In state and county public lands, across our national forests, and especially along the length of Florida on our National Scenic Trail, the Florida Trail, our state offers an outstanding variety of day hikes.
Some require logistical planning as trailheads may be remote and water scarce, and an out-and-back hike or shuttle might be necessary.
Others are loops that are easy to follow but might be across rugged terrain.
Trails of a mile or less are listed under Nature Trails and trails greater than 15 miles under Backpacking.
Our Hiking Guides
We’ve been writing Florida hiking books since 2001, including seven guidebooks to our statewide Florida National Scenic Trail.
Florida Trail Hikes outlines great day hikes along the Florida Trail for scenic beauty, as well as the best sections to tackle. We’ve also partnered with FarOut to bring you our Florida Trail information as an app.
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
Florida’s Best Day Hikes
These are some of the day hikes we consider some of the best in the state. There are hundreds more to choose from, but you can use these as a starting point to get acquainted with hiking in Florida. Zoom into the map above to find more day hikes near you.
Big Oak Trail The Big Oak Trail is one of the most scenic hikes in North Florida. Much of the hiking parallels the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, which meet here at a confluence.
Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail Trot out your sense of adventure to immerse into one of the wildest trails you'll find near Orlando, a trek into the tangled jungle of the St. Johns River floodplain.
Bronson River Trail Loop In a lush subtropical jungle along the St Johns River floodplain, the 9.5-mile River Trail loop is an exceptionally scenic route connecting three designated campsites.
Bulow Woods Loop In a primordial forest of sluggish, fern-lined waterways amid a dense forest of massive, ancient trees, the 5.2 mile Bulow Woods Loop is one of North Florida's most scenic hikes.
Buster Island Loop The 6.9-mile Buster Island Loop at Lake Kissimmee State Park is a favorite for both day hikers and backpackers, as it shows off a variety of habitats along the open prairies
Chinsegut Conservation Center Tract Discover the beauty of May's Prairie at the heart of the Chinsegut WEA Conservation Center Tract, a vast wetland where sandhill cranes gather.
Cockroach Bay Nature Preserve Directly across Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg, two loop trails in Cockroach Bay Nature Preserve navigate restored wetlands and a lookout point known as Mount Cockroach. 
Cypress Creek Nature Preserve A short drive from downtown Tampa, Cypress Creek Nature Preserve is an interesting window into a gradient of ecosystems along a tributary of the Hillsborough River.
Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park A hiker's paradise in Tallahassee, Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park offers miles of trails exploring contoured terrain and winding streams under a tall, shady canopy of majestic trees. 
Enchanted Forest Sanctuary It's not rocket science: the first and finest of the Brevard Environmental Endangered Lands, Enchanted Forest Sanctuary in Titusville is a fabulous destination for family hiking.
Flat Island Preserve Established as a botanical preserve for native plants, Flat Island Preserve protects islands in the Okahumpa Marsh, offering hikers and paddlers immersion in a lush wilderness
Florida Trail, Alaqua 12.8 miles. With significant botanical beauty, rugged climbs, and nice campsites, the Alaqua section of the Florida Trail in Eglin Air Force Base is one of the most scenic parts of the trail statewide.
Florida Trail, Aucilla Sinks 4.4 miles. Winding through a geologically weird and archaeologically significant part of Florida, the most fascinating segment of the Florida Trail is the Aucilla Sinks
Florida Trail, Camp Branch to Suwannee Springs 7.8 miles. Rugged climbs through abandoned river channels and along the highest elevations along the Suwannee River make this hike a roller-coaster through river bluff forests and sandy beaches.
Florida Trail, Juniper Creek 7.3 miles. Also known as the Juniper Creek Trail, the Florida Trail at Juniper Creek is a gorgeous place to explore, with its panorama at Red Rocks and botanical delights along and above the creek basin.
Florida Trail, Little Big Econ State Forest One of the most beautiful hikes near Orlando is rugged, too: the Florida Trail atop bluffs above the Econlockhatchee River through Little-Big Econ State Forest.
Florida Trail, Mills Creek Woodlands Discover a fairyland of ferns at the center of a spectrum of fascinating habitats along this 2 mile linear section of the Florida Trail.
Florida Trail, Sopchoppy River 4.1 miles. Following the gentle curves of the Sopchoppy River in the Apalachicola National Forest, this section of the Florida Trail is one of the most scenic hikes on the trail.
