Florida Hikes

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Sarasota Arts Complex

Sarasota

A mecca for the arts, Sarasota has popular beaches on its barrier islands and a surprising amount of green space, largely concentrated along the Myakka River basin.

Resources

Resources for exploring the area
South Florida Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in South Florida book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Paddlers Guide Florida
 
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Exploring Sarasota

Sarasota is known for its beaches. It has coastal hiking trails that show off Sarasota Bay and the estuaries, and paddling routes to follow along the protected side of the barrier islands.

It also is the northern terminus of the Legacy Trail, which stretches along the former Atlantic Coast Line route that the Ringling Brothers Circus once took to its winter home in Venice.

To its east is a large swath of natural lands protecting the Myakka River floodplain. Foremost among these is Myakka River State Park, a well-established state park with great camping and historic cabins.

Backpackers have one of the state’s longest backpacking loops to explore on the Myakka Hiking Trail amid wide open prairies and oak hammocks.

Trails and Parks near Sarasota

Pond within a marsh Big Slough Preserve Adjoining Carlton Reserve, Myakka River State Park, and Walton Reserve, Big Slough Preserve provides a vast space for wildlife to roam north of North Port.
View of prairie between palms Carlton Reserve Hiking Trails Explore open prairies, wetlands, and pine flatwoods on a series of nested loop trails within the vast expanse of Carlton Reserve north of Venice.
Wetlands at Celery Fields Celery Fields A historic agricultural area transformed into a haven for birders, Celery Fields offers easy walking, running, and biking on paved and unpaved trails built around restored wetlands.
Lush woodland at the base of a tall pine Conservatory Park A place for nature play, Conservatory Park is a 55 acre family-friendly patch of wild in the thick of suburbia along the Bradenton-Sarasota border with an accessible loop hike.
Rounded open water amid grassland Deep Hole An impressively deep riverside sinkhole within Myakka River State Park, Deep Hole provides a year-round home to some of the park's largest alligators.
Short dock out to a bayfront Historic Spanish Point A prominent peninsula in Little Sarasota Bay at Osprey, Historic Spanish Point fascinates with its layer cake of Florida’s past, both human and floral.
Boardwalk through mangroves Joan M. Durante Community Park A bayfront park on Longboat Key with boardwalks meandering through mangrove forests plus wide shell paths traversing a native upland hammock.
gopher tortoise Lake Manatee Gopher Trail On the east side of Lake Manatee State Park, the Gopher Trail system offers scenic views of the lake among a variety of natural habitats.
Shoreline of lake with picnic tables Lake Manatee State Park With a natural lakefront stretching three miles along the edge of Lake Manatee, this state park outside Bradenton is a quiet place to camp, fish, and hike
View of lake on horizon beyond palmetto and pines Lake Manatee Trails Explore the open uplands inside the main entrance of Lake Manatee State Park with a trio of trails that make a 2.5 mile loop around the campground.
View of lake behind a line of trees Lake Osprey Trail Central to trailhead access at Oscar Scherer State Park, the Lake Osprey Trail is an accessible loop around artesian-fed waters behind the nature center.
Observation deck among mangroves Leffis Key Preserve Discover the spectacular beauty of a coastal mangrove forest on a network of boardwalks along Sarasota Bay at the base of a 26-foot-hill with an outstanding view.
Barrier-free path through lush woods Lester Finley Trail A gentle barrier-free nature trail, the Lester Finley Trail along South Creek is an excellent starting point to explore natural habitats within Oscar Scherer State Park.
Orchids dangling from pergolas above a walkway Marie Selby Gardens Most notable for its collection of more than 6,000 orchids, Marie Selby Gardens is a must-see for those who love tropical plants, especially epiphtyes.
Sunrise at Bee Island Myakka Hiking Trail For immersion in the vast central prairies of the Florida peninsula, the 39-mile Myakka Hiking Trail is a serious backpacking destination in South Florida near Sarasota.
Myakka Canopy Walk Bridge Myakka River Canopy Walk At Myakka River State Park in Sarasota, the Canopy Walk provides a sky-high view of the Myakka River basin as well as an intimate immersion in the live oak canopy in a beautiful hammock of oaks and palms.
Myakka Canopy Walk Tower Myakka River State Park With tall waving grasses, saw palmetto, and the sound of birds, Myakka River State Park is Florida's Big Sky country, blanketing more than 37,000 acres east of Sarasota.
Oscar Scherer State Park A stronghold for Florida scrub-jays north of Venice, Oscar Scherer State Park is an important island of biodiversity in an increasingly overdeveloped region.
Pine flatwoods Oscar Scherer Yellow Trail On this 4.8 mile loop through expansive scrub and flatwoods, discover hidden streams, ancient trees, and great birding at Big Lake.
Shell path under live oaks Phillippi Estate Park A historic mansion and farmhouse anchor this 60-acre county park with paddler access to Phillippi Creek, fishing piers, and shell paths along a coastal hammock.
Sand path through a mesic hammock Pinecraft Park Along the east side of Phillippi Creek within the historic Amish enclave of Pinecraft in Sarasota, Pinecraft Park blends nature and recreation.
Path between palms and pines Pinelands Reserve Near the outskirts of Venice, a county preserve presents an easy loop trail meandering through South Florida pine flatwoods habitat.
Slough edged by palms and blooming muhly grass Red Bug Slough Preserve Walk beneath a mature live oak canopy along the rim of a protected waterway within the heart of residential Sarasota.
Firebreak and grassy strip through pine flatwoods Scherer Thaxton Preserve A system of multiuse trails traverses increasingly wild environments, circling an artificial lake to enter pine flatwoods habitat extending into adjacent Oscar Scherer State Park.
View of river from forested bluffs Sleeping Turtles Preserve North Named for a feature on old navigational maps, Sleeping Turtles Preserve North provides great views of the Myakka River from its bluffs.
Glimpse of pines on bluffs across a creek South Creek Nature Trail Delight in scenic views and lush vegetation along this well-worn footpath along the bluffs of South Creek at Oscar Scherer State Park.
Bike path in pine flatwoods The Legacy Trail Connecting Venice and Sarasota, one of Florida's finest paved trails provides a corridor for biking and hiking along a historic railroad line.
Picnic shelter at Urfer Family Park Urfer Family Park Share nature with the kids along Bee Ridge on 1.4 miles of family-friendly trails in a popular county park with four playgrounds surrounding a 1905 home open for tours.

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INCLUDES: Fruitville, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, St. Armands | NEARBY: Arcadia, Bradenton, Osprey, Venice | PART OF: Southwest Florida