Florida Greenways and Trails Month

A sand trail at sunrise with scrubby pine forest on either side.

October is Florida Greenways and Trails month. 

Florida is home to thousands of miles of trails and many recreational greenways where visitors can enjoy picnicking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities. 

Hiking Trails 

The most popular trails in Florida are dedicated to hiking. Whether you enjoy passing through tropical hammocks or dry Florida scrublands, there is something for everyone.  

Some of these hiking trails are multi-use, offering access to cyclists and horseback riders. To find more information about trails in your area, visit the online trail guide provided by the Office of Greenways and Trails.  

A man hiking on an open pine prairie.

Photographers, bird watchers and nature explorers can access and enjoy over 60 miles of multi-use trails on foot, horseback or bicycle at St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park. Cypress domes, strand swamps, scrub ridges and the other natural features are home to over 70 listed species of threatened flora and fauna all in one park!  

An elderly man fishing, looking out over the water.

Greenways 

Florida’s most famous greenway is the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. Occupying more than 70,000 acres of land formerly known as the Cross Florida Barge Canal, the Greenway is a 110-mile linear park that is more than a mile wide in places. It hosts more than 300 miles of trails of all types — paddling, hiking, mountain biking, equestrian and paved multi-use. 

The Greenway is also a wildlife corridor and the first in Florida to have a “land bridge” across a major interstate that both trail users and wildlife utilize. 

Several of Florida’s state parks are on or near the East Coast Greenway, an ambitious national trail project extending from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida.  

Paddling Trails 

While many of Florida’s trails are walking paths through canopied forests and along beaches, there are many state trails that are traveled via kayak or canoe. These aquatic trails offer a chance to view the natural beauty of the state from a different perspective.  

At 1,515 miles, the longest paddling trail in the state is the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail. This trail starts at Big Lagoon State Park in Pensacola and travels, via 26 sections, all the way to Fort Clinch State Park in Fernandina Beach on the opposite side of the state. The sections of the trail may be traveled individually or in sequence over the course of weeks or months. Along the path are dozens of state parks that can provide overnight accommodations for passing paddlers.  

Another paddling adventure in …the Real Florida is the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Traveling the length of the Suwannee River, the trail takes visitors through pristine wilderness, occasionally passing through towns and parks from which visitors can explore the river and its surrounding areas by canoe or boat, bicycle, horseback, automobile or on foot.  

A bird wades through shallow water at sunrise.

Getting Out There 

Be sure to check out the online Community Trails Calendar on the Office of Greenways and Trails website for more trail offerings or view the online trail guide to find a trail near you.