Well, I definitely didn't realize there were so many and when Ellison and I sat down to plan some fall trips close to home it was a bit overwhelming.
The craziness of school (3rd grade!) and sports leaves little time for hiking, but Ellison and I are determined to fit in at least a few visits to some of the beautiful parks we are lucky enough to have in our area. We checked out the maps, a couple of books (this guidebook was really helpful) and came up with a list of the ones we plan to check out this fall.
1. Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve
2. Gold Head Branch State Park
3. O'Leno State Park/River Rise State Preserve
4. Paynes Prairie State Preserve
5. Rainbow Springs State Park
There are a few that we would love to visit when we actually have a weekend instead of just an afternoon (and when the weather is cooler), such as
- Florida Caverns State Park (Marianna - in the panhandle)
- Caladesi Island State Park (north of Clearwater Beach)
- Caya Costa State Park (north of Sanibel)
Do you have any recommendations or tips? Is there a park in Florida you think should absolutely make the list?