It’s Time to Celebrate Florida’s Greenways and Trails
Autumn is upon us and the temperatures are finally dropping. The cooler air temperature
regenerates the nature lover in us all … so why not celebrate Florida Greenways and Trails
Month during October and see what Florida has to offer either on foot, rollerblade, horseback,
mountain bike or canoe.
Attend one of the nearly three dozen
organized trail events [PDF - 255 KB] statewide or venture out on your
own for a day of natural glory. Throughout Florida, the state’s managed greenways and trails
weave along riverbanks and rural back roads, amidst aquatic preserves, through pine hardwoods
and state parks, and across rolling hills alongside classic karst sinks.
There are more than 5,000 miles of trails throughout Florida. That means if someone hikes
about 10 miles on each outing, it could take 500 trips to cover all of the land set aside in
Florida’s greenways and trails. And that’s one reason why these state managed resources are
attracting more than three million visitors annually.
The trails are multi-functional, not only providing routes for alternative types of transportation,
but also through diverse environments with just as diverse educational benefits. Hike through the
Apalachicola and Ocala National Forests or through the Twin Rivers State Forest where the
Withlacoochee River and crystal clear springs provide a welcome respite after a long day. Take
a morning bird walk or an after-dark astronomy stroll. Visit Juniper Creek in northern Florida
for a quick paddle or choose southwest Florida’s 190‐mile marked paddling trail, The Great Calusa
Blueway.
For the nature lover, there is no place else in the state like the Paynes Prairie Preserve State
Park trails where hikers might observe bison and wild horses while hiking. And history buffs
can visit the ancient shell mound in the National Wildlife Refuge system that dates back 6,000
years.
To learn more about Florida’s miles of beautiful and recreational trail ways, visit
www.floridadep.org/gwt.
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