Resources
Resources for exploring the area
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
Exploring Lake City
Lake City sits just west and south of the Osceola National Forest, the smallest of Florida’s national forests.
There are conservation lands all along the Suwannee River in this region, and the Florida Trail runs east-west to the north from Osceola National Forest to follow the Suwannee west.
To its north, west, and southwest, a stellar collection of showy springs abound along the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers.
Trails and Parks near Lake City
Alligator Lake In the city once called Alligator, first home of the University of Florida and named for a great chief of the Seminoles, Alligator Lake has long been a gathering place. Established as a park in 2002, hiking and bicycling are now its primary focus. 
Big Shoals State Park At Big Shoals State Park, see Florida's largest series of rapids, churning the Suwannee River with hydraulics in Class III whitewater at certain times of year.
Big Shoals Trail At Big Shoals State Park, the Big Shoals Trail leads to scenic perches high atop the river bluffs when you can watch Florida's only Class III whitewater rapids
Falling Creek Falls A boardwalk trail at Falling Creek Falls north of Lake City leads you to overlooks on a waterfall with a twelve-foot drop in a picturesque setting
Fanny Bay Trail Starting at the westbound Sanderson rest area along I-10, the Fanny Bay Trail leads you through pine flatwoods into a cypress swamp with ancient cypresses
Florida Trail, Bell Springs to Big Shoals 4.6 miles. Showcasing Florida's only Class III whitewater and other spectacular geologic features, this is one of the most scenic segments of the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River.
Florida Trail, Nice Wander Loop In the Osceola National Forest, this short loop along the Florida Trail adjacent to Olustee Battlefield is one of the easiest places in the state to see red-cockaded woodpeckers.
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.
Florida Trail, Ocean Pond to Turkey Run An easy linear hike or round trip with a stop at the Florida Trail’s oldest shelter, this short segment of the Florida Trail in Osceola National Forest is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail. 
Florida Trail, Stephen Foster to CR 25A 4.7 miles. Roly-poly and rugged, the Florida Trail across Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park showcases the beauty of the Suwannee River from its bluffs.
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, Turkey Run to Deep Creek In the northwest corner of Osceola National Forest, this 11.4 mile segment of the Florida Trail offers strong contrasts between pine flatwoods and bogs.
Florida Trail, White Springs 3.6 miles. Spanning from one end of White Springs to the other along a bend in the Suwannee River, this Florida Trail segment is an easy day hike through a historic community.
Ichetucknee Springs State Park A swimming hole as a work of natural art, the deep gash in the earth that is Ichetucknee Spring glows an unearthly robin's-egg blue, cradled in a limestone bowl within a leafy glen
Long Branch Trail At Big Shoals State Park, the 2.4 mile Long Branch Trail heads upriver to follow a mellow Suwannee River—broad and shaded by overhanging tupelo trees
Mount Carrie Wayside The short, easily accessed Mount Carrie Wayside in Osceola National Forest showcases an old growth longleaf pine forest with a population of red-cockaded woodpeckers.
O’Leno State Park At the site of an 1826 pioneer community along the Old Bellamy Road connecting St. Augustine and Tallahassee, O'Leno State Park protects one of North Florida’s weirder geologic wonders, a disappearing river. 
Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park More than ten thousand soldiers met and fought in the longleaf pine forest at Olustee, the largest Civil War battle on Florida soil
Olustee Battlefield Trail The hike through Olustee Battlefield is short, but its historical significance is great. More than 2,000 men died in this forest on February 20, 1864, when Confederate and Union forces met and fought Florida's bloodiest battle
Osceola National Forest The smallest of Florida's national forests, the Osceola National Forest carries the weight of history hidden in its dense stands of longleaf pine.
Paddling the Santa Fe River On a mellow paddling trip down the Santa Fe River, John discovers several swimming springs, thousands of turtles, and miles of quiet waterway.
Royal Springs Staring into Royal Springs, it feels like looking into a bottomless pit. Steep and broad, it drops 42 feet into shimmering waters of turquoise and royal blue
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park At Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, Florida pioneer crafts and Florida folk music are as important as the lovely setting on the Suwannee River
Suwannee River Wilderness Trail Showcasing springs, sandy beaches, waterfalls, and haunting swamp forests where manatees gather, the 170-mile Suwannee River Wilderness Trail is a paddling trip of a lifetime
Trampled Track Trail An interpretive walk with extensive details on timbering history, the Trampled Track Trail leads to a waterfront view on Ocean Pond.
Tubing the Ichetucknee Tubing the Ichetucknee River means letting go and going with the flow, letting the waters carry you past beautiful springs and through ever-changing habitats. Here's how. 
Woodpecker Trail The Woodpecker Trail at Big Shoals State Park provides a 7-mile wildlife-rich round trip ride, but watch out for those puddles! John plunges in anyway to get the story.Articles
National Forests in Florida Implement New Fees (7/24/2019) Effective July 26, 2019, fees go up at many National Forest campgrounds, boat ramps, and recreation areas
The Rainbow Swamp (1/22/2016) A perfect combination of cold weather, blue skies, and winter in a North Florida cypress swamp let us happen upon two instances of rainbow swamps on a hike in the Osecola Experimental Forest. Does that make a double rainbow?