Despite its dense coastal populations, South Florida offers wilderness on a grand scale, with millions of acres of watery wilds protected by Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress Swamp. It’s a region where the prairies meet the tropics, and where outdoor recreation can be found around every corner. On the coasts, barrier islands and inland prairies are protected for hiking, paddling, and trail riding, and hundreds of small but critical urban parks provide quiet getaways for families to enjoy birding, wildlife watching, and the colorful blooms that appear year-round.
A.D. Barnes Park - A tiny slice of native pine rocklands survives in a corner of this Miami city park, where paved nature trails provide access for all into a glimpse of what landscaped yards would look like if [...]
Apoxee Wilderness Trail - In the wet prairies and tropical hammocks of Apoxee Park, the first urban wilderness area in Palm Beach County, you’ll walk over and through the water supply of West Palm Beach. A fascinating 4.7-mile day [...]
Arch Creek Park - This tropical hammock was the site of a Tequesta Indian village between 500 B.C. and 1300 A.D. Gentle natural footpaths wind through the dark forest, where plant identifications add to your knowledge of South Florida’s [...]
Babcock Ranch – Ecotour Trail - For a taste of the palmetto prairie that attracted ranchers to South Florida, head off the beaten path to explore Babcock Ranch on foot. At Babcock Wilderness Adventures – a popular ecotourism attraction east of [...]
Babcock Ranch – Footprints Trail - Mind the “Beware of Cows” sign as you enter this trail system in the heart of Babcock Ranch, where cattle roam free across thousands of acres of open prairie and cypress swamps east of Punta [...]
Bahia Honda State Park – Silver Palm Trail - In addition to having one of the best beaches in Florida, Bahia Honda State Park is blessed with a profusion of rare and unique tropical vegetation. Along the park’s Silver Palm Trail, you’ll meander through [...]
Bear Cut Nature Preserve - On the shores of Biscayne Bay at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, Bear Cut Nature Preserve is a precious sliver of natural bayfront in Miami. The preserve provides hiking along the waterfront and in the [...]
Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk - To the east of Naples, the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk at Fakahatchee Preserve State Park offers a peek into one tiny corner of the Fakahatchee Strand, but it’s significant in two ways – it’s the [...]
Big Cypress National Preserve – Kirby Storter Boardwalk - It took many years and a lot of local effort by the Friends of Big Cypress to get this gentle introduction to the wilds of the Big Cypress Swamp in place, but the Kirby Storter [...]
Big Cypress National Preserve – Tree Snail Hammock Trail - In this hammock, you enter a world inhabited by rare and tiny creatures—the colorful and endangered liguus tree snails of South Florida’s hammocks. You’ll likely enjoy spotting liguus snails on the trees— look for them [...]
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park - At the tip of Key Biscayne, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is one of the busiest parks in South Florida. Large crowds flock here for the excellent beaches, more scenic than those in neighboring [...]
Bill Sadowski Park - At the Bill Sadowski Park and Nature Center, the Old Cutler Hammock Nature Trail offers a glimpse of what Cutler Ridge looked like before development. A verdant tropical hammock tops bizarre geologic formations that, in [...]
Blazing Star Nature Preserve - Remnants of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, ancient dunes that once marked the oceanfront in Southeastern Florida, pop up now and again in the most unexpected places. Blazing Star Preserve is one of those spots. It’s [...]
Blowing Rocks Preserve - Stretching more than a mile along Jupiter Island, a tall limestone terrace dominates the meeting of sand and sea, the longest and most dramatic stretch of rocky shoreline in Florida. Preserved by local residents in [...]
Caloosahatchee Regional Park - To the northeast of Fort Myers, the 768-acre Caloosahatchee Regional Park – which was intended to become a state park – provides an outdoor escape along the Caloosahatchee River. The trail system, while a little [...]
Caspersen Beach Park - Ancient sharks once cruised the waters off modern-day Venice, carcharodon megalodon, a shark more than 52 feet long that outweighed a t.rex. Folks flock to Caspersen Beach today not just because it’s at the end [...]
Castellow Hammock Preserve - At Castellow Hammock, you’re stepping into Florida’s past as you follow the nature trail into a remnant of tropical forest. Part of the Dade Archipelago, a series of rocky islands that once protruded from the [...]
