 1982 S.W. Villanova Road in Port St. Lucie
Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park
The focal point of this Gainesville-area park is a sinkhole 120 feet deep, which leads down into a miniature rainforest. Small streams trickle down into the limestone cavity filled with lush vegetation. Visitors can opt to descend more than 100 steps down into the natural sink.
Though the exact origins of the park’s name aren’t certain, oral histories have told how early visitors found bones and fossils at the bottom of the sinkhole. They believed animals went down there to meet the devil. Another story involves the devil kidnapping
a Native American woman, then creating a sinkhole to capture her rescuers.
Yet another story details how the hole is funnelshaped like a grist mill, leading early homesteaders to see the geological wonder as a large millhopper, feeding grain into the devil’s mill at the center of the earth.
Address: 4732 Millhopper Road in Gainesville
More information: floridastateparks.org
Tate’s Hell State Forest
Set on 212,000 acres of coastal Florida Panhandle land, Tate’s Hell State Forest was previously used
for timber production and now serves as a protected home for natural resources and outdoor recreation. Boating, fishing, camping and hiking are all options for those who visit this swampy space.
The land gets its name from a tale involving farmer Cebe Tate, who set out into the swamp in 1875 in search of a panther that was killing
his livestock. Wandering with just his shotgun and hunting dogs, the legend says Tate got lost for seven days and nights, suffering from a snakebite wound and drinking from murky waters. When he came to a clearing near Carrabelle, he lived just long enough to utter, “My name is Cebe Tate, and I just came from Hell.”
Address: 290 Airport
Road in Carrabelle
More information: fdacs.gov
Spook Hill
Set in hilly Lake Wales near Bok Tower Gardens, Spook Hill provides an optical illusion for motorists who place their cars in neutral on the white line. Vehicles appear to roll backward uphill, creating a spooky effect.
Though this site doesn’t specifically have to do with hell or the devil, it’s rooted in a legend that began when a Seminole chief fought off a giant alligator to save his village. As the story goes, either his ghost or that of the alligator could still haunt the land.
Address: North Wales Drive in Lake Wales
More information: visitcentralflorida.org
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