Backpacking Florida

The essential guide to Florida’s best overnight hiking trips From the coastal bluffs of the Panhandle to the wild Everglades, Backpacking Florida features 40 overnight trail adventures covering a total of 600 miles across the state. Expert outdoorsman Johnny Molloy provides readers with the tools and information they need to unplug and experience Florida’s amazing variety of ecosystems up close. Destinations in this guide range from well-known, “must-do” spots like Juniper Prairie Wilderness, Rice Creek Conservation Area, and the Blackwater River State Forest to undiscovered gems like Jennings State Forest, Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area, and Bonnet Pond. Trails are categorized by region, difficulty, and length, from 3-mile family treks to 50-mile larger-than-life excursions, resulting in a useful guide for both novice and experienced backpackers. For every trail, Molloy includes a map and mileage chart and explains how to get to the trailhead, where the campsites are, and what hikers will see along the way. Readers will also find helpful advice on topics such as selecting a campsite and food for the trail. Backpacking Florida is an invaluable resource for planning and enjoying the perfect Florida outdoor adventure.

A guide to the best scenic day hikes and overnight trips along the state-spanning Florida Trail, this book helps readers of all backgrounds and experience levels plan an adventure exploring natural Florida.

A Florida hike for every interest and ability Florida’s landscape is a marvel of diversity, and Central Florida is its pinnacle. Footpaths range through salt marshes, river floodplains, and along coastal dunes and beaches. Trails pass through desert- like scrub islands, jungle- like hydric hammocks, and deep, dark bayous. There’s no better way to take in this natural world than by walking it. Ranging from 1 to 43 miles in length, each hike includes directions, a detailed map, and information on hike duration, difficulty, and trail conditions. Explore a new side of Florida, from hidden urban gems like the Circle Bar B Ranch in Lakeland and Ponce Preserve in Daytona Beach, to the quiet rural landscapes of Catfish Creek State Park and Chinsegut Hill.

A hike for every interest and ability! Florida’s landscape is a marvel of diversity, and Central Florida is its pinnacle. Footpaths range through salt marshes, river floodplains, and along coastal dunes and beaches. Trails pass through desert-like scrub islands, jungle-like hydric hammocks, and deep, dark bayous. There’s no better way to take in this natural world than by walking it. Ranging from 1 to 43 miles in length, each hike includes mile-by-mile directions, a topographic map, and information on hike duration, mileage, and trail conditions. This new edition includes 20 new places to explore, from hidden urban gems like the Circle Bar B Ranch in Lakeland and Ponce Preserve in Daytona Beach to the quiet rural landscapes of Catfish Creek State Park and Chinsegut Hill. Old standards like Tenoroc, Disney Wilderness Preserve, and Silver River State Park have been revisited and updated to keep you informed of changes in their trail systems.

Get the authoritative guide to the waterways of Florida, featuring almost all of the state’s paddleable waterways in 73 river profiles. From the exciting and beautiful runs of the Panhandle’s Econfina Creek to slower floats through wildlife-rich Everglades National Park, the best way to experience the Sunshine State is by paddle! Canoeing & Kayaking Florida is the most comprehensive guide to the best of Florida’s unique streams, springs, creeks, rivers, and coastal waterways. Written by acclaimed author and adventurer Johnny Molloy, the guidebook provides engaging and concise information, while offering carefully selected details vital to a successful paddling trip. For more than 35 years, Canoeing & Kayaking Florida has been a trusted source for paddlers. This updated edition presents paddling destinations like Seven Runs, a secluded tributary of the Choctawhatchee River; quiet, coastal Shell Creek; and the mighty Apalachicola River, with big sandbars, big hills, and a fast current. Those looking for still-water locales will enjoy secluded places such as Stagger Mud Lake. Inside you’ll find: Details on 73 top paddling trips River profiles with maps and contact information Recommended runs for novice paddlers, trips with children, overnight trips, and more At-a-glance data including river class, length, and time GPS coordinates for all river put-ins and takeouts Canoeing & Kayaking Florida is simply the best and most informative Florida paddling guide. Wet your paddle and whet your taste for outdoor adventure!

Hiking North Florida and the Panhandle describes 30 hikes designed to highlight some of the best natural areas throughout the region. The hikes in this book fall into four different categories: Short Family Walks ranging from 1-3 miles, Day Hikes from 3-12 miles, Overnight Hikes with easy walks to primitive campsites and Long Haulers, true backpacking experiences that require a weekend to complete.

Hiking Central Florida describes thirty of the region’s best and most varied hikes, those that offer the chance to observe unspoiled, natural Florida at its finest. With terrain ranging from wet cypress swamps to dry pinewood forests, the region offers subtly striking scenery and it harbors rich diversity. Covering the area from Ocala to State Road 60 near Lake Wales and Yeehaw Junction—and also embracing the northern stretch of the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest and the Bulow Plantation/Bulow Creek hike on the Atlantic coast—this user-friendly guide takes you from short family hikes in places such as Canaveral National Seashore, to backpackers' delights. It provides all the information you need to make the most of exploring Central Florida by foot. Look inside to find: • Hikes suited to every ability • Directions to the trailheads • Comprehensive trail descriptions and maps • Mile-by-mile directional cues • Difficulty ratings, average hiking times, and best hiking seasons for every featured hike • Area-specific tips on safety, hiking ethics, plants and animals, preserving the environment, and more

Stretching more than 1,200 miles across the Sunshine State, the green ribbon of the Florida National Scenic Trail connects the silent depths of the Everglades cypress swamps with the crystalline white sand beaches of Pensacola. Illustrated with fetching full-color photographs, this volume weaves a narrative of day hikes and backpacking trips with snippets of the natural and cultural history that define the essence of Florida.