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
Ocala
Ocala is surrounded by more than 200 miles of hiking trails, including two large segments of the Florida Trail along the Cross Florida Greenway and through the Ocala National Forest. The Santos Bike Trails are renowned throughout the state for their diversity and difficulty, and there are some of the best paddling runs in the region nearby on the Silver, Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers and at Juniper Springs.
Chasing Rainbows: Florida Springs Protection
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
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
Stretching 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 that contains equestrian, mountain biking, hiking, and paved trails.
Cross Florida Greenway History | Bridge to the Future
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
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
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
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
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, Baseline to Marshall Swamp
Along the Baseline Road to Marshall Swamp section of the Florida Trail in Ocala, enjoy a swath of true urban wilderness, a mile-wide corridor edged on both sides by subdivisions and strip malls.