Since 1966, the Florida Trail has been Florida’s biggest destination for backpackers, with hundreds of trailheads and access points. Along its 1,500 mile length, most are within an hour of most major cities in Florida.
Since 2001, we’ve been researching and writing guidebooks to help you day hike, backpack, and thru hike the Florida Trail, as well as documenting the history and the beauty of the Florida National Scenic Trail.
We also partner with FarOut Guides (formerly known as Guthook) to provide trail details for a Florida Trail app with an abundance of waypoints on up-to-date geolocated maps, as well as Eastern Continental Trail details for Florida.
Planning | Permits | Day Hikes | Backpacking | Thru Hiking | Maps | Trail Updates
About the Florida Trail
Two loops, two spurs, and over 1,500 miles of blazes from one end of this gigantic state to another. It’s a lot to take in.
The Florida Trail is one of only eleven long distance trails distinguished as a National Scenic Trail in America.
It is the only long distance trail in the United States that is a winter destination, as winter is our prime season for backpacking in Florida.
Florida Trail Map Explore Florida's wild places by taking a hike along the Florida National Scenic Trail.
Choosing Gear for a Florida Trail Hike Our detailed recommendations and reviews of the best hiking and backpacking gear for your thru-hike or section hike of the Florida Trail based on our own successful use of certain tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and more. 
Plan your Florida Trail Hike Thinking of section hiking, thru-hiking, or simply backpacking the Florida Trail? Plan ahead with this step-by-step guide of what to do in advance of hiking the Florida Trail. But it’s not just about backpacking and camping. There are segments of the Florida Trail that make enjoyable day hikes, and there are portions shared with bike routes that work well for cyclists.
Best Hikes on the Florida Trail Explore our picks for the best scenic hikes along the Florida Trail. We've hiked the entire trail: these are pieces of the trail we'd be happy to hike again and again.
Biking the Florida Trail Eager for an off-road ride on our statewide National Scenic Trail, the Florida Trail? We've compiled a guide to the best locations for touring and bikepacking, with details on where bikes are and aren't allowed to ride the trail.
Florida Trail Backpacking Backpackers will appreciate the many places the Florida Trail provides a pleasant overnight, three-day-weekend, or multi-day hiking experience to escape to the outdoors.Drawing a growing number of section hikers and thru-hikers every year, the trail has a growing long distance hiker community.
Section Hiking the Florida Trail Section hiking the Florida National Scenic Trail provides some logistical challenges, but a sense of satisfaction in being able to complete an 1,100-mile walk across Florida at your own pace.
Thru Hike the Florida Trail A thru-hike in Florida takes 60-90 days through lush landscapes you won't see on other long distance trailsWe’ve been writing about the Florida Trail since 2001, so you can count on us as a trusted source of information.
Florida Trail for Scouting There are many opportunities for Boy Scouts to complete hiking and backpacking merit badges and 50-miler awards along the Florida Trail; this list will start you planning your next trip. 
Florida Trail Updates Updates to our fourth edition of The Florida Trail Guide (published November 2021), outlining significant changes to services and the trail route since publication.In 2016, we celebrated the trail’s 50th anniversary by compiling its long and storied history into a coffee table book.
Florida Trail by Region
Since the Florida Trail stretches from one end of Florida to the other, we have broken up information on it by sections within regions. You’ll find those here.
Florida Trail, Central Florida In Central Florida, the Florida Trail presents two options: east or west around the Orlando metro. Forested public lands provide protection for much of the route.
Florida Trail, North Florida As the Florida Trail sweeps in a broad arc through North Florida, hikers are introduced to ancient trees, unusual karst formations, and rolling sandhills.
Florida Trail, Northwest Florida Encompassing the sweep of Florida west of the Suwannee River, the Florida Trail through Northwest Florida offers some of the most dramatic panoramas and rugged terrain you'll find while hiking in Florida. 