Cayo Costa State Park - To spend a day or a weekend on your own deserted island…heaven. Cayo Costa State Park is one of the tougher and costlier state parks to get to, but well worth it. Solitude is guaranteed. [...]
Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park – Alligator Creek - Showcasing the interface of freshwater and saltwater habitats along Charlotte Harbor, Alligator Creek Preserve in Punta Gorda is an outreach center and living laboratory of the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center at Charlotte Harbor Preserve State [...]
Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park – Old Datsun Trail - Providing a different take on the uplands around Charlotte Harbor, the Old Datsun Trail at Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park meanders through an area once covered in vegetable farms – the historic Miles School of [...]
Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail - Created by the Florida Trail Association, the Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail is one of South Florida’s most beautiful trails, but it’s not for the inexperienced hiker. Wilderness savvy is in order, as you’ll be wading the [...]
Collier-Seminole State Park – Royal Palm Hammock Trail - At Collier-Seminole State Park, the short and intriguing Royal Palm Hammock Trail is a wild but gentle introduction to the habitats protected by this park. Although the boardwalks are slippery, you can explore the coastal [...]
Colohatchee Natural Park - In what is now Wilton Manors near Fort Lauderdale, settler William C. Collier planted an orange grove in the 1890s and traded with the Seminole, who named the waterway that wove through the wilderness “Colohatchee” [...]
Coquina Baywalk - Explore Leffis Key on a series of trails and boardwalks through mangrove tunnels on the Coquina Baywalk. A unspoiled sliver between the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay, Leffis Key sits between Bradenton Beach and [...]
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - You’ll find Florida’s best and most extensive boardwalk hike at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, meandering 2.3 miles through an old-growth cypress forest. Managed by the National Audubon Society since 1912, Corkscrew Swamp, encompassing 315 square miles, [...]
Crystal Lake Natural Area - Explore a patch of wilderness in a very urban setting. Winding through a diminutive scrub forest of sand live oak, tallow-wood, gopher apple, and sand pines, the brief hike offers a respite from the surrounding [...]
Curry Hammock Nature Trail - While Florida thatch palms (Thrinax radiata) are often seen in South Florida landscaping, they’re a rare and endangered species in the wild. At Curry Hammock, a 1.5-mile interpretive trail twists and winds from the paved [...]
D.J. Wilcox Natural Area - Hidden behind a screen of mangroves along the Indian River Lagoon, D.J. Wilcox Natural Area is an offbeat place to find a hike. You wouldn’t expect it as you drive down the entrance road, which [...]
Daggerwing Nature Center - Behind Daggerwing Nature Center in busy South County Regional Park, a boardwalk leads you into habitats that have all but been erased from the surrounding crowd of suburbia in west Boca Raton. The trails and [...]
De Soto National Memorial - Commemorating the landing of Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando De Soto, the De Soto National Memorial is a significant archaeological site where the Manatee River flows into Tampa Bay. The Riverview Point Trail offers perspectives [...]
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park - At the northernmost end of Naples, the breezy shores of Delnor-Wiggins State Park entice thousands of beachgoers on summer days – especially on weekends. On weekdays and early mornings and evenings, people who like a [...]
Ding Darling NWR – Bailey Tract - One of the lesser-known trails of Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is at the Bailey Tract, separate from the other nature trails that are found along Wildlife Drive. This separate tract of the refuge is [...]
Ding Darling NWR – Cross Dike Trail - Connecting Wildlife Drive and the Indigo Trail, the Cross Dike Trail at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is an easy paved walk along a dike between two impoundments. An observation deck provides a spot for [...]
Ding Darling NWR – Indigo Trail - One of the most popular birding sites in the entire National Wildlife Refuge System, Ding Darling NWR was established in 1945 thanks largely to efforts spearheaded by Sanibel Island resident and famed editorial cartoonist J.N. [...]
Ding Darling NWR – Red Mangrove Overlook - The shortest walk in Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is one you shouldn’t miss on your drive along Wildlife Drive. Pull off a mile into the refuge to head down to the Red Mangrove Overlook, [...]
Ding Darling NWR – Shell Mound Trail - The last of the nature trails you’ll find while following Wildlife Drive through Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the Shell Mound Trail provides a peek into the ancient history of Sanibel Island, with a boardwalk [...]
