Explore peaceful places set aside for conservation on lands protected by county natural lands programs, where passive recreation, like hiking, birding, and photography, is permitted.
Natural Lands programs in Florida are managed by county governments, and their primary purpose is to set aside lands for the sake of wildlife and habitat protection.
To protect wildlife, pets are often prohibited from access. Always check ahead if you normally bring your dog on hikes.
Resources
Resources for exploring natural lands
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Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
Featured Natural Lands
These are some of our favorite outdoor recreation destinations protected by county natural lands programs.
Apoxee Wilderness Trail In the wet prairies and tropical hammocks of Apoxee Wilderness, an urban wilderness area, you'll walk through the water supply of West Palm Beach on a 4.7-mile day hike through the southernmost part of Grassy Waters Preserve
Barrier Island Sanctuary Home to a gentle 1-mile loop hike through coastal habitats, Barrier Island Sanctuary is a gateway to Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, with an informative oceanfront coastal biology center.
Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail Trot out your sense of adventure to immerse into one of the wildest trails you'll find near Orlando, a trek into the tangled jungle of the St. Johns River floodplain.
Circle B Bar Reserve For fabulous birding and more alligators than you can count, roam the marshy edge of Lake Hancock on miles of causeways through Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland
Clear Creek Nature Trail The Clear Creek Nature Trail leads you to a wonderland of bright blossoms and lacy white-veined trumpets reflected against reflections of the sky.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Weaving beneath a canopy knit by old-growth cypress trees in a majestic swamp forest, the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is one of Florida's best hikes
Crooked River Preserve On a 1.7-mile loop, Crooked River Preserve showcases a wide variety of habitats in a short hike on the northernmost extent of the Lake Wales Ridge in Clermont
Cypress Creek Nature Preserve A short drive from downtown Tampa, Cypress Creek Nature Preserve is an interesting window into a gradient of ecosystems along a tributary of the Hillsborough River.
Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve Protecting miles of frontage along the sinuous path of Spruce Creek, Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve offers a diverse collection of trails to explore. 
Enchanted Forest Sanctuary It's not rocket science: the first and finest of the Brevard Environmental Endangered Lands, Enchanted Forest Sanctuary in Titusville is a fabulous destination for family hiking.
Flat Island Preserve Established as a botanical preserve for native plants, Flat Island Preserve protects islands in the Okahumpa Marsh, offering hikers and paddlers immersion in a lush wilderness
Florida Trail, Chuluota Wilderness to Joshua Creek 3.9 miles. Enjoy the natural beauty of habitat diversity along a scenic segment of the Florida Trail connecting Chuluota Wilderness and Bronson State Forest 
Florida Trail, Cypress Lakes Preserve At Cypress Lakes Preserve, a 1.7-mile segment of the Florida Trail follows the edge of a series of cypress-lined lakes where ancient trees have survived the ages
Florida Trail, UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve 3.2 miles. At the UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve on Santa Rosa Island, the Florida Trail traverses a series of coastal habitats cradled by the sweeping dunes, providing a one-of-a-kind hike.
Fox Lake Sanctuary Protecting more than 2,500 acres along the western edge of Titusville, Fox Lake Sanctuary provides an immense landscape for exploration
Grassy Waters Preserve Protecting a sheet flow of rainfall moving steadily southward and parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, Grassy Waters Preserve bears a striking resemblance to the Everglades - because it is.
Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve On a wild sliver of Upper Matecumbe Key, footpaths wind through a rockland tropical hammock where a rocky crevice emits sulfur fumes and you must beware of crocodiles near the mangroves 
Juno Dunes West Traverse a gradient of habitats interrupted by a basin marsh along the scrubby slopes of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge to the mangrove-fringed edge of Frenchman's Creek.
Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area Escape to a vast watery wilderness where you can hike, bike, or paddle through Northern Everglades habitats on the outskirts of residential Palm Beach County 
Mill Creek Preserve Mill Creek Preserve encompasses 5-plus miles of hiking on nearly 1,200 acres of unexpected delights in an area well-known for its sinkholes and disappearing streams.
Pondhawk Natural Area Pondhawk Natural Area protects 79 acres of scrub habitats and wetlands, including a relict pond apple slough with some of the tallest pond apple trees in Florida.
Robinson Preserve Farmland turned back to mangrove marshes: that's Robinson Preserve, with more than 4 miles of hiking on shell and wild pathways along Tampa Bay at Bradenton.
Sams House at Pine Island A delightful immersion into the natural side of Merritt Island, the trails at Sams House at Pine Island range from mild to wild as they draw you deeper into coastal habitats along the Indian River Lagoon
Savage Christmas Creek Preserve Protecting more than a thousand acres, Savage Christmas Creek Preserve east of Orlando has more than 8 miles of trails through panoramic prairie and pine flatwoods landscapes 
Turkey Creek Trails Discover a deeply folded landscape of basins and bluffs at the edge of the scrub forest along the eastern rim of Turkey Creek, with a beautiful boardwalk across the Fern Creek floodplain at its heart.
Weedon Island Preserve Tunneling through mangrove forests and palm hammocks to overlooks on Tampa Bay, the trails of Weedon Island Preserve offer unique perspectives for birders while interpreting one of Florida's ancient settlements. 
Wild Turkey Strand Preserve Historic and natural landscapes come together along impressively accessible trails at this picturesque conservation area on a WWII-era training base.