Florida Trails

Tread Lightly! Four Wheel Drive Way is located in central Florida in Ocala Nationa Forest. Ocala National Forest spans over Lake, Marion, and Putnam Counties for about 385,000 acres. Four Wheel Drive Way travels 80 miles through the north, central, and south regions of Ocala National Forest. The trail is the longest in Florida and will leave lasting impressions as drivers weave through crowded trails, dig through deep Florida sugar sand, hill climb and hill descents, even a few off-camber areas and areas to flex your rig's suspension. Trees and other vegetation will dig into your vehicle's paint leaving permanent memories, whether good or bad is a discussion for another time. Tread Lightly! Four Wheel Drive Way is Florida's first and only trail listed on Jeep's Badge of Honor program. Jeep drivers can download Jeep Badge of Honor app on iOS or Android, check-in the app, and receive a badge after completing the trail. See Jeep Badge of Honor for more information.

Trail 11 is one of the longest trails in the Citrus Wildlife Management Area. The trail is great for any novice and moderately experienced off-roader looking for more experience! Drivers will travel through bright white sugar-sand, drive through off-camber areas carved into the forest bed, climb severely eroded ledges, and roll tires through some mud. Trail 11 has scenic areas and elevation changes the more explorers move north through the forest. Trail 11 is one of the best trails in Citrus WMA because it has something for everyone! Citrus Wildlife Management Area is a very popular and active Management Area. Citrus WMA is almost 50,000 acres and is part of both Citrus and Hernando counties. Citrus WMA provides plenty of four-wheeling, hiking, biking, and horse riding trails along with multiple camping sites.

Trail 8 is probably the most difficult trail in Citrus WMA! Many offroaders have become stuck on Trail 8 due to deep ruts and slippery mud located towards the beginning of the trail. Once past the mud and ruts Trail 8 calms down but drivers will need to watch for mud holes, and climb over ledges where Florida's torrential downpours have washed away the trail! Explorers will also disappear below ground level as deep trenches have been dug into the soil from countless heavy machinery maintaining the trail. Citrus Wildlife Management Area is a very popular and active Management Area. Citrus WMA is almost 50,000 acres and is part of both Citrus and Hernando counties. Citrus WMA provides plenty of four-wheeling, hiking, biking, and horse riding trails along with multiple camping sites.

Jeep Beach Parade is an exhilarating coastal adventure where the sun-kissed skies meet the salty breeze from the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean at the world-famous Daytona Beach. A topless vehicle cruising along the shore offers an idyllic feeling of freedom unlike anything else. The picturesque tangerine-colored sky at sunrise pairs nicely with the sound of the crashing waves to provide a beautiful, soothing, natural soundtrack for your journey.

The distant laughter of beachgoers can be heard all along this vacation destination, where you can cruise miles of beach or park and enjoy this sand-made empire. Caution is advised as sun and sand seekers commingle with the vehicle traffic.

This route is home to thousands of Jeeps congregating each spring for the annual Jeep Beach adventure. While many park and watch the endless procession roll by, others partake in the miles-long beach parade that boasts more than 12,000 Jeeps. This 10-mile route is bumper-to-bumper as jeeps slowly crawl by from sunrise to sunset.

This is a historic trail into Richloam Wildlife Management Area. The trail is mostly limestone road with some asphalt in the beginning, leading to the Richloam Post Office and General Store from 1928. Richloam General Store is located in the middle of nowhere and a great place to stop by! On the way you will get deeper into the 58,000 acre forest with plenty of opportunities to explore Richloam WMA.

This trail winds through beautiful coastal scrub, wet prairie, swamplands and longleaf pine flatwoods and is located just north of the pristine white sand beaches along the famous 30A. The entire trail is easily accessible and can be in accomplished in any vehicle. There are several optional sand obstacles that are along the edges of the main path but they are easily avoidable. For the more adventurous bunch, the sand obstacles provide the opportunity to test out a vehicles 4WD system or traction boards.

Forest Road 2 offers many offshoots roads that lead to different trailheads. You can expect to run into other hikers, bikers, horseback riders, and offroaders while exploring this area.  

There is a $2 daily fee for accessing State Forests throughout Florida. Dispersed camping is not available along this particular trail but a campground is located just south along Forest Road 7. There are eight primitive campsites, and reservations are required.

