Florida Hikes

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

Fakahatchee ferns

Launch Points

Parks and other public lands where you can launch your own canoe, kayak, or paddleboard. These locations may or may not have rentals available.

Kings Park

Merritt Island   5.1 miles

A mosaic of landscapes disturbed by past development now lush with vegetation, Kings Park protects both freshwater and brackish waterways with a ribbon of bike path between them.

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park

Mayo   1.0 miles

A beauty spot along the western shore of the Suwannee River, Lafayette Blue Spring is both a swimming hole and a lesson in the curious nature of karst.

Lafayette Heritage Trail Park

Tallahassee   17.6 miles

Hike, bike, paddle, or fish along the well-marked trails of Lafayette Heritage Trail Park in a deeply wooded landscape east of downtown Tallahassee.

Lake Istokpoga Park

Sebring   0.6 miles

The best access for boating and the only hike along one of Florida's largest lakes lies southeast of Sebring along US 98, combining boardwalks and footpath for a short loop.

Lake Jesup Conservation Area

Oviedo, Sanford   7.5 miles

Protecting large swaths of marshy shoreline, the Lake Jesup Conservation Area filters runoff from surrounding suburbia while providing places to hike along Lake Jesup.

Lake Manatee State Park

Bradenton   5.9 miles

With a natural lakefront stretching three miles along the edge of Lake Manatee, this state park outside Bradenton is a quiet place to camp, fish, and hike

Lake Okahumpa Park

Wildwood   1.4 miles

Bask in the sun, shelter in the shade, or slide your kayak into the marshy waters of Lake Okahumpa at this easy-to-find Sumter County park along SR 44.

Lake Rogers Park

Tampa   2.4 miles

A 2.4-mile loop trail circling Lake Rogers weaves through oak hammocks, shrubs, pine flatwoods, and scenic vistas along the water’s edge.

Lake Talquin State Forest

Tallahassee   miles

With ten distinct tracts surrounding Lake Talquin, a reservoir along the Ochlockonee River, this state forest provides recreation opportunities just west of Tallahassee.

Limestone Creek Natural Area

Jupiter   1.1 miles

Centered on pine flatwoods along a historic creek basin lined with mangroves, Limestone Creek Natural Area is a green gem in a busy corner of Jupiter.

Linda Pedersen Preserve

Hernando Beach   0.3 miles

Offering recreational access to the Jenkins Creek basin and Jenkins Spring, Linda Pedersen Preserve provides fine views and fun activities for families.