We've listed some of the best hiking in Florida! On these 15 Florida hiking trails, you'll experience plenty of scenic views, plants, and wildlife.

Best Hiking In Florida

We’ve listed some of the best hiking in Florida! On these Florida hiking trails, you’ll experience plenty of scenic views, plants, and wildlife.

Best Hiking In Florida

We wanted to put together a list of best hiking trails in Florida so we asked some of our fellow bloggers for their suggestions. Along with some of our own suggestions, we have listed 15 parks and reserves all around the state.

We love our home state of Florida, but feel that so many times people only focus on its beaches and/or theme parks. So, this post is for all the nature lovers who want to spend their time outdoors and on a trail. Enjoy!

Pro Tip: There are black bears in Florida. The odds of running into one are slim, but just in case, here’s what to do if you see a bear.

Hiking In South Florida

We’re defining South Florida as being about from about Sarasota on the west coast to West Palm Beach on the east coast and everything below.

Collier County – Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Julie of McCool Travel

Enjoy an easy hike to excellent bird and wildlife viewing on the Marsh Trail, the only on-foot access to the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The level 2.2 mile out-and-back hike features paved and gravel surfaces with interesting water views on both sides. A highlight of the Marsh Trail is a two-story Observation Tower with expansive views of the marsh. A telescope is available on the second level, and the first level is wheelchair accessible.

A wonderful variety of birds visit the marsh, and you will likely see alligators as well. In fact, a huge alligator made a leisurely trip across the path right next to the tower during our visit. Bikes are allowed on the trail, but pets are not. Note that there are no facilities and there is no shade on the Marsh Trail hike, so bring water with you. The Marsh Trail is our favorite place to get some exercise after indulging at the restaurants in nearby Naples.

Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge provides some of the best hiking in Florida
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Copeland – Fackahatchee Strand State Park

Megan of Red Around The World

The trail to the Fackahatchee Hilton is a true Florida trail. It’s flat, surrounded by marshy land with the occasional gator on the trail. It ends at the Fackahatchee Hilton with a pond full of gators behind it. You won’t be relaxing in a 5-star hotel here, but you will get to spend some time relaxing on the porch swing in the shade after checking out the pond full of gators.

The trail is in Fackahatchee Strand State Park on the west side of Everglades National Park. It’s about seven miles in on the park road. In February 2018 the road was closed at the parking area for the trail. It’s a two-mile (4 miles round-trip), flat, straight trail. It may be wet and muddy if it’s a rainy year. This is a great way to spend a few hours in the afternoon if you want to do an easy hike and see some wildlife. Keep an eye out for the elusive Florida Panthers and Skunk Apes, too.

Fackahatchee Strand State Park has fun Florida hiking trails
Fackahatchee Strand State Park

Naples – CREW Bird Rookery Swamp

Lori of Travlinmad

CREW Bird Rookery Swamp is one of our favorite Southwest Florida hiking trails, just 13 miles from downtown Naples near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. In fact, this reserve is part of the 50,000 acre Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed and an incredible place to hike or bike. Right from the parking lot you’ll see wading birds, ibis, and alligators in the canals along the road. But once you follow the trailhead to the start of the boardwalk, you’ll immediately feel you’re in the thick of things.

Black vultures are everywhere (bring plastic bags from the grocery story to fly from your window while you hike, to scare the vultures away from the rubber on your tires), and there are numerous varieties of wading birds. This is really a birders paradise – egrets flashing white through the trees, cormorants swimming and drying their wings, herons of all shapes and sizes fishing in the shallows, a pileated woodpecker busy boring holes in a tree.

The Trail is a 12-mile loop and is open to bicycling the entire way, and begins with a flat, elevated boardwalk which keeps you out of the wet and mud. After that, the tramway trail begins – a grass-covered section of trail with cypress trees gently arching above and water on either side. The tramway is the remains of a small gauge railway that was used for logging many years ago. You’ll see alligators in the water, and maybe even up on the trail sunning themselves. Best of all, the trail is free and open year round!

CREW Bird Rookery Swamp is one of the best hiking trails in Florida
CREW Bird Rookery Swamp

Pro Tip: While in the area, we also recommend checking out these other Awesome Things To Do In Naples!

Sanibel – J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Bret and Mary of Green Global Travel

Of all the things to do in Sanibel Island (which lies just off the coast of Ft. Myers), visiting the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is by far my family’s favorite. Named after the early 20th century Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist who headed what became the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and founded the National Wildlife Federation, Ding Darling encompasses 6,400 acres of mangrove forest, marshes, and seagrass beds.