Ding Darling NWR – Wulfert Keys Trail - Located along Wildlife Drive in Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the Wulfert Keys Trail is a short walk along a canal to the edge of Hardworking Bay, named for the difficult work of the fisherman [...]
Doris Davis Foreman Wilderness Preserve - A pretty patch of tropical hammock hides amid the bustle of suburbia in Parkland, a Broward County community, within the 20-acre Doris Davis Foreman Wilderness Preserve. The half-mile loop, mostly boardwalk, guides you through a [...]
Easterlin Park - Wrapped in a cocoon of highway noise generated by nearby Interstate 95, Easterlin Park is one of the few places where I’d recommend listening to your iPod as you hike. A designated Urban Wilderness Area, [...]
Emerson Point Preserve - Where the Manatee River meets the Gulf of Mexico, Emerson Point Preserve protects a significant archeological site: the Portavent Mound. More than 150’ long and 80’ wide, this artificial flat-topped hill shaded by ancient live [...]
Estero Scrub Preserve State Park - One of the tougher places to hike in Southwest Florida, Estero Scrub Preserve State Park, established in 1966 as Florida’s first aquatic preserve, has several loops through wet flatwoods and tidal marshes along the rim [...]
Everglades National Park – Anhinga Trail - For most visitors, the Anhinga Trail is their first and perhaps only glimpse into Everglades National Park. Its proximity to the park entrance guarantees its popularity, and wildlife here is so common and complacent you’ll [...]
Everglades National Park – Bayshore Loop - Providing a walk through the mangrove-lined edge of Florida Bay and the unique coastal prairie habitat within a short loop, the Bayshore Loop is an excellent sampler of what some of the Flamingo area’s longer [...]
Everglades National Park – Bear Lake Trail - Paralleling the former Homestead Canal, an attempt by early developers to drain the coastal prairies around Cape Sable, the Bear Lake Trail takes you on a journey down an old road built of limestone fill [...]
Everglades National Park – Bobcat Boardwalk - The Bobcat Boardwalk at Shark Valley is a popular destination in winter and spring to see migratory and nesting birds. Most visitors opt to bike or take the tram around the 14-mile paved loop through [...]
Everglades National Park – Christian Point Trail - The Christian Point Trail is one of the more challenging trails in Everglades National Park, This is one of the more challenging trails in Flamingo, especially after the storm surge damage of Hurricanes Katrina and [...]
Everglades National Park – Coastal Prairie Trail - Ready for a hard-core Florida wilderness challenge? The rangers at the Flamingo Visitor Center don’t recommend you hike this trail, but they’ll still issue you a backcountry permit for camping if you insist. Consider it [...]
Everglades National Park – Eco Pond - One of the perrenial destinations for birding in Everglades National Park, Eco Pond sits near the end of the Main Park Road in Flamingo. During the 2005 hurricanes, a wave of salt water washed across [...]
Everglades National Park – Gumbo Limbo Trail - At Royal Palm Hammock, home of the Anhinga Trail, the Gumbo Limbo Trail is a paved path that gets you up close and personal with a tropical hammock. This was once called Paradise Key, owned [...]
Everglades National Park – Mahogany Hammock Trail - Tree islands are tropical oases in the Everglades “river of grass,” punctuating the sawgrass prairie where there is a slight bit of elevation, enough to make an enormous difference in the flora. I’ve always loved [...]
Everglades National Park – Old Ingraham Highway - Opened in 1922 as the first motorway to Flamingo, the Old Ingraham Highway saw its share of Model Ts and other roadsters as intrepid motorists made their way down to the small fishing village on [...]
Everglades National Park – Otter Cave Hammock Trail - Complementing Shark Valley’s popular bike and tram trail and Bobcat Boardwalk, the Otter Cave Trail gets you out into the Everglades at a walking pace, where you’ll see much more wildlife. Although the park considers [...]
Everglades National Park – Pa-Hay-Okee Boardwalk - Pa-Hay-Okee is the Seminole word for “River of Grass,” the name Marjorie Stoneman Douglas bestowed on the Everglades while advocating to have the region protected as a National Park. This trail is a short boardwalk [...]
