Use our favorite hikes to help you narrow down where you want to go next.
These are our top personal favorites from more than 50 years of exploring Florida’s outdoors. We were fortunate to spend time at parks and on trails with our parents when we were kids, growing to love and appreciate the breadth of outdoor recreation we have in this state. Especially hikes!
Our Favorite Hikes
Alfred A. Ring Park
Alfred A. Ring Park features a dense slope forest along Hogtown Creek with old-growth trees and rare wildflowers along Appalachian-style ravines, a scenic hike
Alligator Creek
Part of Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, Alligator Creek has two loop trails where freshwater and saltwater habitats meet, enabling you to explore a variety of coastal habitats in less than three miles.
Ancient Dunes Trail
At Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, the Ancient Dunes Trail leads you on a short scramble up and over relict dunes deeply shaded by ancient live oaks
Anhinga Trail
For most visitors, the Anhinga Trail is their first glimpse into Everglades National Park. It's short, and the alligators are right there: hard to miss.
Barrier Island Sanctuary
Home to a gentle 1-mile loop hike through coastal habitats, Barrier Island Sanctuary is a gateway to Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, with an informative oceanfront coastal biology center.
Bear Swamp Trail
Little known except to those who frequent Salt Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest, the Bear Swamp Trail provides a walk into an ancient forest
Bear-N-Oak Trail
Part of the Florida State Forests Trailwalker program, the Bear-N-Oak Trail at Indian Lake State Forest is a 1.6-mile loop that provides a fascinating look at habitat diversity centered on Indian Lake, a major karst feature in the Ocala Limestone
Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk
East of Naples, the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park offers a peek into a notable natural landmark, a stand of virgin cypress.
Big Lagoon Hiking Trails
Near Perdido Key, Big Lagoon State Park is best known for its (really big) lagoon, but the scenic trail system through the scrub is a delight for hardy hikers, involving much trekking through soft white sand.
Big Shoals Trail
At Big Shoals State Park, the Big Shoals Trail leads you to scenic perches high atop the river bluffs when you can watch Florida's only Class III whitewater rapids
Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail
Trot out your sense of adventure for an immersion into one of the wildest trails you'll find near Orlando, the new 7.1-mile loop in the Black Bear Wilderness Area in Sanford
Black Hammock Wilderness Area
Black Hammock is a bit of Old Florida in Oviedo, with a trail showcasing a delightfully long boardwalk and a loop through scrub habitats above Lake Jesup