Most people drive or cycle the 5-mile loop through the refuge, but you can also hike the main road as well as the numerous hiking trails that veer off from it. Along the way, you’ll see an array of wildlife ranging from Alligators, Blue Crabs, River Otters, and Turtles to an incredible array of birds (Egrets, Herons, Osprey, Roseate Spoobills, etc). Best of all, the entrance fee is only $1 for pedestrians, and if you time your visit right you can catch spectacular sunsets from the observation tower.

J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is great for hiking in South Florida
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Sarasota – Myakka River State Park

Logan & Kallsy of Pages of Travel

Myakka River State Park located in Sarasota, Florida and is well-known for its diverse wildlife and wetlands throughout its 58 square miles. One of our favorite reasons to visit Myakka River State Park is to hike on the Myakka Trail. The Myakka Trail is a 38.9-mile loop trail but there are many designated back roads that allow you to shorten or lengthen your hike.

While hiking in the area we’ve often seen alligators, otters, and a variety of bird and plant species. One of the best areas in the park is the Myakka Canopy Walkway. It is the first public treetop trail in North America which includes a suspension bridge that is 25 feet off the ground and expands 100 feet across. After crossing the bridge you can then make your way up a few flights of stairs to a tower that is 74 feet off the ground for a panoramic view of the wetlands and treetops in the park!

Myakka River State Park is one of the best Florida hiking trails
Myakka River State Park

Hiking In Central Florida

We’re defining Central Florida as being about from Tampa on the west coast to Daytona Beach on the east coast and everything in between.

Crystal River – Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

We think some of the most scenic hiking in Florida can be found in Three Sisters Springs, inside the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is the only refuge created specifically for the protection of the threatened Florida Manatee. Although you can visit all year round, we recommend going during the winter months which are considered manatee season since they migrate to the springs to keep warm.

There is a nice board walk and even guided tours, so you can learn about native species as you take in the beauty of the springs. The trees, wildlife, and especially the hues of the crystal clear water will leave you breathless!

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge has some of the best hiking trails in Florida
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

De Leon Springs – De Leon Springs State Park

De Leon Springs State Park is a really fun park! Pack your swimsuit so you can go for a dip after your hike. The spring water is a constant 72 degrees!

There are multiple trails at the park, including a wheelchair-accessible paved nature trail that has interpretive signs. Visitors will pass giant cypress and hardwood trees, some that are hundreds of years old. It’s also possible to see lots of wildlife, including otters, bald eagles, turtles, turkeys, hogs, and even Florida black bears. The park is $6 per vehicle.

De Leon Springs State Park has some of the best hiking in Florida
De Leon Springs State Park

Ocala – Ocala National Forest

Charles of McCool Travel

Step back more than 100 years into Old Florida on The Yearling Trail in Ocala National Forest (entrance is about 6 miles north of SR 40 and SR 19 intersection). Two trail options both traverse Pat’s Island and you will sense that you are on higher ground than where you parked; a cool phenomenon for Florida. The short loop is 4 miles and the longer option is 5.5 miles and connects to the 1,000 Florida National Scenic Trail—which runs from Big Cypress National Preserve to Pensacola.

Pat’s Island was settled in the 1870s and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings wrote her Pulitzer prize winning book The Yearling about a deer fawn here at Pat’s Island. The movie The Yearling was filmed on Pat’s Island in 1939-40 and The Yearling trail passes buildings used in the movie. In one spot you can see where fresh water was collected from the ground. About 45 miles away is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ homestead in Cross Creek, well worth a visit.

Ocala National Forest is one of the best places to hike in Florida
Ocala National Forest

Pro Tip: Check out these other Fun Things To Do In Ocala!

Orlando – Gatorland

Sara of Our Kind Of Crazy

One unique hike we enjoyed in Florida was actually in Gatorland, in Orlando, Florida. Inside the park, they have alligator marshes where you can see over 130 gators inside. It’s not a strenuous hike, but we recommend walking the whole thing. But before you go, grab some food at the front, so you can feed the gators along the way.

It’s definitely not your typical hike, but it’s one that will add lots of fun and activity to it, that’s for sure. You do have to purchase entrance tickets to Gatorland, and they are $29.99 for adults and $19.99 for kids. Everyone in the family will enjoy this one, even if they aren’t your typical hikers.

