Robinson Preserve

A 487-acre mosaic of mud flats, mangrove swamps, and beaches, Robinson Preserve is a testament to the spirit of Aldo Leopold. Formerly farmland in a district of Bradenton known for its tropical plant nurseries, this expanse of waterfront habitats has undergone extensive restoration, from removal of invasive species to re-creating tidal creeks and basins nourished… [Continue Reading]

Robinson Preserve

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

A sweep of fragile dunes along a shore that’s vanished, over time, under the rush of development: Topsail Hill State Park is a very special place. Protecting more than 3 miles of oceanfront on the Gulf of Mexico – and the 1,600 acres of delicate scrub and pine flatwoods habitats that lie behind the dune… [Continue Reading]

Morris Lake at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Pine Lily Preserve

A showcase for the colorful pine lily (Lilium catesbaei Walter), a threatened species that thrives in wet flatwoods, Pine Lily Preserve protects 409 acres in the Econlockhatchee River basin. Connecting directly to Hal Scott Preserve and Long Branch Preserve, it’s part of a much larger corridor for wildlife to roam north from the prairies of… [Continue Reading]

Pine Lily Preserve

Florida Trail, Seminole State Forest

One of the older sections of the Florida Trail near Orlando is also one of its finest. A hike through Seminole State Forest leads you through the kind of vast, open spaces that you’d never imagine, driving along SR 46A or SR 46 or SR 44 around the forest, actually existed on this grand a… [Continue Reading]

Florida Trail, Seminole State Forest

Bulow Creek Trail

The essence of primordial Florida still echoes through Bulow Hammock, a dark and mysterious place running like a ribbon of the “Land of the Lost” trapped between the flow of traffic on Interstate 95 and the sluggish quiet of Bulow Creek, a freshwater outlet just a mile or two from the Atlantic Ocean. The Bulow… [Continue Reading]

Bulow Creek Trail
Hello! I’m Sandra Friend, author of 15 guidebooks to Florida, more than half of them hiking guides. I’ve walked more than 3,000 miles in Florida exploring our state’s diverse trails, and set up this site to help you plan your hiking in Florida. >>> Take a Hike!

Newest Articles & Blogs

  • February proclaimed Florida Hiking Trails Month

    2 Feb 2012

    February proclaimed Florida Hiking Trails Month

    It’s a pleasure to hear that Governor Rick Scott has proclaimed February as Florida Hiking Trails Month, a long-standing tradition over numerous administrations to shine a spotlight on the best month of the year to Read more →

  • Scrub-jays a delight on Florida hikes

    31 Jan 2012

    Scrub-jays a delight on Florida hikes

    This Saturday, February 4, I’ll be one of the featured speakers at the Florida Scrub-Jay Festival at Oscar Scherer State Park in Venice. The festival helps you get to know Florida’s most colorful endemic bird, Read more →

  • Florida Trail relocation in Seminole Ranch

    30 Jan 2012

    Florida Trail relocation in Seminole Ranch

    A recent relocation of the Florida Trail in Seminole Ranch Conservation Area has opened up another beautiful stretch of hiking along the floodplain of the St. Johns River north of Christmas. Removing the long-standing roadwalk Read more →

Latest Tweets