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Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

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Lilies at Pinecrest Gardens

Southeast Florida

Stretching from Sebastian Inlet to Key West, Southeast Florida is heavily populated but still offers a surprisingly rich variety of greenways and natural lands as well as urban parks and beaches.

Ann Kolb Nature Center

Along the sweep of the Atlantic coastline, many miles are protected by public parks and beaches. Palm Beach County has an extensive natural lands program and featured a wild swath of often-watery outdoors, the Ocean-to-Lake Greenway. While the Florida Keys aren’t known for their hiking or beaches, it’s a paddler’s prime destination, and home to the scenic Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail for cyclists.

Regional Destinations

Summer storm on the marshes at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
Mangroves in Biscayne Bay

Biscayne Bay

Biscayne Bay
Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park
Green Cay Wetlands

Boca Raton

Boca Raton
Cypress Creek Fern Forest

Coconut Creek

Coconut Creek
Coral Gables

Coral Gables

Coral Gables
Ferns in Parkland

Coral Springs

Coral Springs
Long Key Natural Area (Adobe Stock)

Davie

Davie
Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park (Bob Finley)

Dry Tortugas National Park

Dry Tortugas National Park
Everglades Pay-Hay-Okee

Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park
Molasses Reef

Florida Keys

Florida Keys
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake
Boaters at Port Everglades

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale
Fort Pierce

Fort Pierce

Fort Pierce
Seabranch Preserve State Park

Hobe Sound

Hobe Sound
North Hollywood Beach

Hollywood

Hollywood
RF Orchids greenhouse

Homestead

Homestead
Jupiter Lighthouse

Jupiter

Jupiter
Key Biscayne

Key Biscayne

Key Biscayne
Miami

Miami

Miami
Florida Trail on the Ocean-to-Lake Greenway

Ocean to Lake Greenway

Ocean to Lake Greenway
Four Arts Gardens

Palm Beach

Palm Beach
Oak Hammock Preserve

Port St. Lucie

Port St. Lucie
Sebastian

Sebastian

Sebastian
Florida Trail, Big Cypress

South Florida

South Florida
Stuart

Stuart

Stuart
Aquamarine ocean framed by sea grapes and palms

Vero Beach

Vero Beach
Grassy Waters Preserve

West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach

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Recent Articles

Bike path bridge over interstate 95

The Trans-Florida Central Railroad Trail

April 2, 2019//  by John Keatley

If you’ve seen the prominent Trans-Florida Central Railroad Trail over Interstate 95 at Fellsmere, you’ve probably wondered about it. Here’s what we found when we stopped for a ride.

Sandra and her gear at Southern Terminus

How To Prepare For A Backpacking Trip

March 19, 2019//  by Sandra Friend

What does a hiker need to spend a week, or a month, or three months on the trail? Here are trail-tested suggestions for backpacking in Florida for trips of a week or more

Bears opening trash can

Bear season in Florida

February 23, 2019//  by Sandra Friend

As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors – whether in your campsite or at home.

Every Kid in a Park pass

Every Kid in a Park

February 21, 2019//  by Sandra Friend

Got kids? If any of them are in fourth grade, they can get a free pass to ALL Federal public lands good for the whole family through the end of August. Here’s how.

La Chua gators

Alligators Everywhere

April 6, 2018//  by Sandra Friend

In spring, alligators become more active as the days warm up. It’s also mating season, so alligators are on the move. Expect to see them anywhere and everywhere along Florida’s trails.

Bear bags hanging at sunset on the AT in Georgia

Do Not Feed the Bears

February 27, 2018//  by John Keatley

Bear bagging is the art of hanging your food properly out of reach of bears. If you’re a Florida backpacker and haven’t learned how, here’s a short course. Securing your food from bears is required in the Ocala, Osceola, and Apalachicola National Forests.

Marshall Swamp

Botanically rich hikes along the Florida Trail

February 6, 2018//  by Sandra Friend

With more than 1,400 miles of hiking statewide, the Florida Trail provides a gateway to grand landscapes for botanical beauty. Here are our top suggestions for fascinating botanical destinations along the Florida Trail.

Oleta River State Park

Florida’s Best Urban Parks

October 27, 2016//  by Sandra Friend & John Keatley

When you live in a tightly packed space, you need somewhere green as your go-to place nearby. These are our top picks for parks in Florida’s urban areas, chosen for their diversity of outdoor activities and/or their unique green spaces.

Statue honoring the Barefoot Mailman

The Barefoot Mailman

February 18, 2016//  by John Keatley

Hiking barefoot in Florida isn’t new. Back in the 1880s, it was part of your job description if you delivered mail between Palm Beach and Miami. Learn more at the Hillsboro Lighthouse in Pompano Beach.

Toilet Seat Cut

Kayaking Toilet Seat Cut In Islamorada

October 29, 2015//  by Our Readers

On the Florida Bay side of Tavernier, a paddling trip to Toilet Seat Cut will have you laughing your way down the channel, as contributor Tamara Scharf explains.

Indian Key

Indian Key: An unusual ghost town

August 9, 2015//  by John Keatley

John takes a trip back in time with Florida Keys historian Brad Bertelli to discover the layers of history found on Indian Key, once the county seat of Dade County

John photographs a liguus tree snail in Everglades National Park

Adding to the Life List

July 21, 2015//  by John Keatley

Although John is a native Floridian, our research trip to South Florida became an opportunity for him to see many natural “firsts” in Florida that most people have on their life lists.

CONTENT ARCHIVES

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FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

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MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

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