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Your guide to Florida's outdoors, by Sandra Friend, Florida's hiking expert, and her co-author John Keatley, covering the Florida Trail and other trails throughout Florida.

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Au Naturale in White Springs

October 5, 2011 by Sandra Friend 5 Comments

Au Naturale in White Springs

Expect a reroute of the Florida Trail in White Springs, as the Suwannee Valley Campground has been purchased and turned into a nudist resort.

Filed Under: Articles, News, Trail Updates Tagged With: Florida Trail, FT Suwannee, Suwannee River, White Springs

Big Oak Trail

Twin Rivers State Forest / Suwannee River State Park
Live Oak   [30.414222,-83.159629]   8.6 miles

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.

Filed Under: Backpacking, Day Hikes, Florida State Forests, Florida State Parks, Florida Trail, Hikes, Loop Trails, North Florida, Trails, Water Management Areas Tagged With: Big Trees, Dog-friendly, Florida Trail, FT Suwannee, Geology, Historic Sites, Live Oak, Madison, Primitive Camping, Riverfront, Scenic, Sinkholes, Springs, Suwannee River, Suwannee River SP, Weekends, Wildflowers, Wildlife Viewing

Big Shoals State Park

White Springs   [30.352426,-82.690457]   

Big Shoals State Park

You hear them well before you can see them: a burble of water that rises to a roar as you approach the Big Shoals of the Suwannee River, Florida’s largest series of rapids complete with hydraulics and holes and Class III whitewater at certain times of year.

Filed Under: Biking, Florida State Parks, Launch points, North Florida, Paddling, Parks, Places Tagged With: Geology, Historic Sites, Lake City, Primitive Camping, Suwannee River, Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, Wildlife Viewing

Big Shoals Trail

Big Shoals State Park
White Springs   [30.352167,-82.687617]   4.9 miles

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

Filed Under: Biking, Day Hikes, Florida State Parks, Hikes, Loop Trails, North Florida, Off Road Biking, Trails Tagged With: Big Shoals State Park, Birding, Dog-friendly, Favorites, Geology, Historic Sites, Lake City, Riverfront, Scenic, Suwannee River, White Springs

Cedar Key

Cedar Key

Perhaps the most popular getaway on Florida’s Nature Coast, Cedar Key is at the end of a 24-mile highway that follows a railroad bed which naturalist John Muir walked.

Cedar Key Museum Historic State Park

Cedar Key   [29.1507,-83.048557]   

Cedar Key Museum Historic State Park

A museum started by seashell collector St. Clair Whitman also honors the legacy of John Muir’s travels through Florida on foot at Cedar Key Museum Historic State Park. In 1867, naturalist John Muir followed the path of the Florida Railroad on his Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf of Mexico, ending at the Cedar Keys.

Filed Under: Florida State Parks, Museums, North Florida, Parks, Places Tagged With: Accessible, Cedar Key, Family-friendly, Guided Tours, Historic Sites, Suwannee River

Chiefland

Chiefland

Not far from where the Suwannee River flows out into the Gulf of Mexico, Chiefland is a major community with access to public lands along the Suwannee River and Goethe State Forest.

Closing the Florida Trail Big Bend Gap

April 28, 2017 by Sandra Friend Leave a Comment

Closing the Florida Trail Big Bend Gap

How do we close the gap in the Florida Trail between the Suwannee and Aucilla Rivers? Learn the history of how the trail was developed and routed through that region, the discussions going on now, and a potential solution for future protection of the trail corridor.

Filed Under: Articles, Conservation, Hiking, History Tagged With: Aucilla River, Florida Trail, Florida Trail Association, FT Big Bend, Suwannee River

Disappearing Creek at Camp Branch

Camp Branch Conservation Area
White Springs   [30.3778,-82.8789]   3.3 miles

Disappearing Creek at Camp Branch

On the Disappearing Creek Loop off the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River, watch Camp Branch burble through rapids and cascade into a giant sinkhole

Filed Under: Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, Loop Trails, North Florida, Trails, Water Management Areas Tagged With: Favorites, Florida Trail, FT Suwannee, Geology, Hilly, Live Oak, Sinkholes, Springs, Suwannee River, Waterfalls, White Springs, Wildlife Viewing

Fanning Springs State Park

Fanning Springs   [29.59101,-82.933031]   

Fanning Springs State Park

One of the Suwannee River’s largest swimming holes is the clear, cool reflecting pool of Fanning Springs, located along the edge of its namesake town.

Filed Under: Biking, Camping, Canoe & kayak rentals, Florida State Parks, Hikes, Loop Trails, Nature Trails, North Florida, Paddling, Parks, Places, Springs Tagged With: Boating, Cabins, Chiefland, Fishing, Picnic, Primitive Camping, Scuba, Snorkeling, Suwannee River, Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, Swimming, Trenton, Wildlife Viewing

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Hiking Guidebooks for Florida

Guthook GuidesGuthook Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the Florida National Scenic Trail.


Florida Trail Guide 50 Hikes in Central Florida Five Star Trails Orlando Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala Hiker's Guide to the Sunshine State 50 Hikes in South Florida

Updates on Florida’s outdoors


The Florida Trail Guide

Florida Trail guidebookThe comprehensive guidebook to planning section and thru-hikes of the Florida Trail.

Get the Guide!

The Florida Trail App

Florida Trail appComprehensive logistics and offline maps all in one: our guidebook is now also an interactive app by Guthook Guides.

Get the App!

The Florida Trail

Florida Trail history book

A comprehensive photo-rich history covering 50 years of Florida's favorite hiking destination. 9x12", 228 pages, full color.

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