Florida offers several idyllic national forests for those wishing to take a hiking and camping adventure. Many of the trails are remote and rugged and can be hiked in a day or over the course of a couple of weeks. Year-round warm temperatures make Florida a good destination for camping as well as hiking.
Because of Florida's tropical warmth, almost all of the campgrounds found in the national forests are open year-round; except when hurricanes strike. Even though Florida is known for its high temperatures and humid weather, camping and hiking in one of the state's national forests in the summer can be quite comfortable because of the canopy of greenery that will protect you from the sun.
The Florida Trail, a popular hiking path, begins in the Ocala National Forest. According to FloridaHikes.com, the Florida Trail has "nearly 100 miles of unbroken backcountry backpacking through the world's largest scrub forest." The Everglades National Park has a range of trails, from easier hikes for families and beginners to mud-and-muck-up-to-your-knees hikes that plunge you deep into the heart of Everglades. The two hikes for those wishing to experience the real Everglades are the Old Ingram Highway and the Coastal Prairie Trail hikes. These are meant for experienced backpackers only and should not be taken lightly. The Apalachicola National Forest is also popular among hikers. It is most beautiful in the spring when its pitcher plants are in bloom. They can be found near the region of the forest known as Sumatra, which has several hiking trails.
Backpackers have their choice of primitive trailside campsites in the national forests; however, if you'd rather not "rough it" quite that much, there are several tent and trailer campgrounds. If you choose to hike in the Ocala National Forest, Fore Lake campground has options for both tents and trailers, and Lake Eaton campground is set up for tents only. If you choose backpack the Everglades' Coastal Prairie Trail , the trail ends at a private house on the beach. If you're hiking in the Everglades just to get a taste of it and don't want to backpack, the forest has three campgrounds: Chekika, Flamingo and Long Pine Key. If you choose Apalachicola as your hiking destination and you wish to take in the springtime flora, there are two campgrounds in Sumatra: Hickory Landing--which is set up for tents only--and Wright Lake.
Although the heat is tolerable because of the shade that the forest trees offer, if you want to beat the sticky Florida heat, avoid the summer months, particularly July and August when average daytime temperatures hover around the 80s and 90s. If you don't want to get soaked during the rainy seasons, it's best to avoid May and June, as well as September and October. If you go during the winter and spring months--typically November through April--you'll avoid the heat and the mosquitoes that come with it as well as the torrential downpours that Florida can experience during hurricane season. If you go during the winter, you may see temperatures dip down into the 30s and 40s at night, but the daytime will be ideal for hiking and you won't have to bring your mosquito repellent.
if you decide to hike and camp during Florida's hotter months, make sure you are stocked up on your mosquito repellent. If you decide to hike and camp in the Everglades National Park, you'll also need extra sets of pants because chances are you'll end up stomping through the muck at some point, even on the easier trails. Make sure to bring your camera if you're camping at Apalachicola during the spring; you'll want to get plenty of pictures of you and your family standing next to the strange and beautiful pitcher plants.
