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

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FNST sign

The Florida Trail

Spanning more than 1,400 miles from Pensacola Beach to the edge of the Everglades, the Florida Trail is our statewide National Scenic Trail. Discover the hundreds of hiking opportunities it offers statewide.

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Since 1966, the Florida Trail has been Florida’s biggest destination for backpackers, with hundreds of trailheads and access points. Along its 1,500 mile length, most are within an hour of most major cities in Florida.

Since 2001, we’ve been researching and writing guidebooks to help you day hike, backpack, and thru hike the Florida Trail.

The Florida Trail Guide book cover Florida Trail Hikes book cover Florida Trail small coffee table book Florida Trail history book

We partner with FarOut Guides (formerly known as Guthook) to provide trail details for a Florida Trail app with an abundance of waypoints on up-to-date geolocated maps, as well as Eastern Continental Trail details for Florida.

We’ve photographed our own end-to-end hike of the Florida Trail for a mini coffee table book, and produced a large format coffee table book covering the full history of the first 50 years of our National Scenic Trail in Florida.


Planning | Permits | Day Hikes | Backpacking | Thru Hiking | Maps | Trail Updates


Contents

  • 1 About the Florida Trail
    • 1.1 Plan your Florida Trail Hike
    • 1.2 Choosing Gear for a Florida Trail Hike
    • 1.3 Florida Trail Map
    • 1.4 Best Hikes on the Florida Trail
    • 1.5 Florida Trail Backpacking
    • 1.6 Biking the Florida Trail
    • 1.7 Section Hiking the Florida Trail
    • 1.8 Thru Hike the Florida Trail
    • 1.9 Florida Trail Updates
    • 1.10 Florida Trail for Scouting
    • 1.11 The Florida Trail: A History
  • 2 Florida Trail by Region
    • 2.1 Florida Trail, South Florida
    • 2.2 Florida Trail, Central Florida
    • 2.3 Florida Trail, North Florida
    • 2.4 Florida Trail, Northwest Florida
  • 3 Florida Trail by Section
    • 3.1 Florida Trail, Big Cypress
    • 3.2 Florida Trail, Seminole
    • 3.3 Florida Trail, Okeechobee
    • 3.4 Florida Trail, Kissimmee
    • 3.5 Florida Trail, Orlando
    • 3.6 Florida Trail, Ocala
    • 3.7 Florida Trail, Western Corridor
    • 3.8 Florida Trail, Northeast Florida
    • 3.9 Florida Trail, Suwannee
    • 3.10 Florida Trail, Big Bend
    • 3.11 Florida Trail, Apalachicola
    • 3.12 Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
    • 3.13 Florida Trail, Eglin
    • 3.14 Florida Trail, Blackwater
    • 3.15 Florida Trail, Seashore
  • 4 Florida Trail Connectors
    • 4.1 Eastern Continental Trail
    • 4.2 Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail
  • 5 Florida Trail Maps

About the Florida Trail

Two loops, two spurs, and over 1,500 miles of blazes from one end of this gigantic state to another. It’s a lot to take in.

The Florida Trail is one of only eleven long distance trails distinguished as a National Scenic Trail in America.

It is the only long distance trail in the United States that is a winter destination, as winter is our prime season for backpacking in Florida.

Planning tools for the Florida Trail

Plan your Florida Trail Hike

Backpack Big Cypress

Choosing Gear for a Florida Trail Hike

Hiking the Florida Trail

Florida Trail Map

But it’s not just about backpacking and camping. There are segments of the Florida Trail that make enjoyable day hikes, and there are portions shared with bike routes that work well for cyclists.

Best Hikes on the Florida Trail

Oak hammock in Chandler Slough

Florida Trail Backpacking

Biking KICCO Grade

Biking the Florida Trail

Drawing a growing number of section hikers and thru-hikers every year, the trail has a growing long distance hiker community.

