Welcome to Florida Hikes! We’re Sandra Friend and John Keatley (aka JK and Navigator), your hosts to the grand adventure that is outdoor recreation in Florida.
Apopka
Only 30 minutes from downtown Orlando, Apopka has interesting hikes in public lands along the Wekiva River basin and its tributaries, as well as the chain of lakes connecting to Lake Apopka
Big Cypress National Preserve
Protecting the heart of the Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve was established in 1974. Exploring its lush subtropical landscapes means wading through crystal-clear swamps or paddling its channelized rivers.
Bioluminescence on the Indian River Lagoon
It’s a summer thing, this shimmering glow of blue that rises from the shallows of Florida’s largest lagoon. Learn why it happens and how to see it yourself.
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a shallow estuary bounded by barrier islands and coral reefs along the Miami shoreline, more than 63,000 acres of placid salt water
Biscayne National Park
Florida’s largest offshore park, Biscayne National Park protects living coral reefs and islands that are the northernmost part of the Florida Keys
Bulow Creek State Park
Walk among the ancients in Bulow Hammock, starting with the imposing Fairchild Oak, one of Florida’s largest live oak trees
Cayo Costa Hiking Trails
Offshore from Boca Grande and Pine Island, Cayo Costa State Park is tough to get to but the 6.5 miles of trails and many more miles of beaches will be yours to roam
Cayo Costa State Park
To spend a day or a weekend on your own deserted island? Heaven. This is one of the tougher and costlier state parks to get to, but well worth it.
Cedar Key
Perhaps the most popular getaway on Florida’s Nature Coast, Cedar Key is at the end of a 24-mile highway that follows a railroad bed which naturalist John Muir walked.
Charlotte Harbor
Where the Peace and Myakka Rivers meet, Charlotte Harbor covers more than five square miles, with the Charlotte County Blueway Trails providing paddlers access.
Chiefland
Home of Manatee Springs and a terminus on the Nature Coast Trail, Chiefland provides access to public lands along the Suwannee River