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

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Alligator flag in Corkscrew Strand

Southwest Florida

Along the Gulf Coast from Tampa Bay to Naples, Southwest Florida has a tropical vibe, with hiking, biking, and paddling along its rivers, bays, and barrier islands.

Caloosahatchee River

Exploring Southwest Florida

Along the southwest coast of the Florida peninsula, stretching south from Tampa Bay to Naples, coastal density means many smaller parks and local beaches along the Gulf of Mexico.

Public lands cluster around river basins, particularly the Myakka River and the Peace River, and along the western edge of the Big Cypress Swamp.

Look for some of the region’s largest public lands west of Interstate 75, where watersheds have been preserved and wetlands abound.

There is a surprising bounty of county natural areas that see light usage despite their hiking, biking, and paddling trails.

Regional Destinations

Big Cypress orchid

Big Cypress National Preserve

Big Cypress National Preserve
Summer in Big Cypress

Big Cypress Swamp

Big Cypress Swamp
Braden River

Bradenton

Bradenton
Charlotte Harbor

Charlotte Harbor

Charlotte Harbor
De Soto National Memorial

De Soto National Memorial

De Soto National Memorial
Ding Darling NWR

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Oyster Creek, Englewood

Englewood

Englewood
Koreshan State Park

Estero

Estero
Everglades Pay-Hay-Okee

Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park
Edison Home Fort Myers

Fort Myers

Fort Myers
Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk

Naples

Naples
Palms at Warm Mineral Springs

North Port

North Port
Pine Island

Pine Island

Pine Island
Bayshore Live Oaks Park

Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte
Harborwalk Ponce De Leon statue

Punta Gorda

Punta Gorda
Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island
Sarasota Arts Complex

Sarasota

Sarasota
Florida Trail, Big Cypress

South Florida

South Florida
Lyons Bay, Venice FL

Venice

Venice

Recent Articles

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 Outdoors

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.

The Planetary Court at Koreshan State Park

Florida’s Utopia

December 9, 2018//  by John Keatley

At the Koreshan Unity in Estero, Florida, a group of believers gathered in 1894 to build their paradise. It is now a National Historic Site and a Florida State Park. Walk the trails and streets of “New Jerusalem” to learn its story.

Pint sized Ponce de Leon

The Pint-sized Ponces of Punta Gorda

July 20, 2018//  by Sandra Friend

Ponce de Leon, it seems, was a short fellow. In Punta Gorda, Florida, you’ll find pint-sized statues, murals, and even the Fountain of Youth to recollect his 1513 visit to Charlotte Harbor.

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.

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.

Swamp sunflowers

Florida Hikes for Botanical Beauty

March 17, 2014//  by Sandra Friend

Enjoy Florida’s botanical bounty with this handpicked selection of walks in the woods to see spectacular wildflowers, big trees, and unique habitats throughout the state of Florida.

Historic Spanish Point

December 7, 2013//  by Sandra Friend

At Spanish Point, scents hang heavy in the morning air: a moonflower in the act of closing for the day, the sweetness of citrus blossoms, the purple morning-glory clambering over mangroves, the brush of salt breezes.

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. Crescent City. 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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