Florida Trail Hikes

First Place, Outdoor Book (second edition). Florida Outdoor Writers Association, 2022

Released late May 2024, published by University Press of Florida, this fully updated, glossy full color edition features new and expanded hikes as well as lots of old favorites.

With the amazing amount of botanical diversity and scenery found across the state of Florida, the best way for a hiker to experience it is to explore our 1,500-mile National Scenic Trail in Florida, the Florida Trail.

Unlike The Florida Trail Guide, which is focused on logistics of planning a linear long distance hike, this book picks the best pieces of the Florida Trail to tackle. Each chapter includes rich descriptive details, color maps, and color photos to inspire you.

Each section of the book provides information on places you can camp or stay while doing day hikes in a region, plus other nearby outdoorsy and cultural activities and our picks for eateries.

Third Edition details

• Full color, 394 pages
• 59 hiking destinations statewide
• Nine section hiking overviews for the top scenic sections
• Fifty hikes ranging from 1.6 miles to 41.9 miles described in full detail
• Best overnight and multi-day backpacking trips included
• Scenic loops using the Florida Trail included
• Additional optional routes for each hike
• Regional locator maps
• “Base Camp” communities for planning hiking getaways
• 67 annotated color maps
• Index

THIRD EDITION Table of Contents

SOUTH FLORIDA

BASE CAMPS: Ochopee, Everglades City, Clewiston, Okeechobee, Jupiter, Hobe Sound

Big Cypress (38.3 mile section overview)
1. Oasis to 7 Mile Camp (13.8 miles)
2. I-75 South Gate to Ivy Camp (7 miles)

Okeechobee (112.2 mile section overview)
3. Lakeport to Indian Prairie Canal (7.6 miles)
4. Port Mayaca to Nubbin Slough (17.6 miles)

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail (61 mile section overview)
5. Sandhill Crane Loop (4.7 miles)
6. Riverbend Park to Kitching Creek trailhead (10 miles)

CENTRAL FLORIDA

BASE CAMPS: Kenansville, Christmas & Titusville, Sanford, DeLand

7. Micco Bluff (11.6 miles)
8. Kissimmee Prairie Loop (5.5 miles)
9. Long Hammock Loop (2.9 miles)
10. Prairie Lakes Loop (11.4 miles)
11. Bull Creek Loop (17.3 miles)
12. Beehead Ranch Loop (7.7 miles)
13. Seminole Ranch Loop (5.6 miles)
14. Bronson State Forest (5.4 miles)
15. Chuluota Wilderness Loop (1.6 miles)
16. Kolokee Loop (5.5 miles)
17. Seminole Scrub Loop (5.3 miles)

CENTRAL FLORIDA WEST

BASE CAMPS: Dade City, Brooksville, Inverness, Dunnellon, Belleview, Silver Springs

18. Green Swamp West (7.2 miles)
19. Richloam River Loop (2.6 miles)
20. Cypress Lakes Preserve (3.2 miles)
21. Croom River Trail (6.3 miles)

Cross Florida Greenway (39.2 mile section overview)
22. Dunnellon Trail & Blue Run Park (3.7 miles)
23. Ross Prairie to SW 49th Ave (6.8 miles)
24. Marshall Swamp (3.2 miles)

OCALA NORTHEAST

BASE CAMPS: Astor, Salt Springs, Palatka, Keystone Heights, Lake City

Ocala National Forest (77.2 mile section overview)
25. Buck Lake Loop (6.4 miles)
26. Hopkins Prairie (9.7 miles)
27. Riverside Island (12.9 miles)

28. Rice Creek Loop (5.7 miles)
29. Etoniah Creek (10.2 miles)
30. Gold Head Branch and Camp Blanding (10.8 miles)
31. Nice Wander Trail (1.6 miles)

SUWANNEE BIG BEND

BASE CAMPS: White Springs, Suwannee Springs & Live Oak, Madison, St. Marks, Medart & Panacea

Suwannee (77.6 mile section overview)
32. Big Shoals (3.2 miles)
33. White Springs Tract (3.5 miles)
34. Stephen Foster to Sal Marie Branch (7.2 miles)
35. Camp Branch to Suwannee Springs (7.9 miles)
36. Holton Creek (8.9 miles)
37. Ellaville to Black Tract (6.8 miles)

38. Aucilla River and Sinks (14.7 miles)

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (47.3 mile section overview)
39. Apalachee Bay (13.4 miles)
40. Wakulla River (4.3 miles)
41. Cathedral of Palms (6.1 miles)

EASTERN PANHANDLE

BASE CAMPS: Sopchoppy, Bristol, Blountstown, Marianna, Choctawhatchee River Basin, Freeport

Apalachicola National Forest (66.2 mile section overview)
42. Sopchoppy River (4.1 miles)
43. Vilas to Camel Lake (10.3 miles)

44. Econfina Creek (19.2 miles)
45. Nokuse (27.5 miles)

WESTERN PANHANDLE

BASE CAMPS: DeFuniak Springs, Crestview, Milton, Navarre & Navarre Beach, Pensacola Beach

46. Eglin (41.9 miles)

Blackwater River State Forest (45.4 mile section overview)
47. Juniper Creek Trail (7.8 miles)
48. Jackson Trail South (6.9 miles)

49. UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve (4.7 miles)
50. Fort Pickens (7.2 miles)