Shepherd Spring Cathedral of Palms

Section Hiking the Florida Trail

Section hiking the Florida Trail provides some logistical challenges, but a sense of satisfaction in being able to complete an 1,100-mile walk across Florida over time

Lightheart Duo Florida Trail

Thru Hike the Florida Trail

A thru-hike in Florida takes 60-90 days through lush landscapes you won’t see on other long distance trails

We’ve been writing about the Florida Trail since 2001, so you can count on us as a trusted source of information.

The Florida Trail Guide

Florida Trail Updates

Updates to our current edition of The Florida Trail Guide (Fourth Edition, published Nov 2021), keyed to pages and mileage numbers in each segment of the trail presented through the book.

Florida Trail, Little Big Econ

Florida Trail for Scouting

There are many opportunities for Boy Scouts to complete hiking and backpacking merit badges and 50-miler awards along the Florida Trail; this list will start you planning your next trip.

In 2016, we celebrated the trail’s 50th anniversary by compiling its long and storied history into a coffee table book.

The Florida Trail book interior pages

The Florida Trail: A History

How to order a copy of The Florida Trail: Florida’s National Scenic Trail, our limited edition full-color coffee table book that tells the comprehensive story of the first 50 years of routing, building, maintaining, and enjoying our statewide National Scenic Trail.


Florida Trail by Region

Since the Florida Trail stretches from one end of Florida to the other, we have broken up information on it by sections within regions. You’ll find those here.

Big Cypress Swamp

Florida Trail, South Florida

The Florida Trail in Tosohatchee WMA

Florida Trail, Central Florida

No Name Creek

Florida Trail, North Florida

Whitewater frothing between rocks and cypress knees

Florida Trail, Northwest Florida


Florida Trail by Section

These sections of the Florida Trail are listed from south to north, matching how they are described in The Florida Trail Guide. Within each you’ll find information on hikes in that section.

Florida Trail Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

38.3 miles. Featuring the wettest, wildest wilderness traversed by backpackers in Florida, the Florida Trail in Big Cypress National Preserve is both beautiful and extraordinarily challenging.

Florida Trail along a canal south of Clewiston

Florida Trail, Seminole

56.2 miles. Stretching from the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation to Lake Okeechobee, the Florida Trail Seminole section traverses a vast agricultural region, the former Everglades. Hiking is on roads and levees.

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

112.8 miles. Looping around one of America’s largest lakes, the Okeechobee section of the Florida Trail provides panoramic views from atop the Herbert Hoover Dike.

Florida Trail Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee

111.3 miles. Following the Kissimmee River floodplain, this is a scenic section of the Florida Trail with a mix of levees, shady woods, river views, open prairies, and cattle ranches.

Florida Trail at Forever Florida

Florida Trail, Orlando

148.0 miles. Spanning from the Ocala National Forest south through the prairies of Osceola County, the Orlando section of the Florida Trail encompasses the eastern suburbs of the Orlando metro

Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Florida Trail, Ocala

72.3 miles. The birthplace of the Florida Trail and home of the world’s largest sand pine scrub forest, the Ocala section is Florida’s top backpacking destination

Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

241 miles. With segments linking Withlacoochee State Forest and the Cross Florida Greenway, the Western Corridor provides access to wild spaces between Tampa and Ocala

Florida Trail at Rice Creek

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida

123 miles. Showcasing the best public lands, the Florida Trail walks you into the past between Palatka and Osceola National Forest, through rural farms and timber lands.

No Name Creek

Florida Trail, Suwannee

74.8 miles. Along the Suwannee River, the Florida Trail clings to bluffs and scrambles through ravines for physical challenges and great scenery

Florida Trail Big Bend view

Florida Trail, Big Bend

116.2 miles. After crossing rural farms and forests in the Big Bend, the Florida Trail reveals the secrets of the Aucilla River before tracing the Gulf coastline at St. Marks NWR

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

77.9 miles. Florida’s largest national forest, Apalachicola is a very lush place, which means soggy feet and spectacular botanical diversity south of Tallahassee.

Florida Trail Nokuse

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle

99.3 miles. West of the Apalachicola River, the Florida Trail stitches a series of public lands together along the corridor of the Northwest Florida Greenway.

