Despite the urban mass in Orlando, Tampa, and St. Petersburg, there are many wild places to explore. Some are tiny patches inside city limits, others expansive preserves on the outskirts of “civilization.” Thousands of lakes, dozens of rivers, and the vast expanse of Tampa Bay provide shorelines for hiking and launching a paddling trip.
Home of the Ocala National Forest, the Cross Florida Greenway, Canaveral National Seashore, and dozens of state parks, this region is prime for planning your next outdoor vacation.
Regional Destinations
Apopka Only 30 minutes from downtown Orlando, Apopka has interesting hikes in public lands along the Wekiva River basin and its tributaries, as well as the chain of lakes connecting to Lake Apopka.
Belleview With the Cross Florida Greenway hugging its northern boundary and the famed Santos Trails for mountain bikers, Belleview is a destination for outdoor recreation.
Brandon A suburb of Tampa, Brandon provides a gateway to public lands in rural east Hillsborough County and along the Alafia River basin.
Brooksville Brooksville is the county seat of Hernando County, in Central Florida. It is the heart of Florida’s Adventure Coast.
Bushnell The seat of Sumter County, Bushnell is surrounded by agricultural lands and conservation lands along the basins of the Withlacoochee River and the Green Swamp. 
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.
Christmas Named for the fortress built during the Second Seminole War on Christmas Day of 1837, the community of Christmas sits along creeks that drain towards the St. Johns River
Clearwater Beach Explore the outdoors within easy reach of Clearwater Beach, a popular vacation destination west of Tampa.
Clermont With some of Central Florida's highest elevations, Clermont is where the Lake Wales Ridge meets the edge of the Green Swamp, west of Orlando.
Cocoa Beach Home of "I Dream of Jeannie" and the best surfing on Florida's Atlantic Coast, Cocoa Beach is a top destination for beachgoers and folks who love to play near the shore.
Cross Florida Greenway Spanning 110 miles between the St. Johns River near Palatka and the Gulf of Mexico, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a mile-wide recreational corridor.
Crystal River Known for its beautiful springs and as a gathering place for manatees, Crystal River shows off coastal habitats in its many parks and along its waterways. 
Dade City Gateway to the Green Swamp and the southern terminus of the Withlacoochee State Trail, Dade City offers a launch point for backpacking and bike touring trips. 
Daytona Beach While its broad hard-packed beaches have attracted millions of visitors since 1870, Daytona Beach doesn't skimp on opportunities for you to enjoy forests and estuaries on its trails.
DeLand Home to Stetson University and an artsy historic downtown, Deland is edged by natural lands that protect the vast floodplains along the scenic St. Johns River.
Deltona Built on ancient sand dunes that are among the highest hills in Volusia County, Deltona is fringed by public lands in the surrounding floodplains.
Dunnellon At the confluence of the Rainbow River and the Withlacoochee River, Dunnellon is an outpost for adventures in the woods and on the water.
Florida Trail, Kissimmee Following the Kissimmee River for 112 miles, this is a scenic section of the Florida Trail with levees, woods, river views, open prairies, and cattle ranches.
Florida Trail, Ocala Spanning 72.3 from the birthplace of the Florida Trail into the world’s largest sand pine scrub forest, the Ocala section is Florida’s top backpacking destination.
Florida Trail, Orlando Between the prairies of Osceola County and the Ocala National Forest, this 150 mile section of the Florida Trail slips through suburbs of the Orlando metro.
Florida Trail, Western Corridor Linking Withlacoochee State Forest and the Cross Florida Greenway, the 241 mile Western Corridor of the Florida Trail accesses wild spaces between Tampa and Ocala. 
Frostproof Edged by expansive state forests and wildlife management lands, Frostproof boasts a large concentration of trails in the southeastern corner of Polk County. 
Geneva The last truly rural corner of Seminole County is anchored by the small community of Geneva, which the St. Johns River loops around on its ambling course north. 
Hernando Beach There is no beach at Hernando Beach except a man-made one along Jenkins Creek. But this coastal community offers paddling, swimming, hiking, and biking along its trails.
Inverness Crossed by the Withlacoochee State Trail and flanked by Withlacoochee State Forest, Inverness is a Gateway Community along the Florida Trail.
Kissimmee Once a frontier town on the Florida prairie, Kissimmee is now a vacation destination for theme park enthusiasts and a trail town on the Florida Trail.
Lake Wales Sitting between the ancient dunes of the Lake Wales Ridge and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Lake Wales is rich with outdoor recreation opportunities with panoramic views.
Lake Wales Ridge South of Lake Apopka, the Lake Wales Ridge is a significant landform down the middle of the Florida peninsula, with its highest hills and oldest biological communities.
