Hiking Buckman Lock to Rodman Dam
Following the Florida Trail between Buckman Lock and the Rodman Recreation Area means walking down a levee along an orphaned section of the Cross Florida Barge Canal for most of the hike.
Articles & Destinations
Jetboil Stoves
After trying an array of camp stoves over the years, from Whisperlite to Zip and Esbit, I found the Jetboil. Now I feel comfortable cooking in the woods again.
Return to Juniper Prairie Wilderness
A return to the Juniper Prairie Wilderness seven years after my last hike finds things very different after wildfires scour across the landscape.
A visit to Flint Creek Outfitters
When I was driving out to the Ocala National Forest the other day, I heard a radio commercial for a new outfitter in town. Now I was saddened to see Brasington’s pull out of town some time ago, since they focused on gear for hiking and kayaking, so …
Grand opening of Conner Preserve
When I saw the billboards pop up in downtown Tampa a few years ago touting “Connerton, FL, ” with images of herons and trees, I thought … here we ago again. Create a city in the middle of a rural area and invite sprawl. Indeed, it was a …
Caracara at Bluff Hammock
This is one of those right place, right time stories. As usual, I was lagging at the tail end of our group of backpackers, taking photos and shooting video between Hickory Hammock and Bluff Hammock. Lori Burris, who led our group, stayed with me. After we …
Kissimmee River Adventure
Backpacking the Florida Trail from Okee-tanie to Bluff Hammock along the Kissimmee River section for the first time.
Tampa Tribune says Take a Hike
The Tampa Tribune calls out Florida Hikes in the news to encourage you to get outdoors and take a hike this winter season
Sweetbay Natural Area
A quick visit to Sweetbay Natural Area, which has a trailhead along the Beeline north of PGA Boulevard. Wildflowers put on a grand show in the summer months.
Solomon’s Castle
A glimmering monument to recycling and ingenuity, Solomon's Castle is a quirky work of art. A nature trail leads along the forested edge of Horse Creek.
Happy (Belated) Birthday, Ocala National Forest!
On November 24, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt set aside a large piece of land east of Ocala for future generations by declaring it the Ocala National Forest, one of the first in the eastern United States. We celebrate its centennial.
OGT Palatka Visitor Center closed
The Office of Greenways and Trails quietly closed their Visitor Center at Buckman Lock, near the north end of the Cross Florida Greenway in Palatka, for budget savings.