Florida Hikes

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

Articles by Sandra Friend

Bronson Northeast Loop

Christmas   7.5 miles

Using Orlando Wetlands to access the northeast corner of Bronson State Forest, this 7.5-mile loop burrows deeply into ancient forests in the St. Johns River floodplain.

Brooker Creek Friends Trail

Tarpon Springs   1.9 miles

Let the sounds of suburbia melt away just a few miles east of downtown Tarpon Springs on a 1.9 mile hiking-only loop through pine flatwoods in the Brooker Creek watershed.

Brown Pelican

The brown pelican is one of two species of pelicans found in Florida, the white pelican being the other. They have distinctive pouches under their bills and cannot be mistaken for the white pelican due to the size and color difference.

Brownville Park

Arcadia   0.5 miles

Upriver from Arcadia, this 75-acre county park in the Peace River floodplain with fascinating geologic features centers on camping, paddling, and fossil hunting.

Buffet on the Beach

One of Marion County's finest parks, Carney Island preserves a peninsula jutting out into Lake Weir near Ocklawaha. As I discovered by leading a hike there, the beach at Lemon Point is a destination not just for hikers but boaters too.

Bulow Creek Wahlin Trail

Ormond Beach   0.4 miles

Beyond the Fairchild Oak, the centerpiece of the main trailhead at Bulow Creek State Park, the interpretive Wahlin Trail delves deeper into Bulow Hammock.

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary

Jupiter   0.7 miles

A wildlife rescue facility in Jupiter for forty years, Busch Wildlife Sanctuary cares for injured animals and provides education on Florida's native species.

Buttonwood

Buttonwood grows upland, on the land side of the mangrove community, tolerant of rooting in loose sand, rock, and dried marl.