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

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The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail Guide

Third Edition, October 2017. 356 pages, $18.95.
QUANTITIES LIMITED

The next edition of this book will be released Fall 2021. All cumulative updates to the current edition are available here.

Our third edition of the The Florida Trail Guide owes a great deal to the collaboration between ourselves and the Florida Trail Guide App we produce with Guthook Guides. To keep the app fresh, we’re out on the trail anytime we hear of changes to it. Mileages in the book are now spot-on accurate, derived from the GPS tracks in the app as of July 2017. While bulking up details for the app by hiking and re-hiking segments of the trail, we’ve been able to transfer much of that level of detail to this new edition of the book as well. Our focal areas for the past two years have been North Florida and the Panhandle, where you’ll find a great deal of new trail landmarks added.

The Florida Trail Guide provides detailed logistics for hiking and backpacking the Florida Trail, whether you’re planning a weekend trip with friends, an outing with a Scout troop, a week in the woods, section hikes of significant length, or a full thru-hike of 1,100 miles across the state of Florida.

What’s new?

  • Accurate mileages based on GPS.
  • More detailed mileage charts with more waypoints.
  • At least 10 new designated campsites statewide.
  • More than 40 miles of relocations updated.
  • More than 20 miles of roadwalks eliminated.
  • Hundreds of additional trail landmarks described.
  • More in-depth detail for hiking in Northwest Florida.
  • Data spreads clustered at the beginning of each chapter for easier grab-and-go.

What’s inside?

  • Logistics for nearly 1,500 miles of trail.
  • 43 updated regional overview maps.
  • 62 town maps annotated with updated service details.
  • 18 sections, including connector trails.
  • GPS coordinates for trailheads.
  • At-a-glance service icons.
  • Section and thru-trail mileage for each chapter.
  • Mileage details based on trail landmarks.
  • Mileages between designated campsites.
  • Post office hours and locations.
  • Lodgings and campgrounds near the trail.
  • Outfitters and shuttle providers along the trail.
  • Contact information for thousands of services.
  • How to get to and from the termini.
  • Permit requirements and precautions.
  • Basics for hiking in Florida.
  • A list of camping and backpacking outfitters in Florida.
  • A list of where to buy stove fuel along the trail.
  • A full list of where to send maildrops.
  • Alternate routes provided for flooding and closures.
  • Southbounder alerts throughout the book.
  • All roadwalks are highlighted in the text.
  • Eastern Continental Trail details for Key West to Big Cypress.
  • Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail details, good for hikers and cyclists.
  • Links to more details online.

Originally inspired by The AT Guide, this 356 page guidebook covers the full length of the Florida National Scenic Trail as well as major side trails that connect to it: Blackwater, Ocean-to-Lake, and the Eastern Continental Trail between Key West and Big Cypress Preserve. Data spreads and service spreads are provide in an easy-to-read format (please see samples). Mileages, and the overall flow of the book, are based on a typical thru-hiker route from Big Cypress to Fort Pickens, with alternate routes fully detailed throughout. Connecting side trails are included in the back of the book.

Florida Trail map
Trail segments found in this book (click to enlarge map)

Updates

During the course of each hiking season, we keep track of trail relocations, services changing, and closures – both temporary and permanent. You can find our cumulative updates for each edition here:

Third Edition updates
Second Edition updates
First Edition updates

App Version

A geolocated version of the information in this guidebook is available as an app for iPhone or Android through Atlas Guides / Guthook Guides. Using the GPS technology in your smartphone, the app works offline, showing you where you are on the trail and the resources near you. See app features here.

Sample Data Spread

The Florida Trail Guide interior
Sample data spread (click to enlarge)

Sample Services Spread

The Florida Trail Guide interior
Sample services spread (click to enlarge)

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Florida Trail App

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

Get the App!

More Florida Trail Books

Discovering the Florida Trail

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Our virtual walk along the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

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Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail HikesThe best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

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The Florida Trail

Florida Trail large coffee table book cover of trail down swamp causeway under ancient pines

Our history of the first 50 years of the Florida Trail, from its founding in 1966 to becoming a National Scenic Trail to volunteer efforts today.
Learn More

Florida Trail Updates


Get periodic recaps of changes to the Florida Trail, which we accumulate between editions of our guidebook. Find all official Trail Closures & Noticeshere.

Our retail partners

Walk in and grab a guide!
Andy Thornal, Winter Haven
Big Cypress Gallery, Ochopee
Bill Jackson's, Pinellas Park
Buck N Bass, Salt Springs
Environeers, Sarasota
Florida Trail Association, Gainesville
REI Jacksonville
REI Winter Park
Travel Country Outdoors, Orlando

Scouting
Camp Tanah Keeta Trading Post

Available online
Acorn Trail Guides
Florida Trail Association

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.

Get the Book!

Florida Trail by Section

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

Florida Trail, Apalachicola
Florida Trail Big Bend view

Florida Trail, Big Bend

Florida Trail, Big Bend
Florida Trail Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Blackwater

Florida Trail, Blackwater
Florida Trail Nokuse

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
Eglin Weaver Creek

Florida Trail, Eglin

Florida Trail, Eglin
Florida Trail Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee
Florida Trail at Rice Creek

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida
Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Florida Trail, Ocala

Florida Trail, Ocala
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake
Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee
Florida Trail at Forever Florida

Florida Trail, Orlando

Florida Trail, Orlando
Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, Seashore

Florida Trail, Seashore
Florida Trail along a canal south of Clewiston

Florida Trail, Seminole

Florida Trail, Seminole
No Name Creek

Florida Trail, Suwannee

Florida Trail, Suwannee
Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Florida Trail, Western Corridor
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