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Everglades Anhinga Trail

National Parks in Florida

Destinations for visitors from around the world, our National Parks in Florida provide interpretation and recreation at seashores, historic sites, and vast wild spaces like the world’s only Everglades.


Resources

Resources for exploring our National Parks
Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida 50 Hikes in North Florida book cover 50 Hikes in South Florida book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover The Hiking Trails of Floridas National Forests Parks Preserves book cover Paddlers Guide Florida
 
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.

Florida’s National Parks are notable for their extreme diversity. Oceanfront parks like Gulf Islands National Seashore and Canaveral National Seashore protect miles of windswept wild shores.

Timucuan Preserve and De Soto National Monument commemorate early European landing sites along Florida’s coast and how native peoples were affected.

Within our National Parks are enormous fortresses such as Fort Barrancas, Fort Pickens, and Fort Jefferson as well as smaller sites like Fort Matanzas and the recent addition of a reconstructed Fort King from the Seminole War period.

Three major national parks blanket much of the southern Florida peninsula. Biscayne National Park is almost entirely made up of islands and coral reefs at the northern extent of the Florida Keys.

Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve protect mosaics of rain-fed habitat fed by broad, shallow rivers sweeping across the tip of the Florida peninsula.

The following are all of the National Parks, Preserves, Seashores, and Historic Sites in Florida administered by the Department of the Interior. Each of these locations have numerous trails and sometimes even separate units, as shown on the map above.

Summer in Big Cypress Big Cypress National Preserve Protecting nearly three quarters of the million-acre Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve is Florida's second largest and most remote wilderness.
Biscayne National Park Biscayne National Park Florida's largest offshore park, Biscayne National Park protects living coral reefs and islands that are the northernmost part of the Florida Keys
Oceanfront ramp and saw palmetto Canaveral National Seashore Canaveral National Seashore protects 58,000 acres of maritime hammocks, dunes, and coastline north of Cape Canaveral, a natural sandy cape that formed where ocean currents meet.
Castillo de San Marcos Castillo de San Marcos The only remaining 17th century fortress in North America, the Castillo de San Marcos defended the Spanish colony of St. Augustine from two British sieges in the 1700s.
Waterfront trail amid sea grapes and mangroves De Soto National Memorial Interpreting the landing of Spanish conquistador Hernando De Soto, De Soto National Memorial occupies a peninsula where the Manatee River flows into Tampa Bay.
Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park (Bob Finley) Dry Tortugas National Park Our friend Bob "TruckrBob" Finley shares his experience with planning, and reaching, the toughest park to visit in Florida: Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles offshore from Key West.
Lily dotted swamp with prairie to the horizon beyond Everglades National Park In 1.5 million acres across South Florida, Everglades National Park has outdoor experiences from accessible boardwalks and paved trails to rugged adventures in harsh wilderness.
Imposing brick fortress with corner like ship's bow Fort Barrancas Part of the Third System of coastal defenses built in the 1840s by the Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Barrancas is the showy centerpiece of a National Park unit inside Naval Air Station Pensacola.
View of ocean from atop concrete battery Gulf Islands National Seashore Stretching across three Gulf Coast states, Gulf Islands National Seashore protects portions of the barrier islands between Navarre Beach, Florida and Gulfport, Mississippi.
Bluffs overlooking an aquamarine inlet Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area One of only three federally designated ONAs in the United States, Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area combines a unique location with botanical beauty and history.
Sweep of bay beyond dunes and path through them Okaloosa Area A broad sweep of beach and coastal habitats are protected along Choctawhatchee Bay within the Okaloosa Area, the easternmost unit of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Estuary winding waters Timucuan Preserve Florida's northernmost National Park encompasses a diverse collection of historic and cultural sites on both sides of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville.

National Park Fees

Fees apply at many of Florida’s National Parks, particularly those with heavy visitation or beach access. Everglades National Park now costs $30 to enter in a private vehicle. Entrance fee receipts are usable for up to one full week for return visits.

Your Golden Eagle / National Parks pass is good at all locations. Fourth grade students (and their families) as well as active military are eligible for free passes.

