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

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Backpacking gear Florida

How to Pack for a Florida Hike

The Ten Essentials and More: a checklist for items to bring when day hiking and backpacking in Florida, to plan for the differences you’ll encounter in Florida’s unique conditions

How-To in Florida      ( Feature Articles )      

What’s in your pack? Florida hikers need to plan differently than hikers from other parts of the United States.

Our hiking season is upside down from the rest of the country: October through April are our prime months.

Our need to deal with heat, sun, and insects as well as extremes of wet and dry conditions mean a little thought is in order before you toss your pack in the back of the car.

Here are the essentials you need for a comfortable hike in Florida.

For Day Hikers

  • Water (and plenty of it!)
  • Food
  • Map, plus compass or GPS for longer trips
  • Rain gear
  • Hat
  • First aid kit with bandages, antibiotic cream, and items you need for your personal health and safety
  • Insect repellent
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Small flashlight or headlamp
  • Optional personal items such as a camera, sketch pad, or field guide

For Backpackers

All of the elements needed for a day hike, plus:

  • Water filtration or treatment method
  • Adequate food for the length of the trip, stored in a bag you can hang at night
  • Camp stove and fuel, firestarter (matches or lighter)
  • Cook pot and fork or spoon
  • Tent, hammock, or bivy
  • Sleeping bag and pad
  • Headlamp or other light source with spare batteries
  • Duct tape for emergency repairs
  • Bandana
  • Biodegradable soap or alcohol-based hand cleaner
  • Toiletry items
  • Toilet paper or wipes, with zip-closure bag to pack out used tissue
  • Lightweight cord for bear-bagging food
  • Spare set of dry clothes, especially socks
  • Camp shoes

We explain exactly the gear we personally use on a regular basis in this article on preparing for a Florida Trail hike.

Backpack Big Cypress

Choosing Gear for a Florida Trail Hike

Our detailed recommendations and reviews of the best hiking and backpacking gear for your thru-hike or section hike of the Florida Trail based on our own successful use of certain tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and more.

Category: Articles, How To

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Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

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Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

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Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.
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Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Recent Articles

Flooded canoe launch

Parks and Trails Closed Due to Hurricane Ian

Our roundup of closures on federal, state, and county lands across Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

Colorful mural behind bicycle

Riding the East Coast Greenway to Stuart

Scouting a piece of the East Coast Greenway on the Treasure Coast, John’s on-the-ground wayfinding stopped him short of his intended goal.

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