Alderman’s Ford Nature Preserve offers a surprising treat for a Central Florida hike: whitewater, showcasing the Alafia River churning as it winds through a deeply eroded channel
Riverfront Trails
Places to hike and bike along rivers in Florida, including nature trails, paved trails, and long stretches of the Florida Trail. For paddling trails along Florida rivers, see Rivers.
Arlington Park
A breezy walk along the St. Johns River is an easy way to start your day in Jacksonville at the Arlington Lions Club Park, with riverside boardwalks and a mile of trails
Bayard Conservation Area
Bayard Conservation Area preserves an untouched riverfront forest on the St. Johns River. Follow this route through the John P. Hall Nature Preserve to visit the river
Bella Vista Trail
A 1.8-mile loop through the uplands of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, the Bella Vista Trail walks you through most of the habitats found on this barrier island.
Big Oak Trail
The Big Oak Trail is one of the most scenic hikes in North Florida. Much of the hiking parallels the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, which meet here at a confluence.
Big Shoals Trail
At Big Shoals State Park, the Big Shoals Trail leads you to scenic perches high atop the river bluffs when you can watch Florida’s only Class III whitewater rapids
Black Bear Wilderness Area
North of Orlando, the Black Bear Wilderness Area offers some of the best wildlife watching in the region on its newly expanded 7.1-mile loop along the St. Johns River.
Blue Spring State Park Boardwalk
If you’ve never seen manatees by the dozens, let alone over a hundred, there’s no better place to watch them than along the boardwalk at Blue Spring State Park in wintertime
Caloosahatchee Regional Park
East of Fort Myers, 768-acre Caloosahatchee Regional Park provides an outdoor escape along the Caloosahatchee River with a campground and loop trails for hikers and bicyclists
Campground Nature Trail
At Little Talbot Island State Park, the 0.8-mile Campground Nature Trail offers a side of Little Talbot that the whole family can enjoy—along the estuary