Founded in 1878, Live Oak is centered around a historic downtown district with a Deep South feel. Adding to that rural character are farms and country roads surrounding the town, which is circled by the Suwannee River to the north, south, and west, about a 20 minute drive in each direction. Thanks to its quiet back roads, Live Oak is the annual destination for the Florida Bicycle Safari.
Nearby: Madison, Mayo, Lake CityFind hotels in Live Oak on TripAdvisor
Trails and Parks in Lake City
Big Oak Trail - The Big Oak Trail is one of the most scenic hikes in North Florida. Much of the hiking parallels the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, which meet here at a confluence.
Disappearing Creek at Camp Branch - On the Disappearing Creek Loop off the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River, watch Camp Branch burble through rapids and cascade into a giant sinkhole
Florida Trail, Alapaha - 7.7 miles. Along the limestone-bordered waters of the Alapaha and Suwannee Rivers, the Alapaha section of the Florida Trail explores unique geography within a densely forested landscape. 
Florida Trail, Camp Branch to Suwannee Springs - 7.8 miles. Rugged climbs through abandoned river channels and along the highest elevations along the Suwannee River make this hike a serious roller-coaster through river bluff forests and sandy beaches.
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
Lafayette Blue Springs State Park - Lafayette Blue Springs was an old swimming hole for folks in Mayo and the rural communities west of Live Oak, a hidden beauty spot along the Suwannee River that is now a state park. 
Madison Blue Spring State Park - A long-time Old Florida swimming hole along SR 6 between the towns of Lee and Jasper, Madison Blue Spring is a sinkhole pouring out a first-magnitude spring into the Withlacoochee River.
Peacock Springs State Park - Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park is a top international destination for cave divers thanks to its extensively mapped system of underwater tubes: more than six miles of passageways connecting two major springs, six sinkholes, and the Suwannee River. 
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 State Park - Perched on the bluffs at the confluence of the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers, Suwannee River State Park is one of those don’t-miss Florida outdoors experiences, with two ghost towns, Civil War battlements that once protected a strategic railroad bridge, and the ruins of a former governor's riverfront mansion.
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
Troy Spring Nature Trail - At Troy Spring State Park, the nature trail is only a half-mile long, but a good introduction to habitats found along the bluffs of the Suwannee River.
Troy Spring State Park - A first-magnitude spring along the Suwannee River, Troy Spring State Park has the remains of a Civil War steamboat cradled in its rocky waters.
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.