As the authors of Explorer’s Guide: North Florida & The Panhandle, we’ve spent a great deal of time exploring the outdoors here.
This region has some of the more rugged trails in the Florida peninsula, with a surprising number of destinations where a scenic view is at the end of your walk. Or even more surprising, a natural waterfall.
Most of the world’s first magnitude springs bubble forth in this region, forming crystalline spring runs and short, broad rivers.
The Suwannee River and St. Johns River have many miles of protected shorelines.
With a wild coastline on the Gulf of Mexico and a highly developed coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, North Florida offers a full range of beach experiences, with vast estuaries and sweeping scenic views.
In the central part of the region, two National Forests offer an outstanding number of trails and places to camp.
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.
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.Regional Destinations
Recent Articles
Florida Great Outdoors Initiative (10/14/2023) Through January 13, 2024, the Florida Great Outdoors Initiative offers park visitors a half-price discount on annual passes to Florida State Parks.
Paynes Prairie: A North Florida Gem (7/31/2019) A natural landform between Gainesville and Micanopy, Paynes Prairie is an immense and ever-changing basin.
Ormond Memorial Gardens (6/22/2019) Spilling across the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Ormond Memorial Gardens leads you into a contemplative world mere steps from a major highway
Paddling the Bartram Trail in Welaka (4/8/2019) Learning how botanists William and John Bartram traveled along the St. Johns River in the 1700s, I followed an experienced river guide for a look at part of the Bartram National Recreation Trail from the water on our Bartram Adventure Tour in Palatka.