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

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Withlacoochee River at Richloam

Florida State Forests

With hiking, biking, paddling, and equestrian trails in addition to campgrounds, Florida State Forests provide some of the most extensive trail systems in Florida

Find State Forest Trails by Mileage

Paddling Withlacoochee River

Managed by the Florida Forest Service, a division of the state Department of Agriculture, the Florida State Forests system encompasses some of Florida’s largest public lands. It all started in the northwest corner of Florida with Pine Log State Forest, established 1936, and Blackwater River State Forest, a sweeping landscape of well-managed longleaf pine and wiregrass habitat.

Some state forests are broken into many tracts, like Withlacoochee State Forest. Many have multiple entrances. Some have entrance fees, for which an annual pass is available. Others charge a fee in developed recreation areas, leaving you to explore the wilderness areas for free.

Florida State Forests

We currently have information on our website for trails and recreation areas in 20 of the 37 state forests in Florida, all of which we have hiked, biked, and/or camped in. These are our overview pages for specific state forests.

Teal blazes on footpath in sandhill habitat

Belmore State Forest

Belmore State Forest
Big cypress in a narrow tannic waterway

Bethea State Forest

Bethea State Forest
Blackwater River SF

Blackwater River State Forest

Blackwater River State Forest
Pine flatwoods in Bronson State Forest

Bronson State Forest

Bronson State Forest
Cary State Forest tower view

Cary State Forest

Cary State Forest
Water crossing on Florida Trail

Florida Trail, Green Swamp West to Richloam

Florida Trail, Green Swamp West to Richloam
Young longleaf pines

Jennings State Forest

Jennings State Forest
Bear Creek Tract

Lake Talquin State Forest

Lake Talquin State Forest
View of prairie beyond trail post

Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

Lake Wales Ridge State Forest
Econlockhatchee River at Flagler Trail

Little-Big Econ State Forest

Little-Big Econ State Forest
Trail through open pine flatwoods in palmettos

Myakka State Forest

Myakka State Forest
Cypress dome in fog

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest

Pine Log State Forest

Pine Log State Forest
Palmettos in front of longleaf pines

Point Washington State Forest

Point Washington State Forest
Tunnel through trees

Scrub Jay Loop

Scrub Jay Loop
Footpath through open scrub

Seminole State Forest

Seminole State Forest
Marshy bottomlands in forest

Simmons State Forest

Simmons State Forest
Tates Hell Swamp lilies

Tates Hell State Forest

Tates Hell State Forest
Rima Ridge pines Tiger Bay

Tiger Bay State Forest

Tiger Bay State Forest
Well-groomed trail corridor in pine forest

Welaka State Forest

Welaka State Forest
Citrus Trail at Lizzie Hart Sink

Withlacoochee State Forest

Withlacoochee State Forest

More State Forests

Bronson State Forest
Cary State Forest
Etoniah Creek State Forest
Goethe State Forest
Indian Lake State Forest
Jennings State Forest
Lake George State Forest
Lake Talquin State Forest
Picayune Strand State Forest

Pine Log State Forest
Ross Prairie State Forest
Seminole State Forest
Simmons State Forest
Tates Hell State Forest
Tiger Bay State Forest
Twin Rivers State Forest

Favorite State Forest Trails

These trails in Florida State Forests are our favorites. Most of them have unique natural features or fabulous views. Use these as your own starting point for exploration.

Bear-N-Oak Trail

Bear-N-Oak Trail

Bear-N-Oak Trail
Citrus Trail at Lizzie Hart Sink

Citrus Hiking Trail

Citrus Hiking Trail
Palms in uplands along the Florida Trail

Florida Trail, Chuluota Wilderness to Joshua Creek

Florida Trail, Chuluota Wilderness to Joshua Creek
Ribbon of blue river between forested banks

Florida Trail, Croom River Trail

Florida Trail, Croom River Trail
Florida Trail, Juniper Creek

Florida Trail, Juniper Creek

Florida Trail, Juniper Creek
Trail through palm hammock

Florida Trail, Little Big Econ State Forest

Florida Trail, Little Big Econ State Forest
Seminole State Forest

Florida Trail, Seminole State Forest

Florida Trail, Seminole State Forest
Narrow bridge Yellow River Ravines Florida Trail