Florida Trail, South Florida Heading north through Big Cypress, the Florida Trail immerses hikers through one of the last wild spaces of the region, then connects to Okeechobee via dikes. Florida Trail by Section
These sections of the Florida Trail are listed from south to north, matching how they are described in The Florida Trail Guide. Within each you’ll find information on hikes in that section.
Florida Trail, Big Cypress A wild, watery wilderness for Florida backpackers, the 38.3-mile Florida Trail in Big Cypress National Preserve is both beautiful and extraordinarily challenging.
Florida Trail, Seminole Stretching 56.2 miles from the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation to Lake Okeechobee, the Seminole section crosses a vast agricultural region, with hiking on roads and levees.
Florida Trail, Okeechobee Looping around one of America's largest lakes, the 112-mile Okeechobee section of the Florida Trail provides panoramic views from atop the Herbert Hoover Dike.
Florida Trail, Kissimmee Following the Kissimmee River for 112 miles, this is a scenic section of the Florida Trail with levees, woods, river views, open prairies, and cattle ranches.
Florida Trail, Orlando Between the prairies of Osceola County and the Ocala National Forest, this 150 mile section of the Florida Trail slips through suburbs of the Orlando metro.
Florida Trail, Ocala Spanning 72.3 from the birthplace of the Florida Trail into the world’s largest sand pine scrub forest, the Ocala section is Florida’s top backpacking destination.
Florida Trail, Western Corridor Linking Withlacoochee State Forest and the Cross Florida Greenway, the 241 mile Western Corridor of the Florida Trail accesses wild spaces between Tampa and Ocala. 
Florida Trail, Northeast Florida Connecting public lands on this 123 mile stretch, the Florida Trail walks into the past through farms and timberlands between Palatka and Osceola National Forest.
Florida Trail, Suwannee For 78 miles along the Suwannee River, the Florida Trail clings to bluffs and scrambles through ravines for physical challenges and great scenery.
Florida Trail, Big Bend Crossing rural farms and forests, this 116 mile segment of the Florida Trail reveals the secrets of the Aucilla River before tracing the Gulf coastline at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
Florida Trail, Apalachicola In Florida’s largest national forest, this 78 mile segment of the Florida Trail through the Apalachicola means soggy feet and spectacular botanical diversity south of Tallahassee.
Florida Trail, Central Panhandle West of the Apalachicola River, 99 miles of the Florida Trail stitches a series of public lands together along the corridor of the Northwest Florida Greenway.
Florida Trail, Eglin One of the most compelling sections of the Florida Trail for backpackers, the 98.3 miles through Eglin offers rugged elevation changes and crystalline waterways.
Florida Trail, Blackwater The 45 mile Blackwater section of the Florida Trail walks through Atlantic white cedar and longleaf pine forests, pitcher plant bogs and titi swamps to reach Alabama.
Florida Trail, Seashore In addition to bike paths and the scenic UWF-SRIA Dunes Preserve, the 32-mile Seashore section of the Florida Trail walks you along a beach to the trail's Northern Terminus. Florida Trail Connectors
These trails are not part of the National Scenic Trail but connect to the Florida Trail
Eastern Continental Trail A hiking route spanning more than 4,800 miles along the East Coast, the Eastern Continental Trail spends nearly 1,300 miles crossing Florida from its southern terminus at the Southernmost Point in Key West. 
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail A 61-mile spur of the Florida Trail from Port Mayaca on the east side of Lake Okeechobee through forested landscapes to Hobe Sound Beach on the Atlantic Ocean.Florida Trail Maps
This is our current overview map of the Florida Trail, our National Scenic Trail in Florida.
MAP USAGE: You may use our map if credited to FloridaHikes.com and, if shared online, linked back to this page. The same is true for any of our section maps. Please be sure to credit us and to link them back to the appropriate section page.
We created the above map using our trail data from our interactive map inside the FarOut app / Florida National Scenic Trail segment, copyright 2020 by FarOut & Florida Hikes.
Water-resistant paper maps are available from the Florida Trail Association.