The Florida National Scenic Trail (also known as the Florida Trail or FT for short) is a congressionally-designated, long-distance hiking trail that weaves its way across Florida from Big Cypress National Preserve in the south to Gulf Islands National Seashore in the western end of Florida’s panhandle.

The Florida Trail is a national treasure, being 1 of only 11 National Scenic Trails in the country, and 1 of 3 contained entirely within a single state. The Forest Service administers five other National Scenic Trails throughout the country as part of the National Trails System. National scenic and historic trails were established as part of the National Trail System to preserve the country’s scenic, historic, cultural and natural wonders. The Florida National Scenic Trail provides the opportunity to see unique features in each of these categories.

The Florida Trail is currently about 1,500 miles long. The USDA Forest Service has it divided into four main geographic regions: the Southern region, the Central region, the Northern region and the Panhandle region.

History

In the 1960s, the Florida National Scenic Trail was just a dream. A group of dedicated volunteers created the Florida Trail Association, whose member recognized the need for long distance hiking opportunities in Florida. These volunteers came together to create, improve, and steward what is now the Florida Trail. The first blaze of the Florida National Scenic Trail was marked in the Ocala National Forest in October of 1966, but the Trail was not officially designated as a National Scenic Trail until 1983.

Source: USFS Website (May 2023)

Establishment Florida National Scenic Trail — March 28, 1983

For More Information Please Visit The OFFICIAL USFS WEBSITE

The contents of brochures, site bulletins and trading cards (denoted with a colored caption) can be viewed by clicking on the cover. Most modern-day brochures, however, are cover only (denoted by a white caption) due to photograph copyrights. These items are historical in scope and are intended for educational purposes only; they are not meant as an aid for travel planning. The dates under each brochure do not reflect the complete range of years that a particular brochure was issued.

September 2003		cover only September 2003		February 2006
Date Unknown		cover only Date Unknown

A Land Manager's Guide to: Minimum Trail Standards and Guidelines for the Florida National Scenic Trail (Date Unknown)

Annual Reports: 2019 • 2020 • 2021 (Florida Trail Association)

Congressional Reports: 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 (Florida Trail Association)

Comprehensive Plan, Florida National Scenic Trail (1986)

Connecting Florida's Public Lands: The Florida National Scenic Trail 5-year Strategic Plan (2018)

Design Parameters, Florida National Scenic Trail (Date Unknown)

Minimum Standards and Guidelines for the Florida National Scenic Trail (Date Unknown)

My Florida Trail Adventure: Official Junior Explorer Guide (February 2017)

Trail Class Matrix, Florida National Scenic Trail (Date Unknown)

Trail Classes 1-5, Florida National Scenic Trail (Date Unknown)

Explore the Florida Trail