Most Water Management Areas are in floodplain areas or bordering rivers or lakes, and are often jointly managed with other agencies.
There are five Districts statewide that control the floodplains of Florida, an arrangement that dates back more than a century when the state rewarded developers for “draining the swamps” for agriculture, industry, and development.
It took decades before the science made it clear that those decisions caused a great deal of harm to Florida’s natural drainage pathways, particularly for the Everglades.
Today, the Districts monitor water quality, oversee permitting, and manage a large number of public lands on which trails and camping areas have been developed for public recreation.
Our website contains many trails and recreation areas on water management areas, but there are many more we haven’t gotten to yet. Fortunately, the Districts provide detailed maps and information on their websites. See the Recreation Guides below.
Resources
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
Recreation Guides for Florida’s Water Management Districts
FREE public guides for hiking, camping, boat ramps, biking, springs, and more.
- Northwest Florida Water Management District (Pensacola to Tallahassee)
- Suwannee River Water Management District (Big Bend and North Florida) [MAP OF SITES]
- St. Johns Water Management District (Jacksonville/North Florida to Vero Beach) [TRAIL GUIDES]
- Southwest Florida Water Management District (Inverness to Naples)
- South Florida Water Management District (St. Cloud to Florida Keys) [RECREATION GUIDE]
Featured Water Management Areas
These are some of our favorite trail destinations in water management areas.
CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Rich with wildlife, CREW Bird Rookery Swamp near Naples provides up to 12 miles of hiking/biking in Big Cypress habitats on tramways through a primordial swamp
Falling Creek Falls A boardwalk trail at Falling Creek Falls north of Lake City leads you to overlooks on a waterfall with a twelve-foot drop in a picturesque setting
Flatwoods Park In addition to the 6.9 mile paved bike path loop at its core, Flatwoods Park at Lower Hillsborough Wilderness provides many different routes for outdoor exploration
Florida Trail, Aucilla River 9 miles. Endearingly scenic, surprisingly rugged in places, and unlike any other piece of the Florida Trail statewide, this trek along the Aucilla River showcases some of Florida's top natural features in one hike.
Florida Trail, Bell Springs to Big Shoals 4.6 miles. Showcasing Florida's only Class III whitewater and other spectacular geologic features, this is one of the most scenic segments of the Florida Trail along the Suwannee River.
Florida Trail, Chandler Slough West 3.7 miles. It looks like a mountain ridge from a distance, but Chandler Slough is a ribbon of cypress strand through the flat Okeechobee prairies. Follow its rim through beautiful oak hammocks and soggy marshes. 
Florida Trail, Choctawhatchee River 8.7 miles. Crossing majestic longleaf pine forests in Nokuse Plantation, the Florida Trail along the Choctawhatchee River also showcases natural features in the river basin between Cypress Creek and Seven Runs.
Florida Trail, Econfina Creek 18.4 miles. Winding along rolling hillsides north of Panama City, the Econfina Creek section of the Florida Trail offers a challenging hike with stunning views of its namesake creek.
Florida Trail, Holton Creek Crossing scenic karst landscapes alongside sinkholes and around its namesake spring, the Holton Creek section of the Florida Trail provides botanical and geologic immersion.
Grassy Waters Preserve Protecting a sheet flow of rainfall moving steadily southward and parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, Grassy Waters Preserve bears a striking resemblance to the Everglades - because it is.