Everglades National Park – Pine Land - One of my favorite Everglades nature trails, Pine Land is a showcase for South Florida’s weird and wonderful karst, a limestone bedrock that’s full of Swiss-cheese like holes, crevices, pits, and tiny caves. Pine rocklands [...]
Everglades National Park – Pinelands Ecotone - Unnamed, un-blazed, and wild, following an old jeep road, the Pinelands Ecotone is an extraordinary hike along the ecotone between two rare habitats – pine rocklands and sawgrass prairies. It immerses you in one of [...]
Everglades National Park – Snake Bight / Rowdy Bend - It’s a wild corner of Florida, where tropical forests meet the mangrove shorelines of Florida Bay, where crocodiles cruise the saline shallows and mosquitoes thicken the air. It’s getting even wilder these days, with the [...]
Everglades National Park – West Lake - At West Lake, the Mangrove Trail loops through a forest that has seen its share of hurricane-related damage, from salty mud flats deposited by Hurricane Donna to the storm surges of 2005 from Hurricanes Katrina [...]
Florida Panther NWR - In addition to the very gentle 0.4-mile Leslie Duncan Memorial Trail that starts at this trailhead, a longer 1.3 mile loop appeals to hikers willing to get their feet wet while they feel a real [...]
Florida Panther NWR – Leslie M. Duncan Memorial Trail - Two separate loops make up the Leslie Duncan Memorial Trail, an exploration into the cypress sloughs and wet prairies of the Big Cypress Swamp. The accessible 0.4 mile loop allows those in wheelchairs and strollers [...]
Florida Trail, Chandler Slough West - Chandler Slough is a significant natural feature in the middle of the Okeechobee prairies. It’s especially noticeable as you’re hiking the Florida Trail, since from a distance it looks like a mountain ridge. In fact, [...]
Florida Trail, Clewiston to South Bay - As of May 1, 2013, the Army Corps of Engineers has closed this section and it will not reopen until sometime in 2014. Backpackers / thru-hikers / section hikers: please use the Okeechobee West route. [...]
Florida Trail, Henry Creek to Okeechobee - Arcing northward along the shoreline of Lake Okeechobee, this paved segment of the Florida Trail – known locally as the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail – offers spectacular sweeping views of the open water of one [...]
Florida Trail, Hickory Hammock to Bluff Hammock - With its spreading moss-draped oaks and tall hickory trees, dark floodplain forests of cabbage palms and beautiful riverside campsite, the Hickory Hammock section is one of the jewels of the Florida Trail System. This is [...]
Florida Trail, Hickory Hammock to Chandler Slough West - Following a narrow ribbon of oak hammocks along the rim of vast prairies edging the Kissimmee River floodplain, this segment of the Florida Trail weaves back and forth from US 98 into cattle pastures and [...]
Florida Trail, Lakeport to Moore Haven - Along the western marshes of Lake Okeechobee, the segment of Florida Trail between Lakeport and Moore Haven offers something that no other portion of the trail around the lake does: several miles where the dike [...]
Florida Trail, Moore Haven to Clewiston - One of my favorite sections of the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee, the walk from Alvin Ward Park in Moore Haven to Clewiston Park offers up the best sunrises to be found anywhere along the [...]![Florida Trail, Corbett [view slides]](http://www.floridahikes.com/wp-content/uploads/ftcorbett-121x91.jpg)
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: Corbett WMA - Seen on your GPS or a satellite photo, Corbett WMA appears to be wetlands, wetlands, and more wetlands. But this popular wildlife management area west of West Palm Beach is a place of superlatives: vast [...]
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: DuPuis Reserve - Anchoring the western end of the Ocean-to-Lake section of the Florida Trail, DuPuis Reserve is accessed “the back way” by backpackers via the NENA (North Everglades Natural Area) Trailhead along US 441 between Port Mayaca [...]
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: DuPuis to Corbett - Deep in the heart of the Ocean-to-Lake Greenway, this 9.7 mile segment of the Florida Trail bridging DuPuis Reserve and Corbett WMA is one of the most wild and scenic treks in southeastern Florida. It’s [...]
Florida Trail, Pahokee to Port Mayaca - *** Hiking south of Port Mayaca to Pahokee is currently prohibited due to reconstruction work on the dike. Thru-hikers should use the western route around Lake Okeechobee. *** The sweep of Lake Okeechobee curves away [...]