Seniors may purchase discount passes good for their lifetimes. Passes are a great bargain if you plan to visit more a few parks in a year. They are honored at National Wildlife Refuges and National Forest Fee Areas as well.

National Park Passes


Florida’s Best National Park Trails

These are our picks for trails within Florida’s National Parks that you should not miss.

Boardwalk into a swamp Anhinga Trail For most visitors, the Anhinga Trail is their first glimpse into Everglades National Park. It's short, and the alligators are right there: hard to miss
Trail through lush hammock Eldora Hammock Trail Near the ghost town of Eldora, the Eldora Hammock Trail loops through the beauty of a lush coastal hammock, highlighting a semi-tropical understory in deep shade.
Battery Langdon Florida Trail, Fort Pickens 6.9 miles. At the westernmost tip of Santa Rosa Island, the Florida Trail comes to its Northern Terminus in the shadow of the most important historic sites in Northwest Florida, Fort Pickens.
View over forested dune of inlet Fort Matanzas National Monument On the shores of Fort Matanzas, a significant historic site south of St. Augustine, the dunes are now swaddled in coastal hammock. Visit them on an accessible boardwalk.
Lush tropical forest next to a paved path Gumbo Limbo Trail At Royal Palm Hammock in Everglades National Park, the Gumbo Limbo Trail is a gentle paved path that gets you up close and personal with a tropical hammock and its oolite holes.
Line of cypress trees in winter Kirby Storter Boardwalk An accessible walk through the habitats of the Big Cypress Swamp, Kirby Storter Boardwalk gets you up close to the wonders of nature in Big Cypress National Preserve.
Boardwalk to tree island Mahogany Hammock Trail Mahogany Hammock is a tree island, a tropical oasis in the Everglades “river of grass,” where the short boardwalk trail immerses you in the jungle-like hammock.
Panorama of Everglades habitats Pa-Hay-Okee Boardwalk For a sweeping panorama of the "River of Grass" from a personal perspective, get out of your car and walk the short Pa-Hay-Okee Boardwalk at Everglades National Park.
Man walking on paved path in tropical forest Pinelands Trail The Pinelands Trail is a showcase for South Florida’s weird and wonderful karst, a limestone bedrock that’s full of Swiss-cheese like holes, in a tropical forest where colorful tree snails make their home.
View of midden from above, flanked by marshes Theodore Roosevelt Area Hike 3.1 miles looping around an ancient midden fronting the St. Johns River on this scenic hike honoring the conservation legacy of Willie Brown, who preserved his coastal forest for us to enjoy.
Boardwalk in a mangrove forest West Lake Mangrove Trail At West Lake, the Mangrove Trail loops through a shady tunnel, showcasing the protector of Florida’s coastline, the mighty mangrove, along the shores of a brackish lake.

Recent National Park Articles

Palm Hammock Trail Merritt Island Hiking in Florida (2/15/2020) New to Florida? Florida is different. If you don't know much about our outdoors, start here to learn what's unique about hiking, backpacking, and camping in Florida.
Buck Lake Ocala Celebrate National Public Lands Day (9/13/2019) The last Saturday of September is National Public Lands Day, celebrated across America with fee-free entry to Federal public lands and volunteer activities at the state, local, and national level.
toxic trees florida Florida’s Toxic Trees (6/22/2019) Southeast Florida is home to two poisonous trees, the poisonwood and the manchineel. Learn how to recognize them so you don't get too close, and find out how truly dangerous they are.
Hogtown Creek Greenway Hiking Safely With Your Dog (5/11/2019) While hiking with your dog can be very satisfying, Florida hiking has its own special perils for your best buddy. Here's a heads-up on what to look for and where it's best to take a hike.

MORE Articles and Trails

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FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

METROS: Bradenton. Clearwater. Crestview. Daytona Beach. Destin. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Myers. Fort Walton Beach. Gainesville. Jacksonville. Kissimmee. Lakeland. Melbourne. Miami. Naples. Ocala. Orlando. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Port St. Lucie. Punta Gorda. St. Petersburg. Sanford. Sarasota. Sebring. Stuart. Tallahassee. Tampa. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach.

