Backcountry Trails of Florida ─ A Guide to Hiking Florida's Water Management Districts

“A revelation for hikers. Mashour knows the backcountry of Florida like few others.”—Robert Silk, author of An Ecotourist’s Guide to the Everglades and the Florida Keys

“Provides detailed trail directions, a descriptive sense of each ecosystem, and don’t-miss highlights.”—Michal Strutin, author of Florida State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide

Experience wild Florida with this guide to 100 off-the-grid hikes from every corner of the state. Florida’s five water management districts encompass millions of acres of public property that include thousands of miles of public trails. Terri Mashour explains where to find these little-known routes, which ecosystems they feature, and how to plan your perfect outdoor adventure.

Mashour describes the hidden wonders hikers will discover in each district. Northwest Florida offers views of sandhills, clear and cold springs, and river bluffs. The Suwannee River area is crisscrossed with meandering creeks. In the St. Johns River watershed, conservation lands include large cattle ranches, lakeshores, and levee restoration projects. In Southwest Florida, manatees swim up rivers from the Gulf of Mexico. And the South Florida district is home to water treatment areas, pine flatwoods, and the mangrove islands of the Everglades.

Whether you are a hiker, trail runner, off-road bicyclist, or equestrian, this guidebook will help you locate and enjoy wide expanses of pristine nature not far from your own backyard.

A volume in the series Wild Florida, edited by M. Timothy O’Keefe

Terri Mashour worked for nearly a decade as a land manager in Florida forests. She is cofounder of Fun4FirstCoastKids.com.