Forestry is a pivotal domain in the construction of ecological civilization and constitutes a fundamental industry for economic and social advancement. Functioning as a specific cornerstone of the forestry industry economy, analyzing the spatial evolution and influencing factors is crucial for decision makers to judiciously organize the forestry industry layout and foster its development. Drawing on data spanning from 2000 to 2020 for forestry enterprises in Shaanxi Province, China, this study employs geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis techniques, including average nearest neighbor, standard deviation ellipse, and kernel density analysis, to scrutinize the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of these enterprises. In addition, ordinary least squares regression and geographically weighted regression models were used to explore the spatial heterogeneity of factors influencing the distribution of forestry enterprises across 107 counties and districts. This study unveils the influence of various factors and spatial differentiation characteristics. The findings reveal the following: (1) The number of forestry enterprises in Shaanxi Province has steadily increased, demonstrating a discernible agglomeration pattern with strengthening degrees of concentration. (2) The overall spatial distribution of forestry enterprises in Shaanxi Province shifts eastward, yet the central nuclear density hotspot remains consistently situated in Xi’an City, forming a contiguous high-value area with Xianyang City. (3) Forestry enterprises in Shaanxi Province exhibit a distinct business scope, primarily revolving around sales and services related to forestry. As the industrial structure is optimized, there is an evident increase in the technical content of forestry enterprises, accompanied by the expansion of related service offerings from primary processing to reprocessing and deep processing. (4) Regarding the influencing factors of forestry enterprise distribution, socioeconomic factors such as total retail sales of consumer goods, gross regional product, and the number of permanent population exert the most substantial impact. However, industry-related factors, including the proportion of primary industry value added and forest area, also positively influence the distribution of forestry enterprises. Conversely, a negative correlation was observed between the registered capital average of enterprises, garden plot area, highway density, and the number of forestry enterprises, indicative of competitive pressures and the reality of expansive land area the forestry enterprises owned. These outcomes align with the characteristics of the forestry industry, which is predominantly driven by the primary sector. The factors influencing of forestry enterprise distribution in Shaanxi Province exhibit notable spatial heterogeneity. Consequently, when formulating industrial policies, it is imperative for the government and relevant departments to consider regional nuances and adopt targeted strategies to facilitate the healthy and coordinated development of the forestry industry.