MULTI-REGION: Atlantic Coastal Ridge. Atlantic Coast. Bartram Trail. Big Bend. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail. Gulf Coast. Lake Wales Ridge. WATERWAYS: Indian River Lagoon. Intracoastal Waterway. Kissimmee River. St. Johns River. Withlacoochee River.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Altha. Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Big Bend Scenic Byway. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Bruce. Cantonment. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. DeFuniak Springs. Eastpoint. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Freeport. Fountain. Gulf Breeze. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Holt. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Munson. Navarre. Navarre Beach. Newport. Niceville. Panacea. Panama City . Perdido Key. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Santa Rosa Beach. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. George Island. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Sumatra. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka. Woodville. WATERWAYS: Apalachicola River. Blackwater Bay. Blackwater River. Chipola River. Choctawhatchee Bay. Choctawhatchee River. Coastal Dune Lakes. Ochlockonee Bay. Perdido River. St. Marks River. Wacissa River. Wakulla River. Yellow River.

NORTH FLORIDA: Alachua. Amelia Island. Archer. Baldwin. Branford. Bronson. Bunnell. Callahan. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Cross City. Cross Creek. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fanning Springs. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Fort White. Glen St. Mary. Green Cove Springs. Hawthorne. High Springs. Inglis. Jacksonville Beaches. Jacksonville Northshore. Jasper. Jennings. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler. Lake City. Live Oak.Macclenny. Mandarin. Mayo. Mayport. Micanopy. Middleburg. Old Town. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Palm Valley. Perry. Ponte Vedra. Rodman. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Waldo. Welaka. White Springs. Williston. Worthington Springs. Yankeetown. WATERWAYS: Santa Fe River. St. Marys River. Suwannee River. Tolomato River. Upper Withlacoochee River.

CENTRAL FLORIDA: Altamonte Springs. Apollo Beach. Apopka. Astatula. Astor. Auburndale. Bartow. Babson Park. Bayport. Belleview. Bithlo. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Cassadaga. Christmas. Chuluota. Citrus Springs. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Edgewater. Enterprise. Eustis. Ferndale. Fort Meade. Frostproof. Geneva. Gibsonton. Haines City. Hernando. Hernando Beach. Holopaw. Homosassa. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Largo. Leesburg. Lithia. Longwood. Lutz. Maitland. Malabar. McIntosh. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. Narcoossee/Lake Nona. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Nobleton. Oak Hill. Oakland. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Ocoee. Oldsmar. Orange City. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Paisley. Palm Bay. Plant City. Poinciana. Polk City. Ponce Inlet. Port Orange. Ridge Manor. Riverview. Ruskin. Safety Harbor. Silver Springs. Sorrento. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. Tarpon Springs. Thonotosassa. Titusville . Umatilla. Viera. Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Weirsdale. Wimauma. Windermere. Winter Garden. Winter Haven. Winter Park. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction. Zephyrhills. WATERWAYS: Alafia River. Halifax River. Hillsborough River. Lake Apopka. Little Manatee River. Ochlawaha River. Rainbow River. Tampa Bay. Wekiva River. Wekiva River Basin.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: Alva. Boca Grande. Cape Coral. Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Ellenton. Englewood. Estero. Immokalee. Marco Island. North Port. Osprey. Palma Sola. Palmetto. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Sanibel Island. Venice. WATERWAYS: Caloosahatchee River. Manatee River. Myakka River. Pine Island Sound.

SOUTH FLORIDA: Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Big Cypress Swamp. Bowling Green. Clewiston. Everglades City. Indiantown. LaBelle. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Ortona. Pahokee. Palmdale. Port Mayaca. South Bay. Wauchula. Zolfo Springs. WATERWAYS: Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Peace River.

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA: Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coconut Creek. Coral Gables. Coral Springs. Davie. Delray Beach. Fellsmere. Flamingo. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Indrio. Jensen Beach. Juno Beach. Jupiter. Jupiter Farms. Key Biscayne. North Hutchison Island. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Palm Beach. Palm Beach Gardens. Pompano Beach. Redland. Sebastian. South Hutchinson Island. WATERWAYS: Florida Bay. St. Lucie River.

FLORIDA KEYS: Big Pine Key. Islamorada. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Overseas Heritage Trail.


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