Arrowhead Nature Trail

The Arrowhead Nature Trail starts and ends from the Arrowhead Picnic Area out at the eastern end of the key, across from the famed natural beaches. It offers an interesting juxtaposition between pine uplands — all it takes are a few inches of elevation — and the mangrove fringe and salt flats. This 1.4-mile series of loops is best followed according to the interpretive guide and numbered signs, since otherwise the loops and connecting trails can be very confusing. After you pass through an open coastal savanna where cabbage palms rise from the wispy grasses, the trail swings out along the edge of Bunce’s Pass, where sandpipers scurry across the mud flats. Views of Mullet Key Bayou are framed by large mangroves.

Fort De Soto Historic Trail

Technically, it’s not a hiking trail, but this interpretive walk leads you around the fort and the ruins of the Army post on a mile-long loop. Stairs enable you to climb atop Battery Laidley for a sweeping view of the bay. The brick road along the battery is the original road on Mullet Key, built in 1898.