Florida Trail, Port Mayaca to Henry Creek - One of the segments of the Florida Trail that are paved around Lake Okeechobee, the 13.7-mile walk between Port Mayaca and Henry Creek offers unparalleled vistas of both open water and the marshes of Chauncey [...]
Fort Center - Explore a pre-Colombian village lost in Florida’s past – and uncovered again in modern times, thanks to the efforts of curious archaeologists – by following this trail in Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area. The Fort [...]
Fort Pierce Inlet State Park - At a state park best known for its great surfing, the Maritime Hammock Trail at Fort Pierce State Park is a gentle introduction to a seaside semi-tropical forest, a counterpoint of deep shade to the [...]
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park - The southernmost hike in the United States is one of the lesser-known attractions of Key West, where pub crawls are more popular than nature walks. Still, this classy and quirky historic city has its natural [...]
Four Mile Cove Eco Preserve - A forest of mangroves along the Caloosahatchee River, Four Mile Cove Eco Preserve is a rare find in Cape Coral, where most of the landscape has been developed (to the detriment of those little burrowing [...]
Frenchman’s Forest Natural Area - Who would expect a nature preserve to be hiding behind the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens? That’s what you’ll find at Frenchman’s Forest Natural Area, a 172-acre natural area with seven different habitats to [...]
Grassy Waters Preserve - Protecting a sheet flow of rainfall moving steadily southward and parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, Grassy Waters Preserve bears a striking resemblance to the Florida Everglades. It’s hard to imagine now, with the crush of [...]
Grassy Waters Preserve – Eagle Trail - Forming a loop around Gator Lake in Grassy Waters Preserve, the Eagle Trail tunnels through a tropical hammock to provide overlooks across the wet prairies of the Loxahatchee Slough and across the Lake. This short [...]
Grassy Waters Preserve – Hog Hammock Trail - Offering another perspective on the vast Loxahatchee Slough, the Hog Hammock Trail at Grassy Waters Preserve, leads you into a tropical hammock and a dark, dense, fern-filled cabbage palm hammock bordered by the vast open [...]
Green Cay Wetlands - Boardwalks meander through a recreated wetlands that bring a touch of the Everglades back to its original home in Boynton Beach. One family can make a difference in the quality of life for their community. [...]
Harney Pond Canal Boardwalk - Where’s the best view of Lake Okeechobee? It’s hidden in plain sight in the town of Lakeport, in a park that’s alternately known as the Harney Pond Canal Recreation Area and Margaret Van De Velde [...]
Highlands Hammock State Park - Encompassing a virtual jungle of ancient oak hammocks and floodplain forests to the west of Lake Jackson, Highlands Hammock State Park is Sebring’s crown jewel and a Florida State Park that you won’t want to [...]
Highlands Hammock State Park – Ancient Hammock Trail - For a stroll through one of the most primordial but accessible virgin forests in Florida, take a ride to Sebring to explore Highlands Hammock State Park. A grande dame of the park system, this Civilian [...]
Highlands Hammock State Park – Cypress Boardwalk - Teeter-tottering above a swamp isn’t an ideal situation for some people, but adventuresome hikers who want to have a little fun on a nature trail need to experience this stretch of old-time catwalk through the [...]
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park – Beach Hammock Trail - Tucked away at the southern corner of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, the Beach Hammock Trail traverses a maritime hammock dense with sea grapes, myrsine, gumbo limbo, and stopper. Hurricane Wilma peeled the canopy off [...]
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park – Exotic Trail - Running down the middle of this popular urban park, the Exotic Trail traces a path through the exotic gardens of the former estate of Hugh Taylor Birch, Terramar. These tropical plants aren’t invasive, and they’re [...]
Indrio Savannahs - Call it arrested development. Sitting between Fort Pierce and Vero Beach, Indrio Savannas was a gleam in a developer’s eye more than a decade ago, but thankfully this particular subdivision never came to fruition. Only [...]
Indrio Scrub - All along Florida’s east coast, the Atlantic Coastal Ridge is a special place. Atop these limestone bluffs – which dramatically outcrop along the Atlantic Ocean in places like House of Refuge, Blowing Rocks, Coral Cove, [...]
