December is the perfect season to share the gift of adventure. Consider giving the amazing present of a Florida State Park Annual Pass to friends or family, unlocking unforgettable outdoor experiences. You can also support local communities by visiting one of Florida's Trail Towns and shopping locally.
This month, we're excited to launch our *Explore Florida Trail Towns* program! Request a FREE Explore booklet from OfficeofGreenwaysandTrails@FloridaDEP.Gov and dive into the charm of Florida’s Trail Towns. As you visit participating locations, collect personalized stickers for your booklet. Once you've gathered stickers from all the designated Trail Towns listed on our website, simply snap a photo of your completed pages and email it to us to claim exciting prizes. Start exploring today!
Make plans to attend the 2025 Florida Greenways & Trails Summit in Venice, Florida, on February 5-6. The Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation is hosting the event and will bring together trail enthusiasts, experts, and advocates from across the state. The event will feature an inspiring lineup of speakers, engaging presentations on trail policy, planning, and implementation, and opportunities to connect with others passionate about Florida’s greenways and trails network.
This holiday season, remember to instill a love for Florida’s great outdoors with our brand-new children’s activity book. Filled with fun puzzles, coloring pages, and interactive learning activities, this book invites kids to explore Florida’s unique wildlife, stunning landscapes, and thrilling outdoor adventures—from beaches to forests and everything in between. Perfect for young adventurers, it’s a great way to spark curiosity about Florida’s ecosystems and inspire a lifelong appreciation for nature. Whether at home or on the go, this activity book is the ultimate companion for outdoor fun in Florida. Request your FREE copy of the by emailing your mailing address to OfficeofGreenwaysandTrails@FloridaDEP.Gov. This will make a great stocking stuffer for your little outdoor enthusiast.
Plus, don’t miss out on our FREE *Mountain Biking in Florida* guide, featuring 10 incredible biking locations across the state!
As a reminder, if you haven’t already, register to attend our December 11th webinar, Outdoor Recreation Opportunities in Marion County with Director Jim Couillard. Marion County is the 5th largest county in Florida and home to a significant portion of the Ocala National Forest, three Florida State Parks, including the Cross Florida Greenway. Join us to learn more about all that Marion County has to offer.
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 Mexico 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.
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.
For more information, visit the Outdoor Florida Webinar Series webpage.
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:
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 |
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| 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.
Featured Publications:
Florida trails 500-plus miles in length:
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