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

Myakka State Forest South Loop

Englewood   7.7 miles

Circling vast prairies amid pine flatwoods and depression marshes, the South Loop in Myakka State Forest provides a sense of perspective along the Myakka River basin.

Nancy Payton Preserve

Naples   1.9 miles

In an essential refuge for native plants and animals surrounded by expanding development in the Naples area, two loop trails span a sandy forest of pines, palms, and cypress trees.

Nancy Weir Mangrove Preserve

Pine Island   1.0 miles

At the southern end of Pine Island, a hidden trail winds through mangrove habitat, crossing numerous bridges and navigating surprisingly uneven terrain.

Naples

Naples is the western gateway to the wilds of South Florida, a tropical getaway on the Gulf

Naples Botanical Garden

At Naples Botanical Garden, buildings, landscaping, and nature live in harmony, with a delicate balance of natural spaces and lush gardens accented with art achieved.

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.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Naples   0.9 miles

Established in 1919 by botanist Henry Nehrling, what is now the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens has improved over a century's worth of expansion into an accredited zoological park.

North Port

East of the Myakka River, North Port is home to Florida's only public hot spring, Warm Mineral Springs

Old Datsun Trail

Punta Gorda   1.4 miles

Where pine flatwoods and palm hammocks regain a foothold atop formerly farmed fields, the Old Datsun Trail loops what was once an agricultural school

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.

Oscar Scherer Yellow Trail

Osprey   4.8 miles

On this 4.8 mile loop through expansive scrub and flatwoods, discover hidden streams, ancient trees, and great birding at Big Lake.