Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides
Recreation in Florida State Forests, including hiking, biking, paddling, and equestrian trails as well as campgrounds
A donation of the 4,171 acre Peaceful Horse Ranch on the Peace River was turned down by DEP two years ago. It was just accepted as a future Florida State Forest
At Blackwater River State Forest, each of the recreation areas offers access to hiking, and popular Bear Lake is no exception. A 4-mile trail loops around this impounded reservoir, which flows into Sweetwater Creek.
As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors – whether in your campsite or at home.
The Bear-N-Oak Trail at Indian Lake State Forest provides a fascinating look at habitat diversity centered on Indian Lake, a sinkhole lake that connects to the aquifer
Crossing a landscape of remarkably resilient trees in a desert-like environment, the Satsuma Trail showcases the adaptability of certain species native to Florida.
With nearly 40,000 acres along the Florida-Georgia border, John M. Bethea State Forest provides an important corridor for wildlife migrating between the Okefenokee Swamp and Osceola National Forest.
Traversing sandhill, pine flatwoods, and bayhead habitats, the Big Bay Trail offers a one mile loop with an optional 1.7-mile spur trail featuring two primitive campsites.
Deep in the heart of an ancient swamp, the Goethe Giant – one of Florida’s largest cypress trees – stands tall at the end of a boardwalk in Goethe State Forest.
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.
At Blackwater River State Forest near Milton, immerse yourself in the largest state forest in Florida: 190,000 acres surrounding the Blackwater River and its tributaries.
South of Astor along the St. Johns River, the Bluffton Recreation Area in Lake George State Forest paints a picture of Florida’s prehistoric past, leading you through uplands habitats above the river basin.
Using Orlando Wetlands Park to access the northeast corner of Bronson State Forest, this 7.5-mile loop burrows deeply into ancient forests in the St. Johns River floodplain.
