2023 Recap – 5 Favorite Florida Hikes in 2023

The past year offered many opportunities to get out and hike Florida’s beautiful parks. Though I stuck close to home in the Tampa Bay area for several reasons, we’re blessed to have many beautiful hiking trails in Tampa.

From city parks to state parks, I got out for an actual hike (not a city stroll) 15 times in 2023. Fewer than intended, but any hike is a good hike, isn’t it? These five were my favorite Florida hikes of the year.

You can always follow my outings on Facebook and Instagram to see more photos from the parks and small towns I visit throughout the year. I also post videos on YouTube from time to time with a goal in 2024 to be more consistent about that.

Starkey Wilderness Park

January 2023. The second hike of the year took me to Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park in New Port Richey. Covering more than 8,000 acres, most of it inaccessible to day users, this park hugs the banks of the Anclote River along its southern border.

More than 50 miles of interconnected trails spread across the park with off-road cycling and horseback riding also allowed on some of the trails. On my day trip, I explored the interpretive trail at the historic McNeill Homestead and hiked a little over 2 miles near the equestrian parking lot.

Circle B Bar Reserve

April 2023. If you’ve ever seen those videos of giant gators crossing the hiking trails, this is the place where that happens. Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland had been on my to-do list for quite a while. It’s a stunning former cattle ranch (hence, the name) which has been restored (mostly) to it’s natural state.

When I visited in April, I went with a few members of my photography club. We ended up covered about 4 miles of intersecting trails and saw lots of gators. We were there at the beginning of gator mating season and were treated to quite a few bellows. For all the wildlife and photo ops, this one will remain one of my favorite Florida hikes for years to come.

Gator Creek Reserve

July 2023. It’s generally not a great idea to go hiking in Florida in the middle of summer. Mid-July is my usual hike-by date for the summer, and I take August off. When I visited Gator Creek Reserve in Lakeland, I started around 7 AM and was back in my car’s AC by 10:30 AM. And even with those precautions, mostly shady trails, and two bottles of ice-cold water, I still felt the effects of heat exhaustion creeping in.

Gator Creek Reserve covers more than 2,000 acres with just a few miles of trails accessible to the public. It’s not on many radars so it was quite empty when I was there. A half mile paved loop provides accessibility to those with mobility challenges. The rest of the nearly 6 miles of trails are unpaved.

Serenova Tract

September 2023. A sister tract to Starkey Wilderness Tract, Serenova Tract in Land O’ Lakes covers more than 6,500 acres with Starkey as its southern border. The Pithlachascotee River meanders along that border providing some fishing opportunities but mostly wetlands.

With more than 20 miles of multi-use trails, a couple of lakes, and two primitive campgrounds, this nature preserve provides lots of opportunities for a great outdoorsy weekend (or week). When I visited wildflowers bloomed everywhere and instantly made this one of my favorite Florida hikes of the year. I saw lots of people camping, riding horses, and riding bikes – in general enjoying the beautiful weather.

Little Manatee River State Park

November 2023. One of my last hikes of the year was on Thanksgiving weekend at Little Manatee River State Park in Wimauma. I expected the park to be pretty busy, but there wasn’t even a ranger at the gate when I pulled up around 9 AM. This park spans both sides of the Little Manatee River and while I saw few people at the south main entrance, there were quite a few more on the north side trail.

This state park caters to all sorts of activities. It has equestrian and non-equestrian campgrounds, a kayak launch, playground, picnic shelters, and more than 15 miles of multi-use trails. On the north side of the river, a trail open solely to hikers loops to 6+ miles or cut it in half for a 3 mile hike. There is also a primitive campground in this part of the park.

Final Thoughts on Favorite Florida Hikes

Though I aimed for 52 hikes and got in far fewer than that, sometimes the quality of the hikes is more important than the number. I was able to visit several places which were on my to-do list as well as old favorites. And some of the new ones became some of my favorite Florida hikes, not only in 2023 but overall.