In Central Florida, the Florida Trail presents two options: east or west around the Orlando metro. Both routes were crafted in the 1980s, and both have their high and low points. Forested public lands provide protection for much of the route, but portions are urban.
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On the Western Corridor, the trail roughly follows the northward flow of the Withlacoochee River from its rise in the Green Swamp towards Dunnellon. To the east, the trail sticks to public lands in the St. Johns River basin, another north-flowing river. Dense forests along the rivers and open prairies between them characterize this section, which brushes up against the urban boundaries of the Orlando metro in several places.
Urbanization means less-than-ideal footpath in places, so to quickly get through the suburbs of Orlando, the Florida Trail follows paved bike paths for a lengthy stretch. A long connecting walk on bike paths, sidewalks, and roads is necessary across the southern sweep of the Western Corridor.
MAJOR CITIES: Orlando, Lakeland, Tampa, Ocala
TRAIL TOWNS (S to N): Okeechobee, Kenansville (EASTERN CORRIDOR) Christmas, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Paisley (WESTERN CORRIDOR) Polk City, Dade City, Ridge Manor, Brooksville, Inverness, Dunnellon, Ocala, Belleview, Silver Springs
Trail Sections
Each of the below sections correspond to a smaller segment of the Florida Trail in this region, from south to north (Okeechobee to the Ocala National Forest). Click on a map to see full details for a particular section of the Florida Trail in Central Florida.
Find a Hike
This map shows all Florida Trail trailheads that correspond to Florida Trail hikes found on our website for this region. Search for a town or address to find a trailhead near you. Click on a symbol to zoom to that trailhead and find out about the hike you can take there.
SOUTHBOUND >> South Florida