Florida Trail, Yellow River Ravines

Florida Trail, Yellow River Ravines
Holly Hammock Hiking Trail

Holly Hammock Hiking Trail

Holly Hammock Hiking Trail
Lower Wekiva Loop

Lower Wekiva Loop

Lower Wekiva Loop
Lake Talquin Ravine Trail

Ravine Trail

Ravine Trail
Palm hammock trail

William Bartram St. Johns River Loop

William Bartram St. Johns River Loop
Twin Rivers State Forest Suwannee

Trailwalker Program

The Florida State Forest Trailwalker Program enables hikers to collect rewards for walking in the woods on designated Trailwalker Trails. Many of these include portions of the statewide Florida Trail.

Trailwalker Program

Florida State Forests Articles

Articles about Florida State Forests, including background information on forest history, trip reports about visits to state forests, and wildlife and wildflowers seen in our forests. Scroll through to see all.

Palm Hammock Trail Merritt Island

Hiking in Florida

February 15, 2020//  by Sandra Friend & John Keatley

New to Florida? Florida is different. If you don’t know much about our outdoors, start here to learn what’s unique about hiking, backpacking, and camping in Florida.

Hogtown Creek Greenway

Hiking Safely With Your Dog

May 11, 2019//  by Sandra Friend

While hiking with your dog can be very satisfying, Florida hiking has its own special perils for your best buddy. Here’s a heads-up on what to look for and where it’s best to take a hike.

Sandra and her gear at Southern Terminus

How To Prepare For A Backpacking Trip

March 19, 2019//  by Sandra Friend

What does a hiker need to spend a week, or a month, or three months on the trail? Here are trail-tested suggestions for backpacking in Florida for trips of a week or more

Bears opening trash can

Bear season in Florida

February 23, 2019//  by Sandra Friend

As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors – whether in your campsite or at home.

Hunting dogs

Safety During Deer Hunting Season

November 8, 2018//  by Sandra Friend

During hiking seasons in Florida, you are often sharing the trails with hunters. General gun season – deer hunting – is the main hunting season for hikers to be concerned about.

Bear bags hanging at sunset on the AT in Georgia

Do Not Feed the Bears

February 27, 2018//  by John Keatley

Bear bagging is the art of hanging your food properly out of reach of bears. If you’re a Florida backpacker and haven’t learned how, here’s a short course. Securing your food from bears is required in the Ocala, Osceola, and Apalachicola National Forests.

Horse Creek

A Peaceful Donation

October 27, 2014//  by Sandra Friend

A donation of the 4,171 acre Peaceful Horse Ranch on the Peace River was turned down by DEP two years ago. It was just accepted as a future Florida State Forest

Bear in a trash can (Florida Fish & Wildlife)

Do not feed the bears

April 23, 2014//  by Sandra Friend

“A fed bear is a dead bear,” says Florida Fish & Wildlife. It’s time to make homeowners responsible for keeping trash and food out of reach when they live in bear territory.

Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala

Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala has launched

December 12, 2013//  by Sandra Friend

While we were roaming the trails of South Florida, a box of books arrived at our home: our author copies of Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala! We started working on this guide to the best trails in the Gainesville and Ocala vicinity last fall, nibbling away at hikes at the south end of the …

Two sides of the Yellow River

April 23, 2013//  by John Keatley

Hiking through the Yellow River Ravines section on the Panhandle Trace Hike was a new experience for us all, as it’s a newly opened segment of trail near Milton.

Hiking the Hills of Hutton

April 21, 2013//  by Sandra Friend

With our switcheroo on the previous day – skipping the burned zone of the Jackson Trail to walk the Juniper Creek Trail back to the campground – Day Four of the Panhandle Trace Hike had us headed northbound for the first time on this trek. Peggy had hikers going in all directions and for different …

Through Smoke and Fire on the Jackson Red Ground Trail

April 17, 2013//  by Sandra Friend

Day 3 of the Panhandle Trace Hike, McVay Road to Red Rock Road Trail Head Guest post by Gordy Hawkins, Suncoast Chapter FTA. Photos by Gail Baldwin. Enter into a world of black and white and the continuum of grays in-between. That is what it was like for me the day we walked a recently …

ALL State Forest Recreation

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MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

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Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

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Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

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