Hiking Trails Across Southwest Florida Offer Easy Escapes into Nature

“The best way to experience nature is on foot.” – John Muir

One foot in front of another. One step at a time. That’s the ticket to good health and enjoying the serenity of nature. Southwest Florida offers bustling cities and charming towns, beaches and golf courses and vibrant theater and art. And one of the best ways to explore this sub-tropical paradise is to venture on foot into nature.

“Walking is the most perfect form of motion for a person who wants to discover the true life.” – Henry David Thoreau

There are no mountains in Florida. In fact, the highest elevation in Florida is likely barely high enough to qualify as a hill. The state’s highest elevation is Britton Hill, located in the Panhandle near the Alabama state line, which rises a mere 345 feet above sea level — making it the lowest high point of any state.

But high points of a different, lower-elevation kind can be found far from the Panhandle or any mountains.

“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein

This sampling of Southwest Florida’s natural hiking marvels will steer visitors to the roads less traveled — seemingly miles away from the theme parks, shopping centers and golf courses, yet close enough for a short drive.

Black Island Trail at Lovers Key State Park

What could be better than a walk on the beach at Lovers Key? Try Black Island Trail for a completely different experience and habitat. Lovers Key State Park is a series of small barrier islands on the Lee County coast. Park visitors may see bald eagles or alligators. Hikes along Black Island Trail provide views of estuaries teeming with wildlife. The main loop is five miles, but shortcuts can trim it to 1.2, 1.8, or 2.2 miles.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

This Southwest Florida treasure boasts the world’s largest collection of virgin bald cypress trees. Some of the trees are 600 years old. The swamp is a sanctuary for Florida wildlife and a gateway site for the Great Florida Birding Trail. The sanctuary features a 1.9-mile boardwalk.

Highlands Hammock State Park

Highlands Hammock State Park opened in 1931 when Herbert Hoover was president and Florida’s population was 1,680,000, or so, according to the 1930 U.S Census. The state’s population is now around 24 million. The 9,000-acre park is in Highlands County, about four miles west of Sebring.

Myakka River State Park

Thousands of motorists a day roar up and down I-75 through Sarasota County and likely have no clue that nine miles to the east is this gem of the Florida State Parks system. The park includes hiking trails and a boardwalk, far from the mad roar of I-75.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Florida’s largest state park is in Martin County, a short drive across the peninsula from Fort Myers, Naples and Punta Gorda. It’s just north of the Palm Beach County line and about nine miles north of Jupiter. The park is named after a Quaker merchant from Jamaica who was shipwrecked on the coast in 1696. During World War II, the U.S. Army built Camp Murphy in the park to serve as a top-secret radar school. The land became a state park in 1950.

Rotary Park Environmental Center

Burrowing owls, butterflies and wading birds are three good reasons to hike the often rugged, sometimes soggy trails at Cape Coral’s Rotary Park. Part of the Great Florida Birding & Wildlife Trail, it earns its reputation as a spectacular place to see animals in their natural habitat.

Besides the iconic, pint-sized owl, look for gopher tortoises, alligators and wetland creatures. For wheelchair access and easier, dry hiking, the Glover Bight Trail has a boardwalk surface. Both trails lead to observation towers for the best wildlife-viewing vantage. The Glover Bight Trail is three-tenths of a mile and is wheelchair accessible, although running, biking and dogs are not permitted.

Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW)

If you’re looking to hike for miles and immerse yourself in nature, CREW, in south Lee County, offers trails for hikers and equestrians. In the Flint Pen Strand, a handful of different trails travel a total of more than 15 miles into wetland and pinewoods habitats, where birds of many feathers flock together.

Mindfulness Trail at Ding Darling

Specifically designed for holistic wellness, the Mindfulness Trail at Bailey Tract is part of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. The short trail winds around the pond and uplands of Bailey Tract with five stations where hikers can scan QR codes to listen to podcasts that guide their mindfulness practices. Wellness Week features guided walks along the trail, plus a calendar of ranger-led bike tours, sunrise yoga on the beach and expert speakers and presenters.

As Thoreau said, “An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.”