Dunnellon is known for its spectacular Rainbow Springs and River, especially during tubing season. But there are more reasons to visit in cool weather, including another exquisite river– the Withlacoochee — several good restaurants, and trails for both hiking and biking.
Hiking
When crossing Florida on I-75, this hike is an easy way to experience the Everglades. You can hike for miles; even backpack to a campsite. Or stretch your legs for a short taste of the wild.
At ‘The Sinks,’ you’ll experience a geologic landscape unique to the karst topography of northern Florida. Take a hike!
One of Florida’s oldest state parks sits on a high bluff above the Apalachicola River offering spectacular views — and fall colors!
The Fort Walton Beach area is famous for its spectacular white sand beaches, but there is more to discover inland, from sand dunes to clear sandy-bottomed streams to miles of hiking trails.
The nation’s first wildlife refuge was created by President Teddy Roosevelt to stop plume-hunters from wiping out several species of birds. The birds are back, and spring is a great time to visit. (You’ll need a kayak for a closeup look.)
Your smartphone has never had more tools available to explore Florida’s outdoors.
Not all of Central Florida’s magic is at Disney. North of Orlando is a vast ecological preserve that offers an abundance of recreational opportunities with unique exposure to Florida’s great outdoors.
The Seminole Wekiva Trail is a 14-mile multi-purpose, paved “rail trail” in the Wekiva River Basin that is part of a network of existing and planned trails across Central Florida in the Orlando metro area.
Sure, the Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys is a scenic drive. But wouldn’t it be beautiful to take it really slowly and see everything? That’s what Tamara Scharf did. She walked from Key Largo to Key West, alone and in six days. Here’s her story, with tips on how you can walk the best sections she experienced.
Even people who live in Florida get it wrong. They think Florida is all shopping malls and theme parks; its beaches are all commercial and crowded; it’s flat, boring and lacks history. People say: Too bad I live in Florida, I love the outdoors and there’s no place to hike. All wrong.
The rare and endangered Florida panther makes its home in the wilds of the western Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp, much of the area preserved in protected state and federal lands accessible to hikers.
If pitching a tent on a tropical island is your thing, then add Anclote Key to your bucket list. Anclote Key Preserve State Park is in the Gulf of Mexico, three miles west of Tarpon Springs over open water, and it is accessible only by boat.
Exploring Florida sometimes requires more than just a sense of adventure and the time to travel. These guides are essential tools to help you find paddling and hiking trails, campgrounds and where to experience the authentic Florida.