Florida Trail, Starvation Slough 7.7 miles. Discover a natural cathedral of ancient oaks and palms along a thin ribbon of public land fronting the Kissimmee River floodplain.
Florida Trail, UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve 3.2 miles. At the UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve on Santa Rosa Island, the Florida Trail traverses a series of coastal habitats cradled by the sweeping dunes, providing a one-of-a-kind hike.
Florida Trail, Vilas to Camel Lake 10.3 miles. Broadening your perspective on Florida's largest national forest, this hike offers an ever-shifting focus from macro to landscape amid habitat diversity in the Apalachicola National Forest. 
Fort Braden Trails Showcasing bluff forests and deep ravines above Lake Talquin, the Fort Braden Trails at Lake Talquin State Forest offer enough hiking along a tiered trio of trails for a weekend in the woods.
GTM Reserve Trails Circling a peninsula between the Guana River and the Tolomato River, the extensive trail system at GTM Research Reserve is one of Florida's most beautiful hiking destinations. 
Holly Hammock Hiking Trail A 2.4 mile loop showing off the habitat diversity of Ross Prairie State Forest, this easy hike provides scenic panoramas across the prairie on a mostly shaded trail.
Indian Lake Bear-N-Oak Trail The Bear-N-Oak Trail at Indian Lake State Forest provides a fascinating look at karst terrain centered on Indian Lake, a sinkhole lake that connects to Silver Springs via the Floridan aquifer.
Jennings Pioneer Trail With elevation changes, streams, and cascades, the Pioneer Trail is as close as you can get to the Appalachian Trail experience without leaving the Florida peninsula.
Lafayette Heritage Trail Park Hike, bike, paddle, or fish along the well-marked trails of Lafayette Heritage Trail Park in a deeply wooded landscape east of downtown Tallahassee.
Leon Sinks Geological Area In the Apalachicola National Forest just south of Tallahassee, Leon Sinks Geological Area offers a delightful introduction to the wonders of karst topography on its trails.
Little Manatee River Trail Scenery, rugged landscape, and botanical diversity are all important for a great Florida hike. You'll find that on this 6.5 mile hike, one of our all-time favorites.
Lower Wekiva Loop Venture across lush floodplain forests of Blackwater Creek and the Wekiva River, using a scrubby section of the Florida Trail to create the 10.5-mile Lower Wekiva Loop.
Prairie Lakes Loop Enjoy the counterpoint of moss-draped oak hammocks and expansive prairies at Prairie Lakes along one of the older and more beloved pieces of the Florida Trail.
Roberts Lake Trail 8.2 miles. Now the Roberts Lake Trail, the former Loop Road to Oasis section of the Florida Trail is now blazed blue. It is where sawgrass and cypress meet, where the Everglades and Big Cypress blend.
South Fork Nature Trail Along one of the Treasure Coast's most scenic waterways, the South Fork Nature Trail shows off the best side of the South Fork of the St. Lucie River.
St. Francis Trail One of Central Florida's most scenic and easy-to-follow day hikes, the St. Francis Trail leads to a ghost town within the St. Johns River floodplain.
Terry Rhodes Trail System Featuring steep topography and a high biodiversity of plant life along its network of five loop trails, Bear Creek Educational Forest is the crown jewel of Lake Talquin State Forest.
Theodore Roosevelt Area Hike 3.1 miles looping around an ancient midden fronting the St. Johns River on this scenic hike honoring the conservation legacy of Willie Brown, who preserved his coastal forest for us to enjoy. 
Tiger Creek Preserve Edward Bok's "Jungle," a deeply folded landscape between Tiger Creek and Patrick Creek south of Lake Wales, is protected by The Nature Conservancy as Tiger Creek Preserve. 
Torreya Hiking Trail One of the most rugged hikes in Florida, the Torreya Hiking Trail treats you to an scenic landscape of ravines and bluffs rising 300 feet above the Apalachicola River.
Tosohatchee White Loop A botanically-rich immersion into Tosohatchee WMA, the White Loop combines the Florida Trail and the White Trail for a hike of nearly 11 miles.
Wekiwa Springs Hiking Trail A 10.2-mile loop through landscapes both vast and intimate, the Wekiwa Springs Hiking Trail shows off the best of nature at Wekiwa Springs State Park.