Florida hiking/Camping

[snowshoe]

A friend of mine is heading to florida for the week and he wants to do some hiking and camping while down there. I beilve he said he will be in the West palm Beach area. Does anyone know of any good links for Florida hiking and camping or does anyone have any info. He has had not much luck so I figured I try here for him Thanks

 

[LauraM]

Snowshoe:

Don't know any links, but I would think he would want to check out Everglades National Park -- there must be a National Park web site link.

If he wants to drive out to the Fla. Keys, there is John Pennecamp State Park on Key Largo, and Bahia Honda State Park on Bahia Honda Key just SW of Marathon. It would be a bit of a drive from W. Palm, but probably worth it. I camped both these places as a kid, so I haven't been there in 25 years or so, but I remember gorgeous beach front camping at Bahia Honda. John Pennecamp has protected a coral reef, and there are cool snorkling trips out to the reef with a ranger. At least there was when I visited in the olden days.

Sorry I don't have links for you!

Laura

 

[deadpoint]

i was down in everglades national park the weekend before last and you will not be doing any hiking there, at least in the area i was at. it's nothing but swap land, you pretty much need an air boat to go anywhere in the park.

the beaches are not but the water was still to cold for my liking.

 

[sli74]

I was talked into a Florida vacation last May and though I did some walking on the beach down in the keys, I didn't get to do any "hiking" . . . there didn't seem to be many options. I do however recommend Bahia Honda State Park if he gets a chance to drive to the Keys.

sli74

 

[porky]

Check out the following sites:

http://www.florida-trail.org/

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/

http://www.nps.gov/ever/

http://www.floridastateparks.org/findapark.htm

I have hiked, camped and canoed in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, including a climb of loft Hobie Mountain, soaring some 50' above mean sea level, the local county high point. It was a pleasant day's outing with my kids:

http://www.floridastateparks.org/jonathandickinson/default.asp

Of course, you can walk Florida's beaches forever as long as you stay below the maximum high tide line. There's quite an extensive stretch of publicly accessible beachfront in Boca Raton. It's about the only thing I like about that city, other than the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (which is right across US A1A from Red Reef Park Beach)

http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/parks/index.cfm

Keep in mind that where ever you go in Florida, there isn't going to be a lot of heavy-duty climbing. Basically, the state involves a lot of nonstrenuous strolling. If you want a workout, go to a gym (they are air conditioned, unlike the outdoors). The state is very flat and often wet and monotonous. It helps to have some nature guides, if only so you can determine if the insect, spider or snake that just bit you was venomous, or just moody. Allegators, by the way, are easy to identify by their bite, and they're always moody,



porky pine

 

[snowshoe]

Thanks everyone. This should be a great start for him. I will pass this info to him. Thanks again

 

[Tom]

Ocala Nat'l Forest

The Ocala Nationbal Forest is pretty far north of Palm Beach, but has some nice hiking if you are norht of Orlando. It's a scrub pine forest for the most part, with areas of larger trees here and there. The Florida Trail is well marked (with orange blazes).

The biggest climb I had on the hike (last month) was crossing the drainage ditch paralleling the highway/parking lot.

Tom

 

[WalksWithBlackflies]

I was on vacation in Florida last week. Did a fire tower off Route 415 (Sanford area). I must be in pretty good shape, never got winded. To the base of the tower: 100' roundtrip, 5' vertical. Some blowdown: there were two sticks that I had to step over.

 

[jfb]

I lived in Palm Beach County for a couple of years and spent most of my spare time bicycling, canoeing or snorkeling. There's not much hiking down there and I was generally afraid to walk through the everglades (snakes) or swim in fresh water (alligators). A hike up the Blue Heron bridge would probably be the best workout one could find. Otherwise, there's great snorkeling along the north shore of Palm Beach Inlet: large granite blocks that hold back the sand. Park at Riviera Beach parking lot and walk south about 1/4 mile to the water. The line of blocks is about 100 yards long and is even similar to hiking the Gulfside trail. Go about one hour after high tide for best visibility.

 

[TomEske]

handy thread..
I have to go to Orlando for 3 days next week on business (I lost the coin toss), so instead of looking for a place to walk in the evenings, I think I see if I can find a showing of Touching The Void. I don't get time to go to movies at home.
Last week I was in Syracuse, but couldn't squeeze it in. Pretty town though, but no hills.
Tom

 

[ExploreTheEast]

Tell him to check out the Fire Prairie Trail in Big Cypress National Preserve. It's one of the more reliably dry trails in the park. You start out in a Cypress swamp for half a mile or so, with alligators wading on both sides of the trail. Then it opens up into a wide grassland prairie for a couple of miles. Theres a nice assortment of birds, and the biggest grasshoppers I've ever seen. It's also a common area for panther sightings (but your chances of seeing one aren't very good).

If he's into Mountain Biking at all, check out Oleta River state park. They rent bikes, and it's pretty fun riding for such a flat state. And it's in Northern Miami, so it's pretty close.

If he's got time to head for the Keys, can't second Sli's recommendation of Bahia Honda enough. They rent kayaks there, and it's pretty neat exploring the island's inland waterways. They also have a community of the bravest racoons I've ever seen.