Indian Lake Road is located on the east side of Tiger Bay State Forest and brings travelers to Indian Lake and a recreation area. Indian Lake Recreation Area greets visitors with a relaxing pier onto the lake, covered and uncovered picnic tables, grills, trash cans, and an outhouse. The drive on Indian Lake Road is easy, calm, and accessible to all cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Tiger Bay State Forest is located in east-central Florida and spans about 30,000 acres. Tiger Bay State Forest got its name because of the large wetland that supplies Daytona Beach, DeLand, and other local municipals with water. It is home to two natural lakes named Indian Lake and Scoggin Lake and multiple other natural and manmade ponds. These bodies of water bring all types of wildlife; fish, gators, bears, deer, panthers, birds, and insects to the area. Tiger Bay State Forest allows visitors to take in nature's sights, smells, and sounds by camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, boating, and hunting. Indian Lake Road, Rima Ridge Road, and Gopher Ridge Road are the three entrances to Tiger Bay State Forest.

Take a break from the beach to check out the trail systems scattered throughout the Point Washington State Forest. State Forest Road 28 rubs between South County Highway 83 and South County Highway 283. This trail allows the adventurist to explore the beautiful sandhill forests north of the famous 30A.

This trail runs generally east to west for approximately 2.5 miles and can be completed in any stock vehicle. Roads are typically graded gravel. However, several sections can become sandy. Open roads are marked by road signs fastened to trees. This is a popular multi-use trail system. You can expect to run into hikers, bikers, horseback riders, and offroaders.

There is a $2 daily fee for accessing State Forests throughout Florida. Dispersed camping is not available along this trail. The closest camping is in the Point Washington State Park, located at the Eastern Lake Campgrounds off Forest Road 7. There are eight primitive campsites, and reservations are required.

Follow this short trail to the Eastern Lake Campground. This trail winds through marshland before being encompassed by surrounding forest. The roads are well maintained and can be traversed by any type of vehicle.

Perhaps the cheapest place to stay along the 30A, this campground features eight primitive campsites on location. The campsites are heavily vegetated and provide great overhead cover from the sun. Reservations are required for the campsites and cost $10 per day.

State Forest Road 22 allows adventurers to trade the crowded beaches for secluded wilderness. This trail picks up where State Forest Road 28 left off and traverses through beautiful coastal pine forests and wetlands. This area is home to many wildlife species, including deer, bald eagles, wild hogs, turkeys, alligators, osprey, and black bear.

After crossing Highway 283 and hitting the gravel, the trail travels in a northerly direction before orienting itself on a west-east axis, ending at Highway 395. The trail consists of rough gravel but features several optional sand pit obstacles. There is a single shallow water crossing on the trail. Understand your vehicle's capabilities and do not attempt to cross if water levels are high.

Ensure you remain on opened trails. Trails closed to vehicular traffic are clearly marked. This is a popular multi-use trail system. You can expect to run into hikers, bikers, horseback riders, and offroaders.

There is a $2 daily fee for accessing State Forests throughout Florida. Dispersed camping is not available along this trail. The closest camping is in the Point Washington State Park, located at the Eastern Lake Campgrounds off Forest Road 7. There are eight primitive campsites, and reservations are required.

Tiger Bay State Forest is located in east-central Florida and spans about 30,000 acres. Tiger Bay State Forest got its name because of the large wetland that supplies Daytona Beach, DeLand, and other local municipals with water. It is home to two natural lakes named Indian Lake and Scoggin Lake, and multiple other natural and manmade ponds. These bodies of water bring all types of wildlife; fish, gators, bears, deer, panthers, birds, and insects to the area. Tiger Bay State Forest allows visitors to take in the sights, smells, and sounds of nature by camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, boating, and hunting. Wildlife Drive is a trail with a split personality in Tiger Bay State Forest. There is a gate located in the middle of Wildlife Drive that splits the trail into the east and west sides. The east side of the trail is a very easy and painless drive on gravel with green vegetation surrounding visitors. The west side of Wildlife Drive is also surrounded by green vegetation, however, the trail is less maintained dirt with potholes and shallow water crossings.

This section of the beach runs north from the Hard Rock Hotel to Ormond Beach. You can access this beach at University Blvd. and Hartford Ave. At each beach entry ramp, there is an attendant station where personnel check for the required permit to drive on the beach. The speed limit is 10 MPH, and you must drive with at least one open front window and the vehicle headlights on. Just note that the sand can get soft at times. Usually, signs will be posted for this area informing people that 4WD is needed.

The beach drive is highly affected by the ocean tides, which change every six hours. During high tide, access to the beach through the entrance ramps is restricted because the high tide narrows the amount of beach available to drive on—the access ramp gates close off the beach during high tide and dangerous storms.

This section of the trail is between the Pier and the Hard Rock Hotel and can only be accessed at Seabreeze Blvd. At each beach entry ramp, there is an attendant station where personnel