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

Ocala

Bear-N-Oak Trail

Indian Lake State Forest  |  Silver Springs
( 29.271983, -82.056583 )      1.6 miles

Part of the Florida State Forests Trailwalker program, the Bear-N-Oak Trail at Indian Lake State Forest is a 1.6-mile loop that provides a fascinating look at habitat diversity centered on Indian Lake, a major karst feature in the Ocala Limestone

Chasing Rainbows: Florida Springs Protection

April 3, 2014    Sandra Friend

April is Florida Springs Protection Month, according to our state agencies. A walk through Rainbow Springs State Park confirms that as beautiful as they look, the springs are not in good health.

Comfort Suites Dunnellon

October 28, 2016    Sandra Friend

The newest accommodations to open in Dunnellon, Comfort Suites is a welcoming place with an airy lobby, stone fireplace, and comfortable rooms near recreation on the Rainbow River and Cross Florida Greenway.

Cross Florida Greenway

Inglis, Dunnellon, Ocala,Belleview, Silver Springs, Palatka      ( 29.105709, -82.094502 )      90 miles

Stretching 90 miles from the St. Johns River near Palatka to the Gulf of Mexico, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a mile-wide recreational corridor with hiking, biking, and equestrian trails as well as paddling and boating access.

Cross Florida Greenway History | Bridge to the Future

November 28, 2011    Sandra Friend

The history of the Cross Florida Greenway’s birth and the building the Land Bridge – and the Florida Trail – across this new stretch of public land in Central Florida in 1999.

Cross Florida Greenway History | Finding a Route

December 17, 2012    Sandra Friend

A visit to the Barge Canal Diggings near I-75 after 13 years of the Florida Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway reveals steady changes over the years, shown in a series of photos.

Cross Florida Greenway History | The Land Bridge

December 22, 2012    Sandra Friend

A landmark along Interstate 75 near Ocala, the Land Bridge remains one of the more popular destinations for hikers, bikers, and equestrians on the Cross Florida Greenway.

Early Birds on the Greenway

July 26, 2006    Sandra Friend

The Land Bridge section of the Florida Trail has a special place in my heart since I helped create it under the tutelage of Kenneth Smith, ‘Mr. Greenway,’ who retired last year from being a section leader.

Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala has launched

December 12, 2013    Sandra Friend

While we were roaming the trails of South Florida, a box of books arrived at our home: our author copies of Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala! We started working on this guide to the best trails in the Gainesville and Ocala vicinity last fall, nibbling away at hikes at the south end of the …

Florida Trail, Central Florida

In Central Florida, the Florida Trail presents two options: east or west around the Orlando metro. Forested public lands provide protection for much of the route.