Outdoors & Nature Insider

Getting ready for a hike! Credit: Kevin Mims

It's time to get your hike on! February is Florida Hiking Trails Month, so celebrate by grabbing your gear and hitting the trails and guess what. You won't have to search high and low for a great place to take a hike. Florida's extensive trail network reaches from one end of the state to the other. You'll find outstanding places to hike in state parks, state forests, national parks and preserves, countless county parks and, of course, the 1,500-mile Florida National Scenic Trail.

I'm no stranger to Florida hiking and have worn out more than my fair share of shoes following the orange blazes that mark the route of the Florida Trail. Even after all of my hikes, I still find myself amazed and in awe of Florida's natural beauty as I ramble along, stopping to snap a quick photo and take a short video in the hopes that I can show that beauty to others. I hope that by doing so I have inspired others to experience the real Florida, to get out in the woods and discover what the Sunshine State has to offer for nature lovers like myself.

Ready to hike? Here are a few to get you started:

Withlacoochee State Forest, Citrus Tract - This is my most-hiked area, probably because the trails are just a mile or so away from home. I can literally walk out my front door and be hiking this 46-mile backpacking loop in about thirty minutes. Pretty sweet, right? The trail is in a stacked-loop configuration, so for a shorter trip, choose a nice day hike on the "A" loop.

Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail - You'll find this six-mile trail across the street from Collier-Seminole State Park near Naples. Set up a weekend camp at the park, check in at the ranger station and spend the day in the woods. This trail is frequently wet and muddy, so be prepared for a tough hike. I love playing in the mud!

Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park - One of the cool things about Florida hiking is that you can usually find great trails near major cities. In Tallahassee, Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park is a multirecreation property where you'll find seven miles of hiking. The trails are divided into a series of loops, so you can create a number of shorter hikes and routes.

For more information, check out the Florida Hiking Trails Guide right here on VISITFLORIDA.com. Also, here's a listing of all Florida State Parks that have hiking trails or check out the Florida Trail Association's website for all the information you'll need to hike the FT or any of the side loops in the Florida Trail system. Happy hiking!