Florida Hikes

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

Articles by Sandra Friend

Bethea State Forest

Sanderson   10.0 miles

With nearly 40,000 acres along the Florida-Georgia border, John M. Bethea State Forest provides an important corridor for wildlife migrating between the Okefenokee Swamp and Osceola National Forest.

Bethesda-by-the-Sea

At Bethedsa-by-the-Sea, worship is not held just in hallowed halls but in the grace of the garden. Surrounding this historic Palm Beach church are colorful plantings of unusual tropical plants like the big leafed sea grape.

Big Cypress Backcountry Access

By December 15, all public comments are due on the new Big Cypress Backcountry Access Plan. Here's our analysis of it and our opinions, along with a discussion of backcountry and wilderness in Florida.

Big Cypress National Preserve

Protecting nearly three quarters of the million-acre Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve is Florida's second largest and most remote wilderness.

Big Cypress Trail

Bronson   0.6 miles

Deep in the heart of an ancient swamp, the Goethe Giant - one of Florida's largest cypress trees - stands tall at the end of a boardwalk in Goethe State Forest.

Big Lagoon’s Sandy Sweep

Big Lagoon State Park is notable for being a gateway to the Great Florida Birding Trail, with a large observation tower overlooking the vast sweep of the namesake lagoon

Big Talbot Big Pine Trail

Talbot Islands   0.7 miles

The southernmost trail on Big Talbot Island is a short walk out to a bluff above the Simpson Creek estuary through a coastal hammock riffled by breezes.