By Sandra Friend and Chris Stevens
The second edition of this popular where-to-hike book published by the University Press of Florida is a carefully curated collection of over a thousand hikes from two avid hikers who’ve tromped every corner of the Sunshine State.
Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State Featuring more than a thousand hikes across Florida, Hiker's Guide to the Sunshine State is a comprehensive guide to Florida's most interesting hikes. Order here!Hikes reviewed for inclusion came from over 25 years of exploring an ever-expanding number of trails across Florida.
Using our background knowledge to rank our top picks, we’ve spent two years exploring every corner of the state.
We’ve set foot on every trail outlined in this new guidebook, excepting a few scouted by friends and family. We hiked more than we could fit, and revisited some multiple times to reassess after storm damage.
Centered on 46 cities, towns, and metros across Florida, our selections include short interpretive nature trails, multi-day backpacking trips, and day hikes of every length.
Some are perfect for families with young children, others for very experienced hikers. We select one or two Featured Hikes for each destination that we think you shouldn’t miss, and provide information on many additional Recommended Hikes.
For the sake of slow walkers and those who use assistive devices, we break out Accessible Hikes, and also suggest a handful of campgrounds worth using as base camps.
The first edition was published in 2005. The new edition is entirely different, using a new method of organization, a fresh outlook on presentation, and an entirely new set of selected hikes, almost double the previous edition thanks to many new public lands across Florida.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Northwest Florida
Apalachicola & Port St. Joe
Crestview & DeFuniak Springs
Destin–Fort Walton & Santa Rosa Beach
Milton
Panama City & Marianna
Pensacola
Sopchoppy & St. Marks
Tallahassee
North Florida
Chiefland
Gainesville
Jacksonville
Lake City & White Springs
Madison, Live Oak & Perry
Palatka
St. Augustine & Palm Coast
Central Florida
Brooksville
Crystal River & Inverness
Daytona Beach & New Smyrna Beach
DeLand
Kissimmee & St. Cloud
Lake Wales
Lakeland
Leesburg, Clermont & Mount Dora
Melbourne
New Port Richey & Dade City
Ocala
Orlando
Sanford
St. Petersburg, Clearwater & Tarpon Springs
Tampa
Titusville
South Florida
Bradenton
The Florida Keys
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Myers
Fort Pierce & Port St. Lucie
Jupiter
Miami
Naples
Okeechobee
Punta Gorda
Sarasota & Venice
Sebring & Arcadia
Stuart
Vero Beach & Sebastian
West Palm Beach & Boca Raton