Can you drive on the Florida National Scenic Trail?
The Florida Trail is a congressionally designated National Scenic Trail. It is approximately 1,500-miles long, and is intended to offer a continuous, permanent non-motorized recreation opportunity for hiking and other compatible activities.
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Florida Trail, Sopchoppy RiverAlong this extraordinarily scenic piece of the Florida Trail, the footpath follows the tops of bluffs where weirdly shaped cypresses outline the inky waters of the Sopchoppy River below as it snakes its way through the Apalachicola National Forest near Tallahassee.
Since 2018, I have been section hiking the Florida Trail, one of eleven congressionally-designated National Scenic Trails in the United States. At more than 1,300 miles, the FT has been called the “toughest hike you've never heard of” for its exceptionally diverse track over the span of the Florida peninsula.
The trail is approximately 1,500-miles long and is intended to offer a continuous, permanent non-motorized recreation opportunity for hiking and other compatible activities.
Thru-hikers are exempt from all fees and may camp at any campsite without a permit except for Lake Jackson. If you want to camp at Lake Jackson, call 352-732-1225. Section hikers must day for day use permits at trailside kiosks.
Less than 400 people have completed the entire trail. Unless you pair up with a hiking partner, much of your hike will be spent in solitude. That's a plus for many hikers who come here, but not a great idea if you're thinking that the Florida Trail should be your first long distance hike.
The town is already a hub for several long-distance multi-use trails such as the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail and the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop. Other recently designated Florida Trail Towns include Dunedin, Titusville, Malabar, Clermont, Vilano Beach, Palatka, Inverness and Everglades City.
Some managing authorities permit primitive camping anywhere along the trail.Others permit camping only at designated sites. Utilize maps and guidebooks to plan your trip accordingly. Follow Leave No Trace ethics when camping and minimize your impact; many of Florida's habitats are extremely fragile.
The official southern terminus of the Florida Trail is at Oasis Visitor Center in Big Cypress National Preserve. The official northern terminus is at Fort Pickens in Gulf Islands National Seashore.
The Florida Trail's oldest shelter sits at the northern end of this hike and is a welcome spot for lunch or camping. Non-potable water is accessible from a nearby creek if you bring a water filter.
Even in its incomplete state, the Florida Trail is one of just 11 federally designated national scenic trails, and while few walk its full length, the trail attracts more than 350,000 people each year who bite off sections.
Notably, it includes the entirety of the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Florida Trail (FT). Many roads and shorter trails connect the two through the deep south, and the International Appalachian Trail (IAT) takes over where the AT drops the ball in Maine, carrying it across the border and deep into Quebec.
Trail MarkingMapped sections of the trail are marked with painted blazes. The primary trail is marked with orange blazes, except in state parks where the blazes are white. Blue blazes mark side trails to campsites, access pounts, or places of interest.
Continental Divide TrailArguably the most challenging thru-hike of the National Scenic Trails, it traverses five states, ranges from 4,000 to 14,000-feet in elevation, and passes through alpine tundra, broad glacial valleys, craggy mountain peaks, and desolate desert landscapes.
Katahdin, the mountain you climb on your first day, is arguably the hardest climb on the A.T. It features more than 4,000 feet of elevation gain, the greatest sustained ascent on the entire Appalachian Trail.