Longleaf Pine Preserve
DeLand 8.1 milesA series of connected loop trails immerse hikers within a large, seasonally wet pine flatwood habitat, featuring boardwalks and a group campground.
Picture of Beauty
I spent a weekend seeking out Florida’s most uncommon and unusual flora - pitcher plants - in their stronghold of the Western Panhandle. Here's what I found.
Pine Log Crooked Creek Trail
Ebro 4.5 milesA windy singletrack at Pine Log State Forest shared with off-road cyclists showcases pine savannas, tannic creeks, and a pitcher plant bog on this 4.5 mile hike.
Pine Log State Forest
Ebro 35.2 milesFlorida's oldest state forest offers waterfront camping and a variety of loop trails for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians, plus a 5.7 mile linear segment of the statewide Florida Trail.
Pitcher plants at Tarkiln Bayou
At Tarkiln Bayou State Park, the showy blooms of pitcher plants are on parade each spring. The boggy Perdido Pitcher Plant Prairie is ground zero for these beauties.
Summer in the Savannas
Summer is prime time for delicate orchids and carnivorous plants among the bogs of the Apalachicola National Forest, especially along the Apalachee Savannas Scenic Byway.
Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park
Conserving a vast swath of wetland habitats in low-lying areas along the Perdido River floodplain, Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park is home to four species of Sarracenia - pitcher plants - unique to the Gulf Coast.
Tarkiln Bayou Trail
Pensacola 1.5 milesA gentle introduction to Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park, the Tarkiln Bayou Trail starts as a sidewalk but ends as a boardwalk to view the glowing gems of this botanical area and the bayou itself.
Trail of Lakes
Using a portion of the Florida Trail to make a loop, the 9.5 mile Trail of Lakes circles wildflower-filled pine flatwoods, sandhills, and titi swamps, connecting two backpacker campsites near Camel Lake.
Triple N Ranch
Holopaw 7.1 milesOne of the most rugged trails in Central Florida, the 7.1 mile Blue Loop at Triple N Ranch traverses open pine flatwoods and deeply shaded hardwood hammocks.
Wright Lake Trail
Sumatra 4.6 milesAt Wright Lake Recreation Area near Sumatra, a day hiking loop along the western edge of the Apalachicola National Forest features an unusual bridge and numerous pitcher plant bogs.
Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park
Milton 0.5 milesEast of Pensacola, Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park is a sweeping panorama of wet prairies, home to the largest concentration of pitcher plants in Florida.