Florida Hikes

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

Alligator flag in Corkscrew Strand

Southwest Florida

Along the Gulf Coast from Tampa Bay to Naples, Southwest Florida has a tropical vibe, with hiking, biking, and paddling along its rivers, bays, and barrier islands.

INTERACTIVE MAP

Adding to the Life List

Although John is a native Floridian, our research trip to South Florida became an opportunity for him to see many natural "firsts" in Florida that most people have on their life lists.

Alligator Creek Preserve

Punta Gorda   2.9 miles

A series of loop trails radiate from Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, exploring upland habitats and wetlands where freshwater and saltwater ecosystems converge.

Alligators Everywhere

In spring, alligators become more active as the days warm up. It's also mating season, so alligators are on the move. Expect to see them anywhere and everywhere along Florida's trails.

Alva Scrub Preserve

Fort Myers   3.0 miles

A winding loop across seasonally flooded flatwoods, the multi-use at Alva Scrub Preserve provides excellent birding in a rural setting near the Caloosahatchee River.

Amberjack Environmental Park

Englewood   2.8 miles

At Amberjack Environmental Park in Rotonda, explore a surprising meld of scrub and mangrove habitats along the high ground of the Cape Haze Peninsula.

Babcock Ranch Ecotour Trail

Punta Gorda   2.3 miles

At Babcock Ranch Preserve, the Ecotour Trail is a no-cost option to getting your feet wet on an exploration of wet flatwoods habitats along a pathway through the palmetto prairie.

Babcock Ranch Footprints Trail

Punta Gorda   2.2 miles

Following old forest roads, the purple-blazed loop of the Footprints Trail through the heart of Babcock Ranch, a vast prairie punctuated by cypress strands, provides a simple introduction to this often-squishy ecosystem.

Barefoot Beach Preserve

In a hidden corner of Collier County, Barefoot Beach Preserve provides immersion in nature at a beauty spot along two miles of natural shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico just north of Wiggins Pass.

Beach walk at Blind Pass

Where's the best place on Sanibel to look for sea shells? It all depends on recent currents and storm deposits. We found a bountiful shell bank at Blind Pass Beach, where Sanibel and Captiva meet.

Bear season in Florida

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.

Big Cypress National Preserve

Protecting nearly three quarters of the million-acre Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve is Florida's second largest and most remote wilderness.