Along Hopkins Prairie
Hiking around Hopkins Prairie for the third time, I have my first encounter with the Rainbow People and meet backpackers along this scenic stretch of the Florida Trail.
Before the Burn: Juniper Prairie Wilderness
What did the Juniper Prairie Wilderness look like before the fires of 2009? Here's what I photographed on a hike just a few weeks before the devastating blaze.
Florida Trail, Alexander Springs to Farles Prairie
Ocala National Forest 8.6 miles8.6 miles. Dive deep into the world's largest sand pine scrub forest on this hike through the Big Scrub.
Florida Trail, Clearwater Lake to Alexander Springs
Ocala National Forest 10.5 miles10.5 miles. Hike the original miles blazed by Florida Trail Association trailblazers in 1966 along one of the most beautiful sections of the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest.
Florida Trail, Farles Prairie to Juniper Springs
Ocala National Forest 9.7 miles9.7 miles. Follow a ribbon of tall grasses and lily-dotted ponds along Farles Prairie before trekking miles through classic sand pine scrub to the Juniper Prairie Wilderness.
Florida Trail, Hopkins Prairie to Salt Springs
Ocala National Forest 9.6 miles9.6 miles. Sweeping along the shoreline of one of the largest prairies in the Ocala National Forest, this section of the Florida Trail lingers on prairie panoramas.
Florida Trail, Juniper Springs to Hopkins Prairie
Ocala National Forest 10.6 miles10.6 miles. Marvel at a mosaic of ancient scrub forest, vast prairies, and pine islands while crossing the Juniper Prairie Wilderness north of Juniper Springs.
Florida Trail, Kerr Island to Lake Delancy
Ocala National Forest 6.4 miles6.4 miles. Across a mosaic of sandhills and scrub, expect black bear and scrub-jay sightings on this Florida Trail segment north of Salt Springs.
Florida Trail, Lake Delancy to Rodman
Ocala National Forest 6.7 miles6.7 miles. Experience a sense of perspective on a piece of the Florida Trail traversing rolling hills topped with a majestic forest of longleaf pines.
Florida Trail, Pat’s Island to Hidden Pond
Florida Trail, Ocala 8.4 milesEntirely within the Juniper Prairie Wilderness, this 8.4 mile round-trip in a no-hunting-zone on the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest immerses you in the Big Scrub.
Florida Trail, Rodman to Buckman Lock
Ocala National Forest Cross Florida Greenway 6.5 miles6.5 miles. Providing views across the Cross Florida Barge Canal from a high levee, the Florida Trail between Rodman and Buckman Lock mainly follows the Cross Florida Greenway.
Florida Trail, Salt Springs to Kerr Island
Ocala National Forest 10.4 miles10.4 miles. Crossing a patchwork of scrub ridges and longleaf pine islands, the Florida Trail makes its way southwest of Salt Springs around Lake Kerr to The 88 Store.