Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
while, there are tents, cabins and pavilions for sleeping under the stars. Lace up your boots
(or don some sandals; there are some very gentle trails here) and roll up your canvas.
WILDERNESS WAY
When hiking, stay on the trail and pick up your trash.
Never pick wildflowers, especially orchids.
Never chase or feed wild dolphins or manatees; admire but don't touch.
Never feed alligators; they bite.
On beaches, never approach nesting sea turtles or hatchling runs. Adhere to nighttime
lights-out policies when posted (usually May to October).
When snorkeling or diving, never touch coral reefs.
Trails
One thing Florida hikers never have to worry about is elevation gain (OK, there are some
artificial slopes and hills built into certain trails, if we're going to be pedantic). But if topo-
graphy is easy, the weather more than balances the negative end of the trekking scales, es-
pecially in the dry season. From November through March rain, temperature, humidity and
mosquitoes decrease to tolerable levels. In summer (June to September), make sure to hike
first thing in the morning, or at least before noon, to avoid the midday heat and almost
daily afternoon thundershowers.
South Florida swamps tend to favor 1- to 2-mile boardwalk trails; these are excellent for
even out-of-shape walkers, and almost always wheelchair accessible. You'll also find
lovely short trails in many state parks. The best trails in South Florida can be found in
Everglades National Park and surrounds.
Miami
It's the rare traveler who comes to Miami for the trekking. Still, there are a few nice ways
of getting out into nature while you're in the Magic City. Life can't be all Latin American
cuisine, flash condos and sweet nightlife. Most of Miami's green spaces can be found
either in far north Miami and Miami Beach, on the island of Key Biscayne, which has
large protected areas, and sprinkled amidst the miles of tract suburbia that stretch to the
south of the city.
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