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.

Pioneer Park

Zolfo Springs   1.1 miles

A surprisingly scenic walk along the Peace River and through its floodplain, the loop trail at Pioneer Park starts and ends near the Cracker Trail Museum at Zolfo Springs.

Pitt and Sylvan Springs

Fountain   miles

Distinctly different in nature, massive Pitt Spring and burbling Sylvan Springs make up a popular swimming and launch area along Econfina Creek.

Princess Place Preserve

Explore wild spaces and cultivated grounds along eight different trails at Princess Place Preserve, an 1880s homestead at Cherokee Grove on Pellicer Creek.

Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park

Within city limits yet truly wild, Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park protects more than 4,000 acres along the edges of enormous estuaries draining into the St. Johns River.

Reddie Point Preserve

Jacksonville   1.5 miles

Sand beaches and salt marshes fringe a wild peninsula along the St. Johns River where trails meander more than a mile to reach a mature hardwood hammock.

Ringhaver Park

Jacksonville   1.7 miles

Discover a hauntingly beautiful bog at the far end of the Ortega Stream Valley Trail, a paved loop beginning behind the ballfields of Ringhaver Park.

RiverTown Riverfront Park

St. Augustine   1.7 miles

Statuesque live oaks canopy an unparalleled 1.7 mile walk along the eastern shore of the St. Johns River at Riverfront Park in Rivertown, northwest of St. Augustine.

Round Island Riverside Park

Vero Beach   2.5 miles

Trails, boardwalks, and a boat launch on Round Island provide excellent opportunities to explore coastal habitats and spot manatees in the Indian River Lagoon.

Royal Springs

Branford   0.5 miles

Staring into Royal Springs, it feels like looking into a bottomless pit. Steep and broad, it drops 42 feet into shimmering waters of turquoise and royal blue.

Rye Preserve

Bradenton   2.6 miles

One of Mantee County's oldest preserves, Rye Preserve offers seasonal camping along the Upper Manatee River along with short nature trails.

Salt Springs Recreation Area

See the beauty of William Bartram's "amazing crystal fountain" as you gaze into the depths of this rocky spring in the Ocala National Forest