Explore the most popular Walking trails near Sarasota with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.
Service road, sand, some paved road trail; many optional cross trails to mix up the terrain with some shade/woodlands.
This park actually has about 1.3 miles of trails if completely walked. There is a "scrub loop" on the western side of the park behind the gazebo where you can native pines, palms, and a glimpse of the estuary of Phillipi Creek. A paved trail leads you around the historic Edison Keith mansion and servants quarters.
Not a huge fan of wide open hiking in the long grass, but loved taking a break from the beach to get into nature and work up a sweat. More than half the hike was wide open and in full sun. I was lucky I brought a log sleeve shirt so I wouldn’t get burnt
Drove there today to find it closed on weekdays. This should be added to the website of information. Only open Saturday and Sunday with limited hours.
Super easy trek — the canopy is really cool!
Good dry trail
Great trail and beautiful place!
Good trail with nice views, though very little shade. Palmer Blvd Gazebo across the street is a great place to enjoy the breeze and see wetland birds, fish, and turtles.
Probably the highest elevation Trail in Florida. It's short but the view is spectacular. Be sure to cross the street and check out the bird watching station as well.
Small but sweet nature area managed by a local private housing development (so don’t be surprised to find some trail ends bring you into or in view of neighborhoods). Reasonably wide paths of crushed shell, pine needle, pavement, &/or pressed soil wind around & between wooded areas and two large ponds with some small streams & marshy areas interspersing. Expected birds, geckos and squirrels. A “Danger: Rattlesnakes” sign was a novelty for me, a Yankee visitor. I was staying at/(in?) River Strand nearby, visiting family, and that complex weirdly has no shaded paths. So I was just looking for an easy sun dappled walk. About half was, which suited me well. I went down a few side paths and needed to double back a short bit once or twice and ended up at nearly 3 m. No great shakes but good to know about/have around. NOTE: • there is a trail map at the lot. Take a picture with phone if you care to, bc there are no others. • Bring binocs to watch birds on mini-island rookery • “Interpretative signage” referenced on sign is entirely missing.
Unable to acces Deep Hole due to high water.
this is at the crowley museum. beautiful walk! there are a couple miles of trail here with about a mile of it on a board walk. it goes through a swampy area with a beautiful stream at the end with a lookout tower. they keep a few animals here like old Florida cows, two horses , goats and a friendly pig that likes to be petted.
Easy walk following the river. In mid January we did see one alligator out on the bank sunning. large maybe 8'.
When first entering to register the ranger was incredibly rude to us, did not answer our questions well and full of attitude, may of had a bad day perhaps. backpacked to honore primitive campsite, which is not marked well from the main trail we followed the blaze when there was a fork in the trail because we had no idea what the other way meant so we passed out campsite. The map provided does not explain what each colored blaze meant. we saw some random ones and did not know what they meant. backpacked to panther point the next day. the views are absolutely beautiful, and it was an amazing time. we of course had challenges as there is no water source, though there was a slow moving body of water you can treat and some flooding and some snakes, but that makes it an adventure!! Saw some gators and deer. becareful on the trail with the hog damage. It was a blast!
Beautiful scenic trail.
A lot of little trails that go around the area. Not very scenic. Lots of trees. But really peaceful and has a few little creeks running through it which are nice
Although the trail is .9 miles, you get extend your hike/walk around the perimeter of the park, crossing the street to a beautiful Audubon sanctuary, and the adjacent wetlands. Easy to get in 4 miles.
Too short to really enjoy but it’s still nice. People are always on the short loop to go to/ coming from the canopy walk but the long loop is definitely less travelled. Although it is short it’s still pretty nice.
I went after 2 days of heavy raining so there were a lot of very flooded areas. Some places came up almost to my hips and I’m 6’ 4”, not sure how high or if at all the water would come up if you went at a drier time. Part of the east loop was so flooded I couldn’t go back there because I would have been swimming. But I’m sure if it were drier it would have been just as gorgeous as the rest of the hike.
Nice paved path with good overhead tree cover so its shady. I only wish that dogs were allowed
Great place in the flat lands of Florida to walk up and down gentle slopes. Nice place to see birds, turtles, snakes and alligators too.
Relaxing quiet morning walk.
Wet. Hot. Wonderful!! Seriously, and be prepared to get your feet wet. Look hard. When I went on the south Florida trail of them. I just couldn’t see the. Markings and turned around. The north side of. It was much better
Saw a few people here on the bridge. We’ll see you on my next hike how many I see. The bridge is always is phenomenal. Little wet if you want to go to The Bridge first take a pass on the right as you’re facing the trail
This year’s rainy season washed out a lot of the park but the hike to the Canopy Walkway was still excellent. Almost no bugs. Saw deer, no gators. Thought I heard a Skunk Ape but it was just a Canadian teenager.
It was a nice, easy trail with a small bit of incline which is rare here in South Florida. It was a bit wet in places which is normal here for this time of year. We took our dog on a leash. On the back side of the hill you will hear the lions and tigers. I didn't realize they kept them there so I was quite startled at first ha! It was nice views of the hillside and well-maintained. There are bathrooms outside in a building to the left of the parking lot.
I run here just about everyday. I have seen an abundance of gopher tortoises, alligators, and other wildlife. There are many off shoot trails off of the main path, and I can fit in about 7 miles of running in Herons Nest. Follow the trail past the park to the gravel and you will run through trees, by lakes, and streams. I recommend (for long distance runners) to follow the trail all the way to the end (Lorraine road), making a right on Lorraine, and another right on hidden river trail: a remote road that is also good for running.
This trail is north of the powerline trail. And it’s always desereteit. If you go in. 7/10 of a mile and then you can go to your left or to your right On a Florida trail piece. I went left. After .3 miles you come to a small bridge, and you want to pay attention because otherwise you’ll be on the big broad Road, and miss the nice narrow path. I continued on about 2 1/2 miles. Then it got wet. Normally that wouldn’t bother me but I was going to have to turn around soon anyway. I love how a trail looks so different when you’re going the opposite direction. There’s a lot of moss on trees. There are sections where palms have been burnt. And I heard either a frog Or a gator. I did not check out which it was. No mosquitoes today to speak of. And there’s always no people on this trail. It look like the one with the bridge swinging Bridge was packed. I’ll come back in the winter to look at that one.
Hiked this trail today (July 4, 2018). Trail had a few wet spots, but was entirely passable. Lower Myakka Lake was flooded, and the traditional Deep Hole viewing area was inaccessible. I expect this will remain to be the case for the next few months. Pack enough water, there isn't much of any shade.
