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

National Key Deer Refuge

Established in 1957 to prevent the extinction of the diminutive Key deer, National Key Deer Refuge spans 84,351 acres across 25 islands in the Lower Keys.

Oak Hammock Trail

The wildlife-rich interpretive Oak Hammock Trail at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge provides an easy introduction to the hammocks of the island.

Palm Hammock Trail

On this 1.5 mile hike, the Palm Hammock Trail burrows into a lush forest of mature saw palmettos under a dense canopy of live oaks and palm hammock.

Panther Trail

Immokalee   1.3 miles

Tunnel through verdant tropical forests and wade across open prairies on the Panther Trail, a 1.3 mile natural surface circuit through Florida panther territory at Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge.

Pelican Island Centennial Trail

Sebastian   0.8 miles

Designed the first Federal Bird Reserve in 1903, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge celebrated its century mark by creating this short, scenic, accessible trail for birding.

Plum Orchard Pond Trail

St. Marks   0.5 miles

Starting adjacent to the Visitor Center at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, the Plum Orchard Pond Trail is an easy half mile loop that takes you out along Plum Orchard Pond, a great birding stop.

Red Mangrove Overlook

Sanibel Island   0.1 miles

The shortest walk at the refuge, the Red Mangrove Overlook along Wildlife Drive provides a fine perspective for birding and for seeing mangrove crabs up close.

St. Marks Cedar Point Trail

St. Marks   0.6 miles

Tunneling through the shade of coastal cedars between open marshes and the boat channel from the saltwater boat ramp to the Gulf of Mexico, the Cedar Point Trail is a short walk to the Gulf 's shores.

St. Marks Lighthouse

Built in 1842, the St. Marks Lighthouse played a pivotal role during the Civil War. Despite its light being quenched during the war, it remains a working lighthouse marking the location of the St. Marks River.

St. Marks Lighthouse Levee Trail

St. Marks   1.2 miles

A windswept walk along the Gulf of Mexico, the Lighthouse Levee Trail provides scenic panoramas of both the Gulf and marsh impoundments near the St. Marks Lighthouse.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Stretching across 86,000 acres in Florida's Big Bend, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge protects one of Florida's longest wild shorelines, more than 43 miles in three counties.