Office of Greenways and Trails

Adventure Starts Here: Celebrating Great Outdoors Month

The vibrant arrival of June brings Great Outdoors Month, the ultimate reminder to lace up your boots, grab a paddle and immerse yourself in the natural wonders of Florida. Whether you prefer the rhythmic flow from a kayak or the songbirds singing on a shaded trail, Florida’s diverse ecosystems are waiting to be explored. Here are a few ways to explore:

Hiking: Challenge yourself on hiking trails filled with winding curves and dense root systems.
Paddling: Paddle down spring-fed rivers filled with native wildlife.
Biking: Coast through cool, shaded corridors under Florida’s live-oak canopies.

No matter where you choose to explore, Florida provides endless paths to discovery. Find launch sites and trails across the state using the Florida Online Trail Guide.

Check out our Community Trails Calendar

There are many associated holidays and events going on in June to celebrate Great Outdoors Month. In addition to listed events on our Community Trails Calendar, check out what else is happening this month:

June 6th National Trails Day
June 6-14 National Fishing and Boating Week
June 13 National Get Outdoors Day – The U.S. Forest Service waives recreation fees at most day-use sites on lands managed by the agency. Contact National Forests in Florida for details.

Share Local Events with Us

Does your local community have upcoming events? Share your upcoming regional/statewide conferences, summits, and non-motorized trail events with us and we will post them on our Community Trails calendar.

Save the Date: June 10

Join us on June 10 at 10 A.M. for a webinar with Jason Vickery, Park Manager of Torreya State Park, one of Florida’s most unique and diverse natural areas. With over 26 years of experience in restoration, prescribed fire, and largescale Sandhill ecosystem recovery, Jason brings deep expertise in managing fire dependent landscapes and leading collaborative conservation projects. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from his extensive work in environmental stewardship and mentorship within Florida’s state parks. Click here to learn more and sign up for Outdoor Florida Webinar. 

Share your Expertise

We’re seeking outdoor professionals to present in our Outdoor Florida Webinar Series. Showcase your knowledge, inspire others and help grow Florida’s outdoor community. Interested? Contact us here.

Free Resources

Download the Outdoor Recreation Activity Book for children here or request a printed copy by emailing: OfficeofGreenwaysandTrails@FloridaDEP.Gov.

Florida Trail Town Spotlight: Dunedin

If you are looking for a destination that seamlessly blends outdoor recreation with a vibrant, walkable downtown, look no further than our Trail Town of the month: Dunedin.

Whether you want to hit the trails or hit the beach, Dunedin has something for everyone:

Hit the Trails: Dunedin boasts 29 parks and over 350 acres of green space dedicated to hiking, biking and outdoor recreation—highlighted by the iconic, scenic Pinellas Trail.
Nature Meets the Coast: Enjoy pristine beaches and coastal nature trails at the beautiful Honeymoon Island State Park.
Local Charm & Culture: After a day outside, explore Dunedin's highly walkable downtown filled with local shops. Soak in the arts at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, or plan your trip around famous local festivals like the Dunedin Highland Games and their annual Mardi Gras celebration.

Want to see everything this amazing Trail Town has to offer? Click here to open our interactive StoryMap and get a digital tour.

Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) – Technical Assistance Opportunity

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) will soon be offering free technical assistance for applicants interested in the upcoming Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) grant program. While they are still awaiting publication of the Fiscal Year 26 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), TPL is preparing a suite of resources to help eligible entities get ready, including:

Three informational webinars.
Online application resources.
Potential one-on-one assistance for selected applicants.

Local governments and other eligible organizations are encouraged to sign up now to be notified as soon as the NOFO is released and these support resources go live.

Learn more or sign up for notifications here: https://www.tpl.org/resource/orlp

Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail Story Map Guide

The Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail (C2C) was conceived as an ambitious effort to create a continuous paved multi-use trail across the state of Florida from the Gulf of America to the Atlantic Ocean, the first state trail of its kind in the United States. It will span approximately 250 miles and is currently 88 percent complete. The trail will link communities between St. Petersburg and Titusville along its entire length, allowing residents and visitors to explore Central Florida by bicycle or foot. The trail is linking all or part of several existing multi-use trails and will be managed by a broad range of communities and agencies. The Coast-to-Coast Trail Alliance is coordinated by OGT. For more information, visit OGT's C2C Alliance webpage.

The Coast-to-Coast Story Map Guide is the culmination of efforts to create a practical, adaptable, accessible mode for communicating information about the trail including wayfinding, alternate routes for large gaps, amenities and local information.

Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Mapping Update

The initial scouting and mapping of the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail (CT) was completed in 2007, but periodic updates are needed for a trail of this length and magnitude. For our latest map upgrade, we changed the appearance and scope of the 26 segment maps to make them clearer and more informative. For more information, visit OGT's CT segments webpage. We have also created a CT Story Map and a Suwannee River Wilderness State Trail Story Map.

Outdoor Florida Webinar Series

For more information, visit the Outdoor Florida Webinar Series webpage.

Trail Safety Video

With our sunny skies and active lifestyles, Florida’s residents and visitors enjoy exploring our numerous miles of trails. Trail safety is important, particularly where trails and roadways cross. We all need to do our part to protect one another and prevent accidents. Whether as a motorist or trail user, we have a shared responsibility to:

Look and listen.
Obey signs and markings.
Take responsibility for our own safety.

The Florida Department of Transportation and the DEP's Division of Recreation and Parks joined together to put the spotlight on this important topic by developing a Trail Safety Video.

Feel free to share or download the video along with the extra information found below ... and remember to Always Put Safety First.

More Trail Safety Information
Trail Safety Poster
Trail Safety at Crossings

For even more information on trail safety, please visit our Assistance and Resources webpage.

For more information on requesting a speaker, visit the Contact Us webpage.

Do you enjoy hiking, biking, paddling or horseback riding? OGT, within the Division of Recreation and Parks, provides statewide leadership and coordination to establish, expand and promote non-motorized trails that make up the Florida Greenways and Trails System, pursuant to the Florida Greenways and Trails Act (Chapter 260, Florida Statutes). More can be found in the OGT office overview and historical timeline.

"Florida's Growing Trail System" article in the March/April 2019 issue of Quality Cities Magazine provides an overview of Florida's trail system and Trail Town program.

To be included in OGT's online calendar, send regional and state event announcements to OGT's inbox.

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