Jack Island Preserve State Park - For a Florida State Park, Jack Island is long on solitude. Ironically, it isn’t all that far from Fort Pierce and the hustle and bustle of the US 1 corridor through St. Lucie County. But [...]
Jelks Preserve - With so many opportunities for different lengths of hikes, the trail system at Jelks Preserve provides everyone with somewhere to get outdoors. A marker system and maps at the trailhead make it easy to find [...]
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park – Satinleaf Trail - Before you head out to the beach at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, a quick stroll down the Satinleaf Trail will get you oriented to the tropical habitats that this park protects on Singer [...]
John Pennekamp State Park – Mangrove Trail - One of Florida’s most well-known state parks, John Pennekamp State Park is famed for its coral reefs, but not so well known for its trails. Two nature trails showcase the land-side habitats of the park, [...]
John Pennekamp State Park – Wild Tamarind Trail - While John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is known for its offshore delights, its onshore amenities are not as well known. Two nature trails provide places to explore as you wait for a guided trip [...]
John Prince Park – Custard Apple Trail - Winding through a tropical hammock and along open marshy areas, the interpretive Custard Apple Trail provides a taste of the wilderness that the first modern settlers (circa 1883) found when they came to Lake Worth. [...]
Jonathan Dickinson State Park – East Loop Trail - For backpackers headed to the urban southeastern part of the Florida, Jonathan Dickinson State Park provides more than 11,000 acres to roam on a series of three trails maintained by the Florida Trail Association. Although [...]
Jonathan Dickinson State Park – Hobe Mountain Trail - Catch a sweeping view from an observation tower atop the highest natural hill south of Lake Okeechobee, a vantage point that lets you survey a broad swath of landscape from the Atlantic Ocean to the [...]
Jonathan Dickinson State Park – Kitching Creek Loop - Brilliant pink orchids. The clatter of sandhill cranes. Ferns rising from depression marshes. Cabbage palms shading your campsite. These are reasons to head into the woods on the second of two stacked loops for long [...]
Juno Dunes Natural Area - Diversity is the name of the game along the trail at Juno Dunes, where you’ll find not just coastal scrub atop the Atlantic Coastal Ridge but an interesting mosaic of wetlands among the swale between [...]
Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park - Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park is truly a botanical treasure, with the highest concentration of champion trees in one place in the United States—and none are over 45 feet tall. Current and prior national [...]
Kilpatrick Hammock Trail - Florida’s most impressive prairie vistas are well-buffered from civilization by massive cattle ranches to the north of Lake Okeechobee. Just to get to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park means a drive of 10 to 17 [...]
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park - Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park protects a remnant of what was once the great Indian Prairie stretching to Lake Okeechobee, a mosaic of wet and dry grasslands where wildflowers flourish Look into the grasses to [...]
LaBelle Nature Park - Explore a lush hammock along the Caloosahatchee River at the LaBelle Nature Park, a quiet passive park in the city of LaBelle. Interpretive signs present information about the trees and plants that grow beneath the [...]
Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park – Bobcat Trail - Protecting 845 acres of the whitest, brightest sand on the Lake Wales Ridge, this passive preserve has one of the highest concentrations of rare and endemic plants in North America. A pristine snapshot of Florida’s [...]
Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park – Tomoka Trail - Protecting 845 acres of the whitest, brightest sand on the Lake Wales Ridge, Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park is a passive preserve with one of the highest concentrations of rare and endemic plants in North [...]
Limestone Creek Natural Area - With a grand stand of healthy pine flatwoods providing a gateway to 53 acres of protected land hemmed in by residential and commercial development in Jupiter, Limestone Creek Natural Area is a green gem in [...]
Little Manatee River Hiking Trail - Diversity, scenery, and botanical wonders: all key to a great Florida hike. Laid out as two loops on the northernmost portion of Little Manatee River State Park, the Little Manatee River Hiking Trail is one [...]
Long Key State Park – Golden Orb Trail - A coconut palm plantation. An exclusive fishing resort. Long Key has been many things over the past century. We can be glad it’s now a Florida State Park, a place where you can camp along [...]
Long Key State Park – Layton Trail - The quiet, lesser-known side of Long Key State Park is the bay side of Long Key, a mostly-undisturbed and undeveloped fringe of mangroves and tropical hammocks along Florida Bay. The Layton Trail leads you on [...]
