Florida Hikes

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

White sand beach with sea oats and no waves

Gulf of Mexico

Parks, trails, and communities along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, from Perdido Key to Marco Island.

Cayo Costa State Park

To spend a day or a weekend on your own deserted island? Heaven. This is one of the tougher and costlier state parks to get to, but well worth it.

Cedar Key

Perhaps the most popular getaway on Florida's Nature Coast, Cedar Key is at the end of a 24-mile highway that follows a railroad bed which naturalist John Muir walked.

Cedar Key Museum Nature Trail

Cedar Key   0.3 miles

A quarter-mile nature trail behind the Whitman House at Cedar Key Historic State Park showcases views of the estuary surrounding the island.

Clearwater Beach

Explore the outdoors within easy reach of Clearwater Beach, a popular vacation destination west of Tampa.

Crystal River

Known for its beautiful springs and as a gathering place for manatees, Crystal River shows off coastal habitats in its many parks and along its waterways.

Deer Lake State Park

South Walton   3.0 miles

Home to one of the less-visible coastal dune lakes along the South Walton coast, Deer Lake State Park provides the opportunity to see both ends of this coastal dune lake.

Delnor-Wiggins Nature Trail

Naples   2.8 miles

At the northernmost end of Naples, the breezy shores of Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park entice beachgoers and nature lovers to an observation tower, nature trail, and beach walk.

Destin

An oceanfront community in Okaloosa County, Destin has a string of natural lands along the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay.

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Preserving more than half of Sanibel Island for the sake of its bird life, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is one of the top places in the United States to view rare bird species.

Englewood

Englewood is a waterfront village straddling Sarasota and Charlotte Counties, its historic core on Dearborn Street near the shores of Lemon Bay

Estero

Halfway between Fort Myers and Naples, Estero grew up around the Estero River, which flows into Estero Bay.