O Okeechobee
It's a tradition at the Big O Hike to share your talent at Thanksgiving Day dinner. Mine is a poem commemorating the hike and our friends who've gone before us.
Braising Cane
As I hike the Florida Trail past Moore Haven, a sugar cane field bursts out in flame after my discussion with my friend Steve, a sign from above that he's along for the walk.
3x3x3
Okeechobee's history runs deep. Today's walk slips past many ghosts, of fish camps and fish canneries, an early Florida toll road and more shoreline where the lake waters once lapped.
Sweep of Blue
At Port Mayaca, the shape of Lake Okeechobee is obvious, even at dawn, the curvature extending off to the horizon line at the only place in Florida with horizon to horizon views.
Pounding Pavement in Pahokee
For the first time since the Big O Hike started in 1992, the Army Corps of Engineers denied our hikers access to the dike. So to kick off the 2011 Big O Hike, it's a roadwalk through Pahokee.
Backpacking Myakka River State Park
With 39 miles in four loops, the Myakka Hiking Trail at Myakka River State Park in Sarasota is one of the state's finest destinations for a weekend or long weekend holiday hike.
How to Layer for Florida
Folks who don't live in Florida assume that we're warm and sunny all the time. Not so. Winter days can be cold and damp. Your best defense: pile on those layers!
Rugged Hikes in Florida
A discussion that came up on the forum recently – where are the most rugged hikes in Florida? – fits well with the cool weather we now have. The term “rugged” is subjective, of course, based on your own hiking expertise: someone …
Hiking at Kelly Park
For families in the know, Kelly Park is a favorite destination for tubing, the southernmost tubing run in Florida. But it also has some great hiking trails where you will probably see wildlife.
Kenneth Smith Trail dedication
At 8 AM this Saturday Oct 1, long-time Florida Trail volunteer Kenneth Smith – the man responsible for the successful routing of the Florida Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway – will be honored by the city of Belleview and his peers at a …
Hiker Safety Around Wild Hogs
One of the more fearless creatures you'll encounter in Florida's wilds is the wild hog. Here is advice from Florida Fish & Wildlife on how to cope with hogs.
Forests
Forests come in many different forms in Florida, ranging from broad and open to densely packed with vegetation.