Lovers Key State Park – Black Island Trail - Lovers Key State Park is a favorite place for beachcombers thanks to the broad, sunny strand on the Gulf of Mexico and its excellent shelling. But for a bit of adventure, head to the north [...]
Manasota Scrub Preserve - A Sarasota County preserve established as habitat for the Florida scrub-jay, Manasota Scrub Preserve immerses you in 145 acres of scrubby flatwoods pressed between the development pressures of the coast between Venice and Englewood. A [...]
Maritime Hammock Sanctuary - Bordering and managed by the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge – the first wildlife refuge in America established to protect sea turtles – Maritime Hammock Sanctuary showcases maritime, or coastal hammock, marshlands, and mangroves along [...]
Matheson Hammock Park – Hammock Trail - One of the wilder places showcasing a remaining piece of the grand hammock that once stretched from Miami down along Biscayne Bay, Matheson Hammock Park is a popular swimming and picnic destination along the bay. [...]
Mosaic Peace River Park - The site of an open-pit phosphate mine until the early 1980s, this reclamation project borders the Peace River floodplain, where the boardwalk winds through the floodplain forest out to the river. Interpretive signs give background [...]
Myakka River State Park – Canopy Walk and Boylston Nature Trail - Other than the Bird Trail, a boardwalk out into the Myakka River, the Myakka Canopy Walk is the most popular short trail in Myakka River State Park in Sarasota, one of Southwest Florida’s largest state [...]
Myakka River State Park – Myakka Hiking Trail - For immersion in Florida’s central prairies, the Myakka Hiking Trail is a serious backpacking destination. A 39-mile loop in the heart of Myakka River State Park, it provides a mosaic of habitats to explore, including [...]
Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park - Sunlight glimmers off the tannic waters of Myakkahatchee Creek, a floodplain creek that flows naturally between tall sand banks through the northernmost reaches of North Port. An excellent spot for birding, this off-the-beaten-path linear park [...]
Oak Hammock Park - Buried in a sea of development, Oak Hammock Park is one of those little gems that shouldn’t be missed. The canopy of centuries-old live oaks is a strong counterpoint to the surrounding manicured lawns and [...]
Okeeheelee Nature Trail - A network of wheelchair-accessible paved paths and hardpacked limestone natural walkways wind through 90 acres of pine flatwoods, oak hammocks, and dense palm hammocks behind the Okeeheelee Nature Center at popular Okeeheelee Park. Enjoy birding [...]
Ortona Mounds - While less than a mile long, this walk in the woods in the ranchlands of Glades County takes you back to a time more than 3,000 years, well before the Calusa paddled the Caloosahatchee in [...]
Oscar Scherer State Park – Lake Osprey Trail - Circling one of Oscar Scherer State Park’s notable water features, Lake Osprey, the wheelchair-accessible Lake Osprey Trail – the park’s newest trail, opened in 2010 – offers a natural surface exploration of the uplands surrounding [...]
Oscar Scherer State Park – South Creek and Lester Finley Trails - Protecting more than 1,300 acres of uplands in a region where development has swarmed across the natural landscapes, Oscar Scherer State Park is a stronghold for the Florida scrub-jay, a colorful species found only in [...]
Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area - Lush tropical hammocks, great birding, and a dash of history along the mangrove-edged waters of the Indian River Lagoon make Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area a diverse and interesting place to explore. Ferns and wild coffee [...]
Pelican Island NWR – Centennial Trail - Pelican Island isn’t just a National Wildlife Refuge, it’s the National Wildlife Refuge that started the whole concept going, back in 1903. Even further back, in 1858, the small island in the Indian River Lagoon [...]
Picayune Strand State Forest – Sabal Palm Trail - Take a walk on the wet side—built by Boy Scouts, this slosh through swampland celebrates the preservation of a segment of the Big Cypress Swamp that was once a part of the biggest real estate [...]
Pine Jog Environmental Education Center – Wetland Hammock Trail - An outdoor classroom for countless young people in the Palm Beach County school system, Pine Jog Pine Jog Environmental Center is also open to the public to explore the deeply forested 135-acre urban property on [...]
