Four days, 43 miles: that’s just part of the challenge of the Citrus Hiking Trail, the second-longest backpacking loop on a single piece of land in the state of Florida.

Add aggressively rolling sandhills, steep descents into sinkholes, and rock-strewn footpaths, and you’ve got yourself one of Florida’s most rugged hikes. Traversing extreme contrasts in habitats, from deeply shaded hardwood forests to longleaf pine savannas, rosemary scrub, and open prairies, this trail numerous opportunities for wildlife encounters.

It is a well-groomed trail, easily followed, with a clearly defined footpath and signposts at trail junctions. If you’re directionally challenged, make sure you carry a map and compass or GPS, since one wrong turn at a trail junction can send you a day out of your way! But you don’t have to be a backpacker to enjoy this lengthy trail. Using forest roads, you can break this trail up into a series of very comfortable day hikes.

Guidebooks
50 Hikes in Central Florida
The Florida Trail: The Official Hiking Guide
Hiker's Guide to the Sunshine State
Hiking Florida
Orlando & Central Florida: An Explorer's Guide