Of all of Florida’s habitats, the one that truly sings “Florida” is the palm hammock, a richly textured riot of green and fronds, of mosses and lichens, of light and shadow perfectly balanced. While hiking this past week on the Taylor Creek Loop – built long ago by the Florida Trail Association in the south […]
Orlando
Home of Walt Disney World, Sea World, Universal Studios, and other theme parks that attract many, many millions of visitors each year, Orlando is also one of Florida's best places to get outdoors and play.
Apopka
Only 30 minutes from downtown Orlando, Apopka has interesting hikes in public lands along the Wekiva River basin and its tributaries, as well as the chain of lakes connecting to Lake Apopka.
Bear Creek Nature Trail
A patch of wild in a sea of suburbia, Bear Creek provides nearly a mile’s worth of exploration atop sandy bluffs in a shady creekside hammock in Winter Springs.
Bear encounter at Black Bear Wilderness
Visiting this Seminole County preserve for the first time, a string of excellent wildlife sightings culminates in seeing three bears at the trailhead.
Big Tree Park
While the iconic Senator is no more, Big Tree Park continues to fascinate visitors with its enormous cypress trees, including Lady Liberty. The park provides access to the Cross Seminole Trail.
Biking Tosohatchee
A 20.2-mile circuit on forest roads by bike provides a unique perspective on this 31,000-acre preserve along the St. Johns River floodplain in Christmas.
Bill Frederick Park
Inside the city of Orlando, the urban Bill Frederick Park has a wild side, too, with more than 2 miles of trails to meander through scrub forest and along Turkey Lake.
Black Bear Wilderness Loop Trail
Trot out your sense of adventure for an immersion into one of the wildest trails you’ll find near Orlando, the new 7.1-mile loop in the Black Bear Wilderness Area in Sanford
Black Hammock
Taste a bit of Old Florida at the crazy quilt of outdoors and dining that is Black Hammock Fish Camp along Lake Jesup.
Black Hammock Wilderness Area
Black Hammock is a bit of Old Florida in Oviedo, with a trail showcasing a delightfully long boardwalk and a loop through scrub habitats above Lake Jesup