Florida Hikes

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

In the Environmental Learning Center at Rookery Bay

Nature Centers in Florida

Nature centers in Florida’s parks often have their own trail systems and are great places to get the family outside to learn about Florida’s habitats, flora, and fauna firsthand.
INTERACTIVE MAP

Naples Nature Center

Naples   0.5 miles

Edging the mangrove-lined Gordon River immediately south of the Naples Zoo, this 21-acre Conservancy of Southwest Florida complex pairs learning with nature trails and wildlife.

National Key Deer Refuge

Established in 1957 to prevent the extinction of the diminutive Key deer, National Key Deer Refuge spans 84,351 acres across 25 islands in the Lower Keys.

Oakland Nature Preserve

Oakland   3.5 miles

An accessible boardwalk through marshes to Lake Apopka pairs with an extensive network of upland trails for up to 3.5 miles of hiking at Oakland Nature Preserve.

Okeeheelee Nature Center Trails

West Palm Beach   1.7 miles

A network of paved trails and marked footpaths provide interpretation of natural habitats within the northwest corner of Okeeheelee Park as part of their nature center complex.

Ormond Central Park

Ormond Beach   4.3 miles

Encompassing 149 acres well hidden between US 1 and Nova Rd, the four segments of Central Park in Ormond Beach interconnect along a network of accessible paths.

Oscar Scherer State Park

Osprey   17.7 miles

A stronghold for Florida scrub-jays north of Venice, Oscar Scherer State Park is an important island of biodiversity in an increasingly overdeveloped region.

Oxbow Eco-Center Preserve

Port St. Lucie   3.4 miles

A network of nature trails circles natural habitats along North Fork of the St. Lucie River, radiating from an environmental center with family appeal.

Palatka Water Works

Palatka   0.7 miles

On the grounds of the Water Works Environmental Education Center, explore the historic Palatka Water Works and a short interpretive trail dedicated to William Bartram's travels as Puc Puggy, the Flower Hunter.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Protecting a massive natural basin of prairie between Micanopy and Gainesville, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park combines panoramic views with wildlife watching along its trails.

Reedy Creek Swamp

Kissimmee   5.3 miles

At the Osceola District Schools Environmental Study Center, trails along Reedy Creek Swamp showcase the beauty of the ancient cypress and floodplain forest.

Ridge Audubon Center

Babson Park   0.3 miles

Atop the Lake Wales Ridge, the nature trails at the Ridge Audubon Center in Babson Park do a fabulous job of interpreting the unique flora and fauna of this island of biodiversity.

Robert W. Loftin Nature Trails

Jacksonville   4.0 miles

In a densely wooded corner of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, the Robert W. Loftin Nature Trails are a prime place for trail runners and hikers to play.