Botanically rich hikes along the Florida Trail

With more than 80 different distinct natural communities between the Appalachian-like ridges of the far western Panhandle and the Caribbean-style tropical forests of the Florida Keys, Florida is one of the most compelling destinations for people who love botanical beauty. While we have dozens of botanical gardens, formal gardens, and public gardens throughout the state, exploring our wild spaces will immerse you in habitats that aren’t especially common elsewhere in the United States. Some, in fact, are only found here in Florida.

With more than 1,400 miles of hiking statewide, the Florida Trail, our National Scenic Trail, provides a gateway to grand landscapes for botanical beauty. Our digital guidebook, the Florida Trail App, enables you to quickly identify botanical wonders like big trees and unique habitats by looking for the “leaf” symbol on the maps.

Crossed palms, Little Big Econ State Forest

But some destinations on the Florida Trail are more than just a point: they’re a sweeping immersion in a particular habitat that boasts its own ever-changing accompaniment of spring, summer, and fall wildflowers. We developed the following list of destinations to share with the Florida Native Plant Society. Use this in conjunction with our website information or our app and guidebook to plan your own botanically rich hikes along the Florida Trail.

1. Big Cypress
2. Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail
3. Chandler Slough and Starvation Slough, Kissimmee Public Use Area
4. Three Lakes WMA
5. Tosohatchee WMA
6. Seminole Ranch
7. Bronson State Forest
8. Chuluota Wilderness