South to Florida!
Kicking off the 2013 Panhandle Trace Hike at the Alabama border is no small task without help from a lot of friends. It's not easy to get to the terminus, but the hike south is beautiful.
Finding Pitcher plants in Santa Rosa County
In mid-April, the pitcher plants of Santa Rosa County are at their peak of bloom. During the 2013 Panhandle Trace Hike, we went in search of them and here's what we found.
Converging on the Panhandle Trace
With two hikes behind us, we drove toward west to join the Panhandle Trace Hike. Knowing that after ten years of leading this event long-time Florida Trail Association activity leader Peggy Grantham would be retiring, Sandy wanted to participate this year …
A ramble on the new Hinson Trail
A ramble along the newly opened Hinson Trail, a loop trail system on the southern edge of Marianna along the Chipola River Greenway - scenic, rugged, unusual, and historic.
Calhoun, Chipola, and the Altha Trail
A quick introduction to the Altha Trail, the first public footpath in rural Calhoun County south of Marianna and north of Blountstown, part of the Florida Trail.
Return to Big Tree Park
While The Senator is a charred stump, thanks to an arsonist, the grandeur of its surroundings at Big Tree Park - including a 2,000-year-old cypress - has reopened to the public.
River Levels in North Florida
Cold weather and high water causes hypothermia, so play it safe. Before hiking in winter in North Florida and the Florida Panhandle, check these flood gauges.
Cross Seminole County
JK finishes up his last Florida Trail miles in Seminole County as he continues to fill in the blanks on a section hike of the statewide Florida Trail.
Hiking the Cross Seminole Trail
A hike along the Cross Seminole Trail - which the Florida Trail follows - through Oviedo and Winter Springs means an introduction to suburbia in the Orlando metro.
Hiking the urban not-so-wilds of Central Florida
JK learns what it's like to hike the Florida Trail through the Orlando metro, following paved bike trails past McDonalds, over Interstate 4, and yes, even encountering deer.
A visit to Trout Lake Nature Center
A quick visit to Trout Lake Nature Center in Eustis opened up a new world of things to do close to home.
Hiking with Sandy
After a tough solo stretch, JK decides that hiking with a partner is preferable to hiking alone, and makes adjustments to his hiking plans to suit.