Central Florida is a transition zone with some of the state’s longest stretches of trail and awesome rugged hikes in the Central Highlands. With its massive population centers, the region is also home to a lot of nature trails that enable urban dwellers to explore natural Florida in their own backyard. In the northern part of this region, you can explore the world’s largest scrub forest, the Big Scrub. As you head farther south, you enter the broad open prairies that early pioneers once swore at because they were so difficult to get through and so vast. Dotted with cypress domes and thick hammocks of oak trees, they provide unparalleled vistas that sweep you back into Florida’s past.