November is a great time of year to pull out your kayak, paddleboard, or canoe and explore one of Florida’s many designated paddling trails. If you’re looking for a coastal paddling adventure, check out our newly completed Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Story Map for a colorful overview of this 1,515-mile trail around the entire state.
For November’s installment of the Outdoor Florida Webinar series, we are celebrating Florida Paddlesports Month with a discussion about adaptive paddling. Tune in to hear from Danny Paltjon, co-founder of the Oceans of Hope Foundation, about how his organization facilitates adaptive ocean & river access for individuals with physical disabilities in New Smyrna Beach. Click here to sign up and join us for the livestream on November 8th at 10:00am.
On November 28th, the Office of Greenways and Trails will host a Capital City-to-Sea Trail (CC2ST) Alliance kick-off meeting. The CC2ST is a group of trails in Northwest Florida connecting Tallahassee to Woodville, Wakulla Station, Sopchoppy, Mashes Sands, St. Marks, Panacea, and the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Currently, 62 miles have been completed and are open to the public. Stakeholders are invited to gather in Tallahassee at the Leon County Main Library to discuss the needs for this regional trail system and develop strategies as we move into 2024 and beyond. For more information, please contact Regional Coordinator Justin Baldwin.
In mid-October, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Great Outdoors Initiative to encourage Floridians to go outdoors and explore our state’s natural resources. As part of this campaign, annual State Park passes and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Gold Sportsman hunting and fishing licenses will be discounted by 50% through January 13th, 2024. Learn about the two types of passes and how you can purchase yours on the Florida State Parks website.
The next Florida Greenways and Trails Council meeting will take place on December 6th and 7th in Tallahassee. For more information on the Council and to view the agenda once it is published, visit our Council webpage. All Florida Greenways and Trails Council meetings are open to the public.
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 the Office of Greenways and Trails. Visit the website for more information on the C2C Alliance.
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. Check them out on the CT segments page. We have also created a CT Story Map and a Suwannee River Wilderness State Trail Story Map.
With our sunny skies and active lifestyles, Florida’s residents and visitors enjoy exploring our many 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 Florida Department of Environmental Protection'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 section.
Do you enjoy hiking, biking, paddling or horseback riding? The Office of Greenways and Trails (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 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 Doug Alderson.
Featured Publications: 2019-2023 Florida Greenways and Trails System Plan; Unpaved Non-Motorized Trail Guidelines; Trail Design Standards Infogram; 2023 Outdoor Recreation Economic Infographic; Establishing and Promoting a Paddling Trail or Blueways System.
Florida trails 500-plus miles in length:
Florida Bike Touring and State Trail Public Camping Options
Florida Bike Touring and State Trail Public Camping OptionsInterested in subscribing to DEP newsletters or receiving DEP updates through email?
Sign UpThe Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship – protecting our air, water and land. The vision of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystems.
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