Emerson Point Preserve
Palmetto 6.8 milesWhere the Manatee River meets Tampa Bay, Emerson Point Preserve has a network of trails around a complex centered on one of Florida's most ancient temple mounds, the Portavant Mound, near Bradenton.

Parks and trails with playgrounds along them help you get the kids outdoors to play

Where the Manatee River meets Tampa Bay, Emerson Point Preserve has a network of trails around a complex centered on one of Florida's most ancient temple mounds, the Portavant Mound, near Bradenton.

Running down the middle of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, the Exotic Trail traces a path through the exotic gardens of the former estate of Hugh Taylor Birch, Terramar.

A gentle walk along a boardwalk in a bluff forest surprises with its ending: a spectacular Florida waterfall in a deeply wooded setting.

Iconic as the home of Florida's tallest waterfall, Falling Waters State Park is a showcase for Florida geology, where waters splash into a deep abyss near Chipley.

At Faver-Dykes State Park, explore the estuaries of the Matanzas River and the uplands above Pellicer Creek.

Immediately west of Interstate 95 at the Sebastian/Fellsmere exit, Fellsmere Trailhead Preserve provides a nature break for travelers and a trailhead for recreation

A dip into Florida’s only show cave brings on an instant sense of cool. But the cave tour isn't the only delight you'll find at Florida Caverns State Park.

2.7 miles. On a sliver of restored sandhill, the Baseline section of the Florida Trail provides a stroll within a forested oasis surrounded by suburbia.

Overlaid in part on the scenic Bear Island Nature Trail, orange blazes lead across Moss Park to connect hikers with adjoining Split Oak Forest and nearby Crosby Island Marsh.

To learn about the storied past of the forestry industry in Florida, stop in the Forest Capital Museum State Park, where one of the highlights is a pioneer homestead.

Follow in the footsteps of soldiers in the Second Seminole War through the forests along Lake Holathlikaha at Fort Cooper State Park in Inverness.

Protecting woodlands and marshes around Lake Holathlikaha, Fort Cooper State Park preserves an important chapter of the Second Seminole War. An annual re-enactment relives the battle.
