Is there any good hiking in flat Florida? Absolutely, say the co-authors of a new statewide hiking guide covering more than 1,000 trails in the Sunshine State.
Florida Hikes founder Sandra Friend teamed up with Central Florida-based author Chris Stevens to create the Hiker’s Guide to the Sunshine State, a guidebook featuring trails from the Panhandle to the Keys. Each listing has been thoroughly researched, hiked, and evaluated by two people who have spent years exploring and traveling around the state.
Friend said a lot has changed since the first edition was published in 2005, which included about 580 hikes. This second edition ($29.95 from University of Florida Press) doubles the number of trails and focuses on the state’s 46 cities, towns, and metros where trails are concentrated.
“This time we had a real surprise. There’s been a lot of new public land and new trails since we first started. Some places we’ve never been,” she said. “It’s been 20 years since we launched the Florida Hikes website, and now we’ve got a basic idea of what makes it worth checking out again to see if it’s still interesting.”
While Florida Hikes remains a reliable online resource, many outdoor enthusiasts will benefit from a paperback guide with more than 400 pages of regional hiking suggestions and maps. Each chapter includes recommended hikes, featured trails, pet-friendly tours, accessible hikes, and even campgrounds in the area that can be used as base camps.
“There are so many unique hiking trails in the state that it’s hard to compare,” Stevens said. “I’m more of a fan of the Panhandle and South Florida. It’s really hard to pick a favorite when you see the differences in ecosystems and how different everything is. Travel the entire state if you can.”
Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel
A small tributary of the Econlockhatchee River appears during a hike in Orlando’s Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
In Central Florida, Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park and Oakland Nature Preserve are highlighted as notable hikes. Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake, Dixon Azalea Park, Kelley Park, Mead Arboretum, Moss Park, Orlando Wetlands, and Savage Christmas Creek Preserve are some of the destinations mentioned in Orlando’s backyard. Accessible hiking trails include Lou Gardens, Lake Eola Park, Lake Baldwin Trail, and West Orange Trail.
All hikes were rated and the lowest ranked ones were removed from the list, leaving a final selection that was hand-picked as a quality outdoor excursion. Now 20 years older than when the first edition came out, Friend has given a different kind of consideration to the trail he once thought was lackluster.
Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel
A gopher tortoise crosses the ground at Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
“When I worked on the first book, I was very particular about not including what I called at the time the ‘driveway trail.’ “I thought it was boring because it was a forest road or double track,” she said. “Now that I’m older and wiser, I realize they’re useful for people my age. They’re much more comfortable to hike.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in the outdoors and hiking soared, along with traffic to Florida Hikes’ website, allowing Friends to hire contract workers like Stevens. The two also collaborated on the fifth edition of the Florida Trail Guide.
After publishing this book, my last hiking guide, my friend is now turning his attention to writing novels. She has passed on the torch to Stevens, and his wife Chelsea and 2-year-old son Tory often accompany him on his adventures. Both appear on the cover of the guidebook.
“I’m so honored and grateful that Sandra believed in me and took me under her wing to teach me the ropes and more. I’ve always been interested in writing, but I never expected to be here today,” Stevens said. “I think this is an incredible resource for people. And having the books and everything else helps people get outdoors.”
Stevens said that may be what’s needed to save wild Florida. Florida is increasingly threatened by the kind of uncontrolled development that both authors witnessed during their research.
“What really struck me was that so much of Florida’s farmland and ranch land has been turned into subdivisions,” Friend said, adding Stevens. “To understand nature, you have to get out in nature. To preserve these unexplored spaces and perhaps slow down development and gain public appreciation for these lands, we need to get out and hike.”
Patrick Connolly / Orlando Sentinel
Orlando’s Dixon Azalea Park offers 3.6 acres of natural space for visitors to explore and is one of the more urban hiking trails featured in the Hiker’s Guide to the Sunshine State. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
In an age where almost everything is digital, Friend and Stevens pride themselves on doing everything without the use of AI or secondary sources.
“Florida Hikes is 100% directly researched by real people,” Friend said. “It was never crowdsourced in any way.”
To order a copy of “Hiker’s Guide to the Sunshine State,” visit floridapress.org or bookshop.org. For more outdoor destinations and guides, visit floridahikes.com.
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