Little known except to those who frequent Salt Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest, the Bear Swamp Trail provides a walk into an ancient forest
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.
Florida Trail, Delancy to The 88 Store
An immersion in both sandhills and scrub awaits on this 7.4 mile hike along the Florida Trail between Lake Delancy and Lake Kerr, an excellent section for fall wildflowers and wildlife watching
Florida Trail, Eaton Creek North
Between Eaton Creek and Salt Springs, this 12 mile segment of the Florida Trail in Ocala West is high and dry, showcasing the life cycle of the sand pine scrub ecosystem.
Florida Trail, Hopkins Prairie to Juniper Springs
For 10.5 miles through Juniper Prairie Wilderness in the Ocala National Forest, the Florida Trail traverses a mosaic of fire-dependent ancient scrub, pine islands, and open prairies
Florida Trail, Hopkins Prairie to Salt Springs
A six-mile-long prairie, a vast marshland in the middle of the dry Big Scrub, Hopkins Prairie is a beauty spot along which the Florida Trail lingers on this 9.5 mile section.
Florida Trail, Ocala
72.2 miles. The birthplace of the Florida Trail, the Ocala section is Florida’s top backpacking destination, showcasing the world’s largest sand pine scrub forest and some of Florida’s largest springs in the Ocala National Forest. Despite its scorched earth, the Juniper Prairie Wilderness remains a popular destination for hikers. Beauty spots like Hopkins Prairie and Riverside Island above Lake Delancy should not be missed.
Florida Trail, Ocala National Forest
The top destination for backpackers in Florida is the Florida Trail, Ocala National Forest. This 70-mile section is the oldest section of the trail, easy to follow.
Florida Trail, Salt Springs to The 88 Store
Amid a patchwork of scrub ridges and longleaf pine islands, the Florida Trail makes its way northwest of Salt Springs around the vastness of Lake Kerr on this 10.1 mile section
Lake Eaton Sinkhole Trail
In the heart of the Big Scrub of the Ocala National Forest, the Lake Eaton Sinkhole Trail loops 1.8 miles through scrub forest and drops down into the big sink