Posted in Florida Hiking, Nature March 15, 2022 by

9 Easy Hikes To Add To Your Outdoor Bucket List In Florida

There’s no denying that Florida offers countless outdoor opportunities, including some of the best hiking opportunities around. If you’ve been wanting to begin exploring our state’s many trails, but you’re not exactly sure where to start, no worries. We’ve compiled a list of nine easy hikes in Florida that are great for beginners. They’re also some of the best hikes in Florida.

1. Wekiwa Springs State Park Trails - Apopka
Flickr/Meagan
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712, USA
Flickr/Katy Warner
These trails are picturesque, full of wildlife, and located only a short drive from all of Orlando's big attractions. So, the next time you're in town, be sure to schedule in a relaxing hike (and swim). This park is very popular on weekends, so make plans to arrive early.
2. Grassy Waters Preserve - West Palm Beach
Flickr/airwaves1
Grassy Waters Preserve, 8264 Northlake Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33412, USA
Flickr/airwaves1
This preserve has 18 miles of trails, including a boardwalk through a cypress swamp and marsh, complete with several places to stop and rest. Be sure to look for alligators, great blue herons, and bald eagles while hiking in the wintertime.
3. Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve - Ponte Vedra Beach
Flickr/Jessica Whittle
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, 505 Guana River Rd #6527, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, USA
Flickr/oliver.dodd
The trails at this park are filled with lots of wildlife and natural beauty. Most of them have plenty of shade and many places to stop and rest, making this a good family hike. Come see the beautiful beaches, dunes, marshes, pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks, and tidal wetlands.
4. Jonathan Dickinson State Park - Hobe Sound
google/Shane Williams
Jonathan Dickinson State Park, 16450 SE Federal Hwy, Hobe Sound, FL 33455, USA
Flickr/Steven Martin
Take the trails at this stunning state park near Hobe Sound through pine flatwoods, or take the Hobe Mountain Trail boardwalk to the observation tower.
5. Silver Springs River Trails - Silver Springs
Flickr/Andrew Comeau
Silver Springs, FL, USA
Flickr/Nature's Paparazzi Twitter: @NikonHiker
Silver Springs State Park, the location of these trails, is full of lovely foliage and wildlife, including monkeys that still inhabit the area from their days as a tourist attraction.
6. Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park - Keystone Heights
Flickr/Florida Fish and Wildlife
Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park, 6239 State Rd 21, Keystone Heights, FL 32656, USA
Flickr/Florida Fish and Wildlife
This scenic park offers a fun hike over the modest ups and downs of sandhills and explores a deep ravine.
7. Weedon Island Preserve - St. Petersburg
Flickr/Matthew Paulson
Weedon Island Preserve, 1800 Weedon Dr NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, USA
Flickr/Matthew Paulson
The boardwalk here offers an incredible escape and a glimpse of Florida's natural beauty. It, along with the 45-foot observation tower, gives visitors impressive views of mangrove forests, saltwater ponds, and pine flatwoods.
8. Shark Valley Trails - Everglades National Park
Flickr/Rafał Próchniak
Shark Valley Trails, Everglades National Park
Flickr/Matthew Hoelscher
This 16-mile loop near Miami is suitable for both beginners and experienced hikers of all ages. This paved trail is popular with cyclists, and you can rent a bike at the visitors center. It's also a great place to spot wild birds and alligators.
9. Lettuce Lake Regional Park Boardwalk - Tampa
Flickr/Lenna Young Andrews
Lettuce Lake Park, 6920 E Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33637, USA
google/Jessica Plummer
This easy 2-mile loop offers awesome birdwatching opportunities, in addition to scenic views from an observation tower on a swampy area of the Hillsborough River.

Looking for a few more of the best hikes in Florida? Out article, 8 Incredible Hikes Under 5 Miles, has some that are perfect for when you’re short on free time, but craving some time in Mother Nature!

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best hikes in florida

March 20, 2022
Jennifer Young

What kid-friendly trail in Florida should everyone consider taking?

Do you enjoy hiking? Do you have children? If you answered "yes" to both of these questions, read on. For anyone who enjoys hiking and has children they want to bring along for the adventures, it can be quite difficult to find trails that are easy enough for them to tackle. Luckily, there are numerous kid-friendly hikes around Florida that are certainly worth exploring. To help get you started, one of the best kid-friendly trails in Florida is the Anhinga Trail. This scenic trail is less than one mile and is also accessible all year long.

When it comes to easy hikes in Florida, what's another trail everyone should definitely add to their hiking itinerary?

Florida boasts countless trails of all difficulty levels. There are several trails in Florida that are easy enough for just about anyone to tackle. If you're in the mood for a rewarding hike, but you want the trail to be as easy as possible to tackle, consider exploring Florida's Kolokee Loop Riverfront Trail. It's great for all skill levels and certainly belongs on your hiking itinerary.

What are some places in Florida that belong on everyone's outdoor bucket list?

Who doesn't love exploring the outdoors? Even if it's just a short simple walk, nothing compares to the beauty of nature. Florida is the perfect place for anyone who can't get enough of the outdoors. Offering everything from sprawling parks, beautiful lakes, picturesque gardens, and not to mention, stunning, white-sand beaches, The Sunshine State has it all. If you're a fan of the outdoors and want to experience everything Florida has to offer, you'll want to create a bucket list. Creating one of these all-important lists makes it easy to check off everything as you do it.