Florida Hiking

Florida hiking be the easiest in all of North America. Florida, essentially a spit of sand between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, is an incredibly flat place. You'll find no mountains to climb, no deep valleys to descend, no dangerous precipices to teeter on.

Rolling hills do occasionally break up the flat landscape in a few places, but these mounds are hardly formidable. The highest elevation in the state is a stunted 345 feet above sea level. That puts almost all Florida hiking within the means of anyone, from the youngest walker to the oldest.

And during the driest months?from January to May?when the ground is hard, many of these trails are barrier free. Boardwalk nature trails at many of the state parks are well suited for wheelchairs year-round.

Walks in Florida can be as brief, or as long, as you wish. Many nature walks are quite short, taking only an hour or two. If that seems too tame, try the 1400-mile long Florida Trail, one of eight National Scenic Trails. It will keep you occupied for weeks at a stretch, as it winds through miles of thick forest and wetland nature reserves.

Be aware that your dog will not be welcome on most Florida wilderness trails. Some parks and recreation areas require that pets be kept on a leash and confined to a picnic or camping area, and pets may not be allowed to stay overnight. Many recreation areas are off-limits to pets of any kind, under any condition, with the sole exception of seeing-eye dogs.

Always check ahead to see trail conditions, which sometimes may be closed due to storm damaege or sustained heavy rains.
However, you can learn the current trail conditions anywhere along the Florida Trail through the Florida Trail Association website.

Hiking Trails

Florida State Parks. Pick any of the state parks, which are listed alphabetically and by region.

Florida Greenways & Trails

Florida State Forests Find out about the special Trailwalkers program.

Florida Wildlife Management Lands Click on the activity bar across the top and enter "Hiking."