Florida Hikes

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

Mangrove roots

National Wildlife Refuge Recreation

Hiking, biking, paddling, and driving trails let you view wildlife up close at Florida’s National Wildlife Refuges.

INTERACTIVE MAP

Cross Dike Trail

Sanibel Island   0.3 miles

Connecting Wildlife Drive and the Indigo Trail, the Cross Dike Trail at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is an easy paved walk between two impoundments.

Dennis Creek Trail

Cedar Key   1.0 miles

At the Shell Mound Unit of Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, the Dennis Creek Trail immerses you in classic habitats of the Gulf Coast along a 1-mile loop.

Ding Darling Bailey Tract

One of the lesser-known trails at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is at the Bailey Tract, off Tarpon Bay Road. Loop around impoundments with great birding.

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Preserving more than half of Sanibel Island for the sake of its bird life, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is one of the top places in the United States to view rare bird species.

Dixie Mainline Trail

Suwannee   8.5 miles

Constructed in the 1920s for a narrow-gauge railroad, the Dixie Mainline Trail is one of the most remote scenic trails in Florida, showcasing the swampy Big Bend.

Doc Ehrhart Sanctuary

Melbourne Beach   1.0 miles

Home to a gentle mile loop through coastal habitats on the Barrier Island Trail, Doc Ehrhart Sanctuary is a gateway to Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.

Egmont Key State Park

In Tampa Bay, Egmont Key, an island that was once a Civil War refugee camp, is now a bird rookery and historic site, with trails accessible only by boat.

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

Explore the habitat of Florida's apex predator on a pair of short hiking trails in one small corner of the vast territory that the endangered Florida panther roams.