Nestled on the east side of Tampa Bay, Little Manatee River State Park- an aquatic preserve that offers a twisting river, equestrian trails, campsites, picnicking and fishing- is home to a premier hiking trail. The terrain can be challenging, with rolling hills that ramble through oak thickets, fragrant longleaf pines, and eye-pleasing rocky hammocks. Day hikers can enjoy shorter loop hikes by utilizing cross trails with multiple access points. Florida scenery series#It promises more than 40 miles of Florida hiking trails via the Citrus Hiking Loop in the Withlacoochee State Forest, a series of loops that are perfect to train for long-distance backpacking. Sited some 40 miles southwest of Ocala, the city of Inverness is a natural paradise fringed by dense forests and serene lakes. A designated portion of the Great Florida Birding & Wildlife Trail, the Park features abundant populations of warblers, thrushes and other songbirds as well as wild turkeys, bald eagles and swallow-tailed kites. The Park’s four marked trails vary in duration from 10 minutes to two hours, showcasing wonders like the Devil’s Washbasin, also known as Deer Lake, a sheer -sided sinkhole fringed by a sand pine forest. The Ravine Trail at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park is nestled roughly midway between Gainesville and Jacksonville on the rolling sandhills of Florida's Central Ridge. The path then tracks the pristine beach for two miles, with stretches of sand highlighted with the sun-bleached skeletons of trees, twisted natural sculptures that beg to be photographed. The Park’s four-mile-long Dune Ridge Trail wanders down sun-dappled, sandy paths through a mature maritime forest before it fades into rolling dunes, where you can hear the music of the surf. Situated north of Jacksonville, Little Talbot Island State Park is an untouched barrier island that offers age-old dunes, secluded beaches, generous wildlife viewing and a trail where you can discover them all. Outside of the fall hunting season, camping is allowed wherever it suits you on the trail, unless it’s posted otherwise. Wildlife is abundant, including deer gopher, tortoises, scrub jays and black bears. Florida Trail OcalaĪ weeklong backpacking trip on the Florida Trail Ocala, the first, immensely popular section of the Florida National Scenic Trail in the Ocala National Forest, delivers 72 miles of uninterrupted wilderness hiking through sandhills, prairies, pine flatwoods, and the striking Big Scrub. The endangered Torreya tree can be found here as can the rare Florida yew. If you’re an experienced hiker, you’ll love these demanding trails, nicknamed the "Mountains of Florida.” The trail promises blockbuster vistas of the Apalachicola River, which flows as much as 200-feet below. Torreya State ParkĪbout an hour west of Tallahassee, the small village of Bristol-in an area so remote it’s the only incorporated city in Liberty County-invites you to explore the natural beauty of Torreya State Park, along either the seven-mile, aptly named Torreya Challenge Loop or the six-mile Rock Creek Loop. The Park offers 28 miles of trails, boasting views of Florida’s only major whitewater rapids. For a fantastic day hike, it doesn’t get better than the hiking trails at Big Shoals State Park. If you’re looking for a weekend hike, pick a spot to camp on the Suwannee River’s pristine white-sand beaches. You’ll find some of Florida’s most popular and picturesque hiking close to the tiny, historic and utterly charming town of White Springs, located north and a smidge west of Lake City. You’ll hike along Gulf Islands National Seashore on the only section of any National Scenic Trail that follows an ocean beach-and it’s a beauty, a wonderland of peaceful sugar-sand beaches and turquoise-hued waters. Stroll back in time at the Florida National Scenic Trail’s northern terminus, located at imposing, historic Fort Pickens, built in 1834 to defend Pensacola Bay. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife that includes gopher tortoises, great blue herons, wild turkey, white-tailed deer and opossums. Massive red clay bluffs tower above Juniper Creek, providing grand views as the path tracks the Blackwater River, its gleaming white beaches and large sandbars contrasting with the dark, tannic water that gives the river its name. For spectacular scenery, hike the northernmost section of the Florida National Scenic Trail in Milton’s Blackwater River State Forest, situated northeast of Pensacola.
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