| One Step At A Time - Florida Hiking | Add To Favorites | | Print | |
 Florida is well known throughout the world as an area offering a huge array of attractions, entertainment and scenery that will captivate all who visit this sunny state. An activity perhaps less associated with Florida is hiking. While the state may not be host to mountainous hiking trails winding through snow covered peaks, Florida offers a surprisingly vast choice of trail types and lengths. A hike along these trails offers one a chance to see magnificent scenery and wander through many different types of ecosystems - coastal prairies, hardwood hammocks, pine forests, beaches, cypress and mangrove swamps, rivers, lakes, and crystal clear springs all await.
Everyone from the casual walker wishing to take a 5 minute boardwalk through hardwood hammocks or mangrove systems to the long distance backpacker wishing to take several months on a statewide excursion will find an abundance of trails to suit their needs. Shorter walks can be found just about anywhere in the state, from Everglades National Park to bird sanctuaries and parks found throughout the state. These can often be interesting for the person only desiring a short, comfortable look at many of the natural beauties of Florida For longer hiking hikes, from an hour or two or even a day, the choices are virtually endless. Depending upon which part of Florida you are visiting, it is possible to enjoy many of the hikes through preserves, parks, water management districts, ranger-led slogs (hiking through wetter areas) and sections or loop trails of the Florida Trail (FT). Overnight and weekend options tend to limit one to larger tracts of land such as the Big Cypress Preserve in the southern end of the state, or along the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST). Permits may be required, so check with officials before over-nighting regarding any applicable rules and/or permits. Longer trips are limited to the FNST, a long distance trail currently in development stretching from Big Cypress Preserve (near Everglades National Park in the southern tip of the state) to the northwest end of the Panhandle. When completed, this will be a 1300-mile trail. Though a few sections are currently bridged with road-walks there are over 1000 miles of trail as of this writing. Several people have already thru-hiked the entire length of this trail. For such a trip, contact the Florida Trail Association Florida Trail Association (800-343-1662 or www.florida-trail.org). When considering hiking in Florida, prepare for it using simple common sense: sunblock, insect protection (particularly in the wet summer months), drinking water, proper gear, and information on the trail and conditions are important. Some parts of trails on lower land become flooded during the summer months, and though still used, are not for those unwilling to get their feet (and often more) wet. It's always a good idea to check on conditions first.
For a comprehensive list of Hiking Trails in Florida see: |
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