Ponce De Leon Park - Protecting the tip of a peninsula where Little Alligator Creek meets Charlotte Harbor, Ponce De Leon Park is a city park where residents of Punta Gorda can enjoy dramatic sunsets over the harbor from a [...]
Riverbend Park - Riverbend Park has been more than a decade in the making. It’s been more than a decade since Riverbend Park was first established, and now that it’s open, the 680 acre preserve is an ideal [...]
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 [...]
Rocky Point Hammock - An oasis of tropical hammock in a sea of suburbia, Rocky Point Hammock is perched along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge in Port Salerno, south of Stuart. This unique location creates an appealing mix of scrub [...]
Savannas Preserve State Park – Hawks Bluff Trail - One of the rare places in South Florida where you can experience five habitats in just one mile of hiking, Hawks Bluff Trail at Savannas Preserve State Park shows off the highlight of this 10-mile-long [...]
Seabranch Preserve State Park - Seabranch Preserve State Park encompasses nearly 1,000 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway south of Stuart, and protects several critical habitats in an area overrun with coastal development. In addition to supporting populations of Florida scrub-jays [...]
Secret Woods Nature Center - Where I-95 and I-595 meet, you’d hardly believe there’s a place for green space. Port Everglades looms to the east, and jets take off and land at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport. But Secret Woods [...]
Serenoa Glade Preserve - Atop one of the higher elevations in Boca Raton, Serenoa Glade Preserve is a rare undeveloped piece of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, featuring a transition zone from scrub habitat on the Atlantic Ocean side to [...]
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve - Humidity crept into the still morning air, coloring the swamp with a mild haze. Standing behind his medium-format camera, the photographer watched and waited, waited and watched. A green heron appeared, fluttering down to the [...]
Snake Warrior Island - Protecting what was once the headwaters of Snake Creek and was the oldest eastern Glades settlement of the Seminoles, Snake Warrior Island Natural Area is a small urban oasis not far from I-95 in Miramar. [...]
Sugar Sand Park - In the highly urbanized Interstate 95 corridor through Palm Beach County, Sugar Sand Park is a local getaway that hits the spot for families with young children. A portion of the park is given over [...]
SUMICA - The prairies of Central Florida are fascinating places, rich with wildlife. Here, you’ll see flocks of wild turkeys and sandhill cranes, and that unusual looking falcon, the caracara. Protecting more than 4,000 acres of this [...]
T. Mabry Carlton Reserve - Set aside as part of a ribbon of wild lands on the southeastern side of Sarasota County, T. Mabry Carlton Reserve is less than a dozen miles from downtown Venice but wild enough that the [...]
Tall Cypress Natural Area - Botanical diversity abounds in the 66-acre Tall Cypress Natural Area. Along the boardwalks, you’ll wander through a cypress slough that is a wonderland of ferns, with a profusion of giant sword ferns, marsh ferns, giant [...]
Ten Thousand Islands Marsh Trail - One of the world’s most mysterious places, the Ten Thousand Islands is where the Florida peninsula breaks apart into thousands and thousands of tiny pieces – clusters of mangroves forming islands in a shallow estuary [...]
Tiger Creek Preserve – Jenkins Trail - Starting at a small trailhead off a side road off Wakeford Rd, the Jenkins Trail leads you to a cool tannic stream slicing through the desert-like scrub of the Lake Wales Ridge: Tiger Creek, for [...]
Wakodatahatchee Wetlands - Wading birds everywhere: that’s the delight of a walk along the boardwalks of Wakodahatchee Wetlands. The first wetlands park in the region, it continues to draw a regular crowd for morning stolls, photography, and serious [...]
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park - Preserving more than 30 acres of tropical hammock north of Islamorada – saved from condo development in the 1980s, with support from local residents – Windley Key Fossil Reef is a very unique place. In [...]
Woodmont Natural Area - The last patch of woodlands in suburbia, the Woodmont Natural Area in Tamarac is one of the rare islands of nature left remaining after development throughout western Broward County into the Everglades. This 22-acre site [...]
Yamato Scrub Natural Area - A 217-acre natural area atop the Atlantic Coastal Ridge in Boca Raton, Yamato Scrub protects the largest chunk of native scrub habitat found this far south in Florida. Walking the northernmost trails in this preserve, [...]
