{"id":36945,"date":"2018-08-03T07:00:54","date_gmt":"2018-08-03T14:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=36945"},"modified":"2018-08-06T12:41:40","modified_gmt":"2018-08-06T19:41:40","slug":"florida-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/florida-trail","title":{"rendered":"Florida Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"cb-itemprop\" itemprop=\"reviewBody\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wander from the Big Cypress National Preserve in southern Florida to the Gulf Islands National Seashore on the Florida Panhandle. The 1,300-mile Florida National Scenic Trail allows you to experience the state in a unique way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Distance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 1,300 miles<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>States<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Florida<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Year Established<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 1983<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Best Times of Year to Visit: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spring, fall and winter<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_36948\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36948\" class=\"size-article_body wp-image-36948\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/07\/Micco-Bluff_Van-Tran.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-36948\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Micco Bluff. Photo courtesy of Van Tran, Florida Trail Association.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Notable Spots Along Trail<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Along the Gulf Islands National Seashore, a stretch of preserved beach walk, hikers can experience a diverse array of coastal systems and wildlife.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new section of trail, established in June 2018, follows the Suwannee River into Big Shoals State Park. A primitive campground in the park overlooks the shoals, which at certain times of year form the only Class III whitewater rapids in the state.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From Juniper Springs to Hopkins Prairie, this 11-mile segment is one of the most popular with day hikers and backpackers alike.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Fun Facts, According to the Florida Trail Association<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Florida Trail is the nation&#8217;s only subtropical national scenic trail.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The highest point on the trail is<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jr. Walton Pond in the Titi Creek section on the Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, at 102 feet.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trail passes through\/by sand dunes, cypress swamps and karst topography, which swallows rivers and streams into deep sinkholes and underground cave systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Florida Trail follows more than 900 miles of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, helping the trail protect and connect habitat for many rare and endangered species, such as the Florida panther and the gopher tortoise. The trail is also renowned for its birding opportunities, home to unique species like the crested caracara, Florida scrub jay, Florida grasshopper sparrow and red-cockaded woodpecker.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Historic sites dot the length of the Florida Trail. You can visit one of the nation\u2019s largest Civil War reenactment sites at the Olustee Battlefield, explore historic Fort Pickens in the Gulf Islands National Seashore or trace Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto\u2019s footsteps along the Suwannee River.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_36949\" style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36949\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36949\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/07\/Gulf-Islands-National-Seashore_FTA.jpg?resize=960%2C640\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-36949\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gulf Islands National Seashore. Photo courtesy of Van Tran, Florida Trail Association.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Trail Uses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The Florida Trail is specifically a footpath, but there is some permitted mountain biking and horseback riding in designated areas. Recreationists should refer to the local land manager to see if these activities are available or permitted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Administering Agency: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fs.usda.gov\/fnst\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. Forest Service<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Nonprofit Partner: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.floridatrail.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Florida Trail Association<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Permitting Information:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0A few landowners require advanced notification and permits to cross their land. It is essential that you notify the Florida Trail Association office a minimum of 30 days before starting a thru-hike. <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/floridatrail.org\/fnst\/permits\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More information<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>REI Stewardship: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The co-op has invested $25,000 in the Florida Trail since 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Read More: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/new-wisdom-6-long-trail-legends-share-hard-won-advice\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The New Wisdom: 6 Long-Trail Legends Share Hard-Won Advice<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/learn\/expert-advice\/thru-hiking-goal-training.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Train for Thru-Hiking<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/learn\/expert-advice\/hiking-boots.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Choose Hiking Boots<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/learn\/expert-advice\/backpack.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Choose a Backpack<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/national-scenic-trails\">Learn more<\/a>\u00a0about all of our national scenic trails.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wander from the Big Cypress National Preserve in southern Florida to the Gulf Islands National Seashore on the Florida Panhandle. The 1,300-mile Florida National Scenic Trail allows you to experience the state in a unique way. Distance: 1,300 miles States: Florida Year Established: 1983 Best Times of Year to Visit: Spring, fall and winter Notable [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":36947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387],"tags":[181,1591,656,1542],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-36945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hike","tag-florida","tag-national-scenic-trails","tag-public-lands","tag-south"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/hike\/florida-trail","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Florida Trail","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/florida-trail","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/florida-trail"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/07\/Oak-hammocks-in-Micco-Bluff_Van-Tran.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/07\/Oak-hammocks-in-Micco-Bluff_Van-Tran.jpg?fit=5184%2C3456"},"articleSection":"Hike","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Aer Parris-Hoshour"}],"creator":["Aer Parris-Hoshour"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["florida","national scenic trails","public lands","south"],"dateCreated":"2018-08-03T14:00:54Z","datePublished":"2018-08-03T14:00:54Z","dateModified":"2018-08-06T19:41:40Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Florida Trail\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/hike\\\/florida-trail\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/hike\\\/florida-trail\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/Oak-hammocks-in-Micco-Bluff_Van-Tran.jpg?resize=150%2C150\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/Oak-hammocks-in-Micco-Bluff_Van-Tran.jpg?fit=5184%2C3456\"},\"articleSection\":\"Hike\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Aer Parris-Hoshour\"}],\"creator\":[\"Aer Parris-Hoshour\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Uncommon Path \\u2013 An REI Co-op Publication\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"florida\",\"national scenic trails\",\"public lands\",\"south\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2018-08-03T14:00:54Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-08-03T14:00:54Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-08-06T19:41:40Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/rei.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/07\/Oak-hammocks-in-Micco-Bluff_Van-Tran.jpg?fit=5184%2C3456","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36945"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37210,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36945\/revisions\/37210"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36945"},{"taxonomy":"internal-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-tag?post=36945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}