Eglin Weaver Creek

Florida Trail, Eglin

98.3 miles. One of the most compelling sections of the Florida Trail for backpackers, Eglin offers rugged elevation changes and crystalline waterways.

Florida Trail, Blackwater

45.5 miles. The Blackwater section of the Florida Trail walks you through Atlantic white cedar and longleaf pine forests, pitcher plant bogs and titi swamps en route to the Alabama border.

Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, Seashore

32.3 miles. In addition to several bike paths and the wild and scenic UWF-SRIA Dunes Preserve, the Seashore section of the Florida Trail walks you along a beach to the trail’s Northern Terminus.


Florida Trail Connectors

These trails are not part of the National Scenic Trail but connect to the Florida Trail

Shallow water with mangrove-lined islands beyond

Eastern Continental Trail

A hiking route spanning more than 4,800 miles along the East Coast, the Eastern Continental Trail spends nearly 1,300 miles crossing Florida from its southern terminus at the Southernmost Point in Key West.

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

61 miles. A spur of the Florida Trail that leads from Port Mayaca on the east side of Lake Okeechobee to Hobe Sound Beach on the Atlantic Ocean, treating hikers to unexpected wild landscapes north of West Palm Beach.


Florida Trail Maps

This is our current overview map of the Florida Trail, our National Scenic Trail in Florida.

Florida Trail Overview Map 2018
Florida Trail Overview Map 2018

MAP USAGE: You may use our map if credited to FloridaHikes.com and, if shared online, linked back to this page. The same is true for any of our section maps. Please be sure to credit us and to link them back to the appropriate section page.
We created the above map using our trail data from our interactive map inside the FarOut Guides app / Florida National Scenic Trail segment, copyright 2020 by FarOut Guides & Florida Hikes.

Water-resistant paper maps are available from the Florida Trail Association.

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Our Florida Trail Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideThe comprehensive mile-by-mile guidebook to planning section and thru-hikes along the entire length of the Florida Trail. 356 pages, $19.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail HikesFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail, plus nine of the best section hikes. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now
 


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
Our virtual walk along the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

Order Now


The Florida Trail

Florida Trail large coffee table book cover of trail down swamp causeway under ancient pines

Our history of the first 50 years of the Florida Trail, from its founding in 1966 to becoming a National Scenic Trail to volunteer efforts today.

Learn More

The Florida Trail App

Comprehensive logistics and offline maps all in one: The Florida Trail Guide is now also an interactive map-based mile-by-mile app by Guthook Guides.

Get the App!

Florida Trail Updates


Get periodic recaps of changes to the Florida Trail, which we accumulate between editions of our guidebook. Find all official Trail Closures & Notices here.

Hiking the Florida Trail

  • Florida Trail Overview
  • Plan your Hike
  • Choose the Right Gear
  • Best Scenic Hikes
  • Best Backpacking Trips
  • Section Hiking
  • Thru-Hiking
  • Eastern Continental Trail
  • Florida Trail in South Florida
  • Florida Trail in Central Florida
  • Florida Trail in North Florida
  • Florida Trail in Northwest Florida
  • Florida Trail for Scouting
  • Florida Trail Adventures
  • Florida Trail Updates

Florida Trail by Section

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

Florida Trail, Apalachicola
Florida Trail Big Bend view

Florida Trail, Big Bend

Florida Trail, Big Bend
Florida Trail Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Blackwater

Florida Trail, Blackwater
Florida Trail Nokuse

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
Eglin Weaver Creek

Florida Trail, Eglin

Florida Trail, Eglin
Florida Trail Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee
Florida Trail at Rice Creek

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida
Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Florida Trail, Ocala

Florida Trail, Ocala
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail
Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee
Florida Trail at Forever Florida

Florida Trail, Orlando

Florida Trail, Orlando
Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, Seashore

Florida Trail, Seashore
Florida Trail along a canal south of Clewiston

Florida Trail, Seminole

Florida Trail, Seminole
No Name Creek

Florida Trail, Suwannee

Florida Trail, Suwannee
Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

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