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Health & Safety

Articles on health and safety in Florida’s outdoors

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: Ticks and Chiggers

Tick (© Vitalii Hulai - stock.adobe.com)

Florida Insects      ( Florida Species Identification )      

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.

Things that bite: Mosquitoes

Mosquito model

Florida Insects      ( Florida Species Identification )      

Mosquitoes make summer hiking a challenge in Florida. Here’s why they’re a problem and what you can do to fight back.

Do not feed the bears

Bear in a trash can (Florida Fish & Wildlife)

April 23, 2014    Sandra Friend

“A fed bear is a dead bear,” says Florida Fish & Wildlife. It’s time to make homeowners responsible for keeping trash and food out of reach when they live in bear territory.

Summer in Florida

Caught in a thunderstorm at Green Cay Wetlands

June 17, 2013    Sandra Friend

Summer isn’t the best time to hike in Florida, but it’s still fun to see the beauty of our forests during the rainy season. Hike early AM, or take a short stroll.

Hiking with two new friends

hookworm larvae

January 25, 2013    John Keatley

JK discovers that the weird rash on his legs since hiking south of Lake Okeechobee isn’t poison ivy at all, but something much more rare and creepy, a parasitic invasion.

How to Prevent Blisters

How-To in Florida      ( Feature Articles )      

How do you cope with the bad blisters that crop up during a swamp walk or a rough day on the Florida Trail? Bryce Layman of Lightweight Backpacking shares his secrets.

Hike Safe When Hiking Alone

Cross Seminole Trail urban bike path

How-To in Florida      ( Feature Articles )      

Hiking solo? Here are suggestions how to watch after your own personal safety when you walk in the woods or on urban trails alone

How to hike in October in Florida

Follow the Trail!

October 1, 2012    Sandra Friend

October 1 marks the traditional start of Florida’s hiking season, so it’s time to start planning your outdoor adventures! October is also normally designated Florida Greenways & Trails Month, but I haven’t heard a peep about it from my usual sources. Let’s get out and celebrate anyway. Last week, the morning temperatures were in the …

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