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge Six miles of trails meander through wide open spaces preserved for wintering waterfowl at 21,500-acre Lake Woodruff NWR along the St. Johns River.
Lakeland With an array of parks and natural lands and a network of bike trails, Lakeland is a hub for outdoor recreation. 
Leesburg The heart of Lake County, Leesburg is surrounded by lakes that feeds the north-flowing Ocklawaha River.
Lithia Known for Lithia Springs, the community of Lithia sits between Brandon and Plant City along the Alafia River basin in eastern Hillsborough County.
Melbourne With natural lands and parks providing trails and launch points, Melbourne invites exploration along the Indian River Lagoon, the St. Johns River, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Merritt Island Best known as the home of Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island spans most of the length of Brevard County.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge With recreational activities ranging from hiking to biking, boating, fishing, and bioluminscent kayaking, Florida's top destination for birding is also home to Kennedy Space Center.
Mount Dora Named for the hill that it spills down to the edge of Lake Dora, Mount Dora has a walkable historic district and many nearby parks and trails.
New Port Richey Once a mecca for silent film stars, New Port Richey provides adventures along the Pithlachascotee and Anclote River basins and coastal estuaries with salt springs.
New Smyrna Beach One of Florida's oldest communities, historic New Smyrna Beach is home to Canaveral National Seashore and miles of waterways and trails.
Ocala Between the Ocala National Forest, the Cross Florida Greenway, the Florida Trail, and dozens of waterways, springs, and parks, Ocala is central to more than 200 miles of trails.
Ocala National Forest Established in 1908 as the first National Forest east of the Mississippi, the Ocala National Forest is a mecca for hikers and campers, and the birthplace of the Florida Trail.
Orlando Orlando is one of Florida's best places to hike and bike, with a large quantity of trails and superb quality.
Ormond Beach Known as the Birthplace of Speed, Ormond Beach has preserved vast estuaries and ancient forests between its barrier island and coast along the Tomoka and Halifax Rivers.
Oviedo Bisected by the Florida Trail and the Cross Seminole Trail, Oviedo is an appealing trail town edged by Little Big Econ State Forest and its many trails.
Riverview Where the Alafia River widens as it works it way towards Tampa Bay, Riverview was founded in 1856.
Ruskin The Little Manatee River meets Tampa Bay at Ruskin, a farming community in southern Hillsborough County best known for its delicious tomatoes sold statewide.
Sanford Starting with a riverwalk along Lake Monroe, historic Sanford provides an excellent gateway to outdoor recreation along the St. Johns River north of Orlando.
Silver Springs Florida's original tourist destination, Silver Springs is both one of the world's largest springs and the name of the community that grew up around it in the 1800s.
St. Cloud Once the heart of frontier Florida, St. Cloud is a bustling community to the east of Kissimmee with an expansive lakefront on East Lake Toho. 
St. Petersburg The western terminus for the Florida Coast to Coast Trail, St. Petersburg's urban green space is largely coastal and tropical along the breezy tip of the Pinellas peninsula.
Tampa While Tampa is a large city along the north shore of Tampa Bay, it has many natural lands protecting its water supply, providing outdoor recreation opportunities.
Tarpon Springs The northern terminus of the Pinellas Trail, Tarpon Springs has a rich history as an early Greek settlement.
Titusville Between the St. Johns River and the Indian River Lagoon, Titusville is a gateway to nature, trails, and space
Walt Disney World Millions of visitors come to Florida each year to visit Walt Disney World. Here are our picks of the best day hikes within an easy drive of Walt Disney World.
Weeki Wachee With tens of thousands of acres of conservation land along the Gulf Coast, Weeki Wachee is a central launch point for adventure on the water and in the woods.
Winter Park A vibrant cultural center and walkable city, Winter Park sparkles with interconnected lakes, parks, and gardens adjoining the city of Orlando.
Withlacoochee State Forest With more than 155,000 acres spread over several counties, Withlacoochee State Forest is Florida’s second largest state forest, and arguably the most popular for outdoor recreation
Withlacoochee State Trail Tracing 44 miles of railroad history down forested corridors, past big lakes and city parks, and through quaint communities, the Withlacoochee State Trail is one sweet ride
Yeehaw Junction A crossroads amid vast agricultural lands, Yeehaw Junction is the nearest "there" to some of Central Florida's more remote trails.
Zephyrhills You know the name from bottled water drawn from Crystal Springs. Founded in 1914, Zephyrhills edges up to the Hillsborough River basin southwest of the Green Swamp.Recent Articles
Author of 45 books, Sandra Friend established FloridaHikes.com in 2006 to expand on the field research she'd completed for her first six hiking guides. She has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Florida Trail Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association.
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