This Scenic Florida Trek Is Even Better in the Winter

I hope you won't be disappointed that this particular Florida trail isn't draped in fresh fallen snow during winter. Alas, we don't get too much snow down here in Florida, which is usually a good thing. However, sometimes it's nice to have a crisp day with winter vibes that encourage you to spend time exploring outside, bundled up. Winter looks a bit different in Florida, but that doesn't make it any less exciting. Take this 2.4-mile trek in Highlands Hammock State Park as the perfect example. With cool weather and tons of trees, this area is ideal for a mellow winter hike.

Discovering Highlands Hammock

Highlands Hammock State Park, located in Sebring, Central Florida, is one of the oldest and most ecologically diverse state parks in Florida. Spanning thousands of acres of hammocks, cypress swamps, floodplain forests, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks, the park shelters a rich array of plant and animal life: from alligators and deer to wading birds, songbirds, woodpeckers, and migratory species.

The park offers a network of short, interconnected nature trails, many accessible right from the loop drive or central picnic/visitor area, making it easy for a half-day or full-day hike. The trails combine forest, swamp, and marsh habitats, giving you a chance to explore “real Florida,” from shaded oak hammocks to fern-lined swamps and wild citrus groves.

Winter is often the ideal season to visit: the oppressive summer heat and humidity give way to mild, comfortable weather; migratory birds return; the forest becomes more pleasant to walk in; and insect and humidity pressures are lower than in summer months.

A Trail Worth Exploring

Weaving together three of the most stunning trails in the park into one trek, make sure to hike the Wild Orange Grove, Hickory Trail, and Fern Garden Loop. Rated as easy with very minimal elevation changes, this hike takes less than an hour for most to complete, and will drop you off right back where you started. A lot of hikers recommend this hike for beginners and families, since the conditions during the wintertime are much milder compared to the humid summer seasons.

Wild Orange Grove Trail

Begin right behind the park’s Hammock Inn and picnic area to find the trailhead of Wild Orange Grove. This trail is a gentle, easy walk, roughly 1.2 miles round-trip. It starts through pine flatwoods, then moves into a hardwood hammock as you head deeper. After about a quarter-mile, you cross a small bridge over a tannic waterway and enter a floodplain forest/swamp zone. Along the way, you may spot naturalized wild citrus trees, remnants from pioneer-era orange groves long reclaimed by the forest.

Hickory Trail

Connected via a narrow boardwalk/catwalk, the Hickory Trail continues the journey deeper into the hammock. The boardwalk crosses swampy ground and leads into a forest of oaks, hickories, cabbage palms, bromeliads, and ferns, a beautiful primeval-feeling environment. Along this trail, you’ll pass massive old oak trees (some hollowed out enough to stand inside), see air-plants dangling from branches, and notice ferns, wild coffee, and marlberry lining the forest floor.

Fern Garden Trail

For a very different but equally enchanting environment, Fern Garden Trail offers a short 0.3-mile loop through swampy, fern-lined marshland via boardwalk and footpath. This trail is said to be a vestige of the 1930s plan to create a botanical garden on this land, hence the dense plantings of sword ferns, royal ferns, aquatic plants, marsh flora, and carefully placed stepping stones through shallow water.

Why Winter Is the Perfect Time to Visit

• Milder temperatures and lower humidity: making hikes much more pleasant and comfortable than summer’s heat and swamp-mugginess.
• Active wildlife and migratory birds: winter brings returning migratory birds, plus resident wildlife like deer, wading birds, and (if lucky) glimpses of more elusive animals.
• Less crowded, more peaceful: With tourism lower and heat off the table, winter visits tend to feel more solitary and immersive.
• Diverse habitats — without heat stress: Floodplain forests, swamp boardwalks, hardwood hammocks, and pine flatwoods can all be explored comfortably when temperatures are mild.

Before visiting Highlands Hammock State Park, note that entry is $6 per vehicle and the park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip to Highlands Hammock State Park using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.