Gatorland provides great hiking in Florida
Gatorland

Hiking In North Florida

We’re defining North Florida as being about from the whole panhandle to St. Augustine on the east coast.

Cedar Key – Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail

Located on along the Gulf of Mexico, Cedar Key has become a popular destination known for its laid back attitude. There are plenty of things to do in Cedar Key, including hiking. Trails aren’t very long, but they come with some nice water views.

One of the most popular hiking trails is the Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail. The trailhead is on Grove Street. There you’ll find a small parking lot. The trail is about half a mile. You’ll be walking on grass and sand. At the end of the trail, you’ll come up on some old posts that were once part of a bridge that carried trains across the water. There is also a bench at the end of the trail and it’s a really beautiful and peaceful place to sit and look over the water.

Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail
Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail

Gainesville – Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park

Some of the best hiking in Florida can be done at Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park. This area outside of Gainesville has been attracting visitors since the early 1880s! You probably wouldn’t expect to find a miniature rainforest in Florida, but that is exactly what visitors will see at the bottom of a 120-foot sinkhole!

There is a nice hiking trail in the park, but taking the stairs down to the sinkhole is a workout as well. The vegetation around the sinkhole is lush because of the streams trickling down the slopes of the sinkhole. Fossils and shells have been found in the area too, making it a great place to learn about Florida’s natural history.

Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park
Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park

Jacksonville – Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve

When someone mentions Jacksonville, you might not necessarily think of hiking trails, but this city has some great parks including the Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve. There are plenty of trails, some of which run next to beaches, under shady hammocks, or along wetlands.

The park is free to enter and the visitor center is located at Fort Caroline National Memorial. Inside, there’s a great exhibit called “Where the Waters Meet.” It highlights the local environment in northeast Florida and how humans have interacted with it for thousands of years.

Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve
Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve

Marianna – Florida Caverns State Park

Yes, Florida does have caverns! Just outside the city of Marianna, visitors to Florida Caverns State Park can go down into caverns and see stalactites, stalagmites, columns and flowstone. But although the caverns are the main attraction, the park also offers boating, camping, fishing, and hiking.

There are two nature trails that leave from the visitor center. We didn’t find the paths to be too difficult, although occasionally there were steeper areas. These trails are open to foot traffic only, but there are some other multi-use trails where you can walk, bike, or go horseback riding. Admission to the park costs $5 per vehicle and the park is open 365 days a year, although cavern tours are not done on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Florida Caverns State Park hiking trail
Florida Caverns State Park

Ormond Beach – Bulow Creek State Park

Bulow Creek State Park is almost 5,600 acres, but its biggest attraction (pun intended) is the Fairchild Oak, one of the largest live oak trees in the South. It is believed to be between 400 and 600 years old, stands over 68 feet tall, and its branches spread about 300 feet.

From the Fairchild Oak, you can take two hiking trails, the Bulow Woods Trail and the Wahlin Trail. Both offer an opportunity to see white-tailed deer, many bird species, and native plant life. Oh, and another great thing about the park is that it’s free to enter!

Bulow Creek State Park
Bulow Creek State Park

Palatka – Ravine Gardens State Park

Some more of the best hiking trails in Florida can be found at Ravine Gardens State Park. In 1933, during the New Deal era, the area’s two ravines were transformed into beautiful gardens. Now, visitors can wander along the 2.5 mile Azalea Trail that has suspension bridges, stone staircases, and, during blooming season, at least 18 different types of azaleas.

For a less strenuous walk, there is also the Main Park Drive Loop. This trail is 1.8 miles and paved. It loops around the ravine systems and visitors can see them from above. The park is $5 per vehicle.

Ravine Gardens State Park
Ravine Gardens State Park

Final Thoughts On Hiking In Florida

There really are some great places to hike in Florida! And we know there are so many more parks and reserves to explore too. Hopefully we can continue to find more trails and do some more hiking.

Have you been hiking in Florida? Do you know of any other great parks or trails? We’d love to read your comments below! 🙂

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We've listed some of the best hiking in Florida! On these 15 Florida hiking trails, you'll experience plenty of scenic views, plants, and wildlife.

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5 Comments

  1. Great suggestions. We would add a few more of the natural springs – Ichetucknee and Manatee Springs come to mind 🙂

  2. Thanks for publishing this article about hiking in Florida. This is the best article that I have seen. I think you should tell more about camping gear like camping tents.

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