Spanning from Santa Rosa Sound to Pensacola Bay, Naval Live Oaks Area is one of America’s oldest federally protected forests, now part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Oak Hammock Park
Buried in a sea of development in Port St. Lucie, Oak Hammock Park is one of those little gems that shouldn’t be missed, thanks to its dense hammock of live oaks
Pinecrest Gardens
Established in the 1930s as a tropical tourist attraction, Parrot Jungle, this tropical forest in Pinecrest has deep roots, if you will, showcasing both native and exotic tropical species.
Ponce Preserve
Just south of Daytona Beach, Ponce Preserve protects a cross-section of barrier island habitats, with nearly 2 miles of trails connecting the beach and the Halifax River
Pondhawk Natural Area
Pondhawk Natural Area protects 79 acres of scrub habitats and wetlands, including a relict pond apple slough with some of the tallest pond apple trees in Florida.
Ravine Trail
Part of the Terry Rhodes Trail System, the Ravine Trail at the Bear Creek Tract of Lake Talquin State Forest clings to the edges of a large steephead ravine
Split Oak Forest WEA
A live oak tree more than 200 years old is the centerpiece of Split Oak Forest, a 2,000-acre prairie and scrub preserve near Orlando, home to families of sandhill cranes
Spring Hammock Preserve
Protecting more than 1,500 acres along Lake Jesup, Spring Hammock Preserve is home to some of Florida’s oldest and largest cypress trees
Sugar Mill Gardens
Yep, that’s a stegosaurus hiding in the bushes. Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens has had a lot of faces over the ages, including a stint in the 1950s as Bongoland, a roadside attraction full of not-so-scary dinosaurs.
Tosohatchee White Loop
At nearly 12 miles, the White Loop is the longest loop trail in Tosohatchee WMA and includes a large portion of the Florida Trail, traversing palm hammocks and pine flatwoods near the St. Johns River.
Treaty Oak Park
Surrounded by skyscrapers, the tiny green space of Jessie Ball duPont Park in downtown Jacksonville protects an ancient piece of Florida, the massive Treaty Oak