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

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Health & Safety

Articles on health and safety in Florida’s outdoors

Backpacker Tips for Hurricane Prep

Tent camping Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

August 28, 2019    Sandra Friend

Backpacking skills are survival skills. Use your knowledge and gear to make personal preparations for hurricane season power loss and evacuations in Florida.

Florida’s Venomous Snakes

Coral snake loop Gold Head

July 1, 2019    Sandra Friend

Florida has six species of venomous snakes. Here is what they look like, and how to identify them outdoors.

Florida’s Toxic Trees

John looking at a manchineel tree

June 22, 2019    Sandra Friend

Southeast Florida is home to two poisonous trees, the poisonwood and the manchineel. Learn how to recognize them so you don’t get too close, and find out how truly dangerous they are.

Hiking Safely With Your Dog

no dogs

May 11, 2019    Sandra Friend

While hiking with your dog can be very satisfying, Florida hiking has its own special perils for your best buddy. Here’s a heads-up on what to look for and where it’s best to take a hike.

Bear season in Florida

Bears opening trash can

February 23, 2019    Sandra Friend

As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors – whether in your campsite or at home.

Safety during deer hunting season

November 8, 2018    Sandra Friend

Fall is a fabulous time for hiking in Florida, but you need to be aware that you may be sharing the trails with hunters, too. Here’s how to find out where, and where you can go where hunting is not permitted.

Do Not Feed the Bears

Bear bags hanging at sunset on the AT in Georgia

February 27, 2018    John Keatley

Bear bagging is the art of hanging your food properly out of reach of bears. If you’re a Florida backpacker and haven’t learned how, here’s a short course. Securing your food from bears is required in the Ocala, Osceola, and Apalachicola National Forests.

The Trouble with Ticks

American dog tick (US Fish & Wildlife Service)

June 30, 2017    Sandra Friend

Let’s face it: Florida is a breeding ground for ticks, and summer is prime time for these nasties. Here’s what you can do to minimize tick bites and how to handle if you do get bitten.

Finding Your Way

May 30, 2016    Sandra Friend

Basic wayfinding – understanding where the sun is, looking at landscape, picking out landmarks as you hike – comes as second nature to some people. It’s an important skill that all hikers should cultivate.

Chikungunya fever a growing problem

mosquito bite

June 30, 2014    Sandra Friend

A mosquito-borne disease, Chikungunya fever was first identified in 1952 in Tanzania. In recent years it has spread prolifically throughout the Caribbean. It has no known cure, and it is now present in Florida.

Things That Bite: Spiders

Brown recluse spider (IFAS/University of Florida)

May 1, 2014    Sandra Friend

Florida has four species of venomous spiders, including the red widow spider, which is only found in our state.

Things That Bite: Ticks and Chiggers

The Lone Star tick, one of five tick species in Florida (IFAS/University of Florida)

April 29, 2014    Sandra Friend

Since they crawl on your skin and attach themselves to you to feed, ticks and chiggers are especially creepy. Unlike mosquitoes, you can’t just swat them away. Here’s the difference between them.

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