Florida Hikes

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

Japanese garden entry arch into bamboo

Spring Hill

Spring Hill may be incredibly urban, but along its edges and hidden in its subdivisions you’ll find a handful of nature getaways south of Weeki Wachee along Florida’s Adventure Coast.

Aripeka Sandhills Preserve

Spring Hill   1.6 miles

Historic limerock quarries present unique terrain and scenic views alongside a loop trail showcasing sandhill, scrub, and hardwood swamp habitats.

Bayport Park

Bayport   0.2 miles

Where the highway ends, Bayport Park begins. Perched on the edge of the estuary where the Weeki Wachee River meets the Gulf of Mexico, it offers spectacular sunset views along with its water access.

Bayport-Linda Pedersen Paddling Trail

Bayport   1.7 miles

Following the Bayport-Linda Pedersen Paddling Trail for 1.7 miles through mazes of needlerush along Florida's Adventure Coast, you're immersed in the sights and sounds of a coastal estuary.

Crews Lake Wilderness Park

Spring Hill   2.6 miles

Popular for picnics under the live oaks and fishing on the placid waters of Crews Lake, this wilderness park shares beauty and shade along its nature trails.

Jenkins Creek Park

Overlooking the vast estuary that paddlers tackle on the Coastal Paddling Trail, Jenkins Creek Park provides a trail terminus as well as ample space for anglers to drop a line.

Nature Coast Botanical Gardens

Spring Hill   0.5 miles

An oasis of serenity in Spring Hill, several acres of compact garden rooms make up the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens. Each delights the senses with an ever-changing array of blooms.

Paddling the Weeki Wachee River

One of Florida's most beautiful paddling trips, the Weeki Wachee River rises from first magnitude Weeki Wachee Springs and winds through lush floodplain forests as it is fed by hundreds of smaller springs along this 5.5-mile paddling run.

Peck Sink Preserve

Centered on a deep sinkhole and swallet that drains directly into the Floridan Aquifer, Peck Sink Preserve is a 112-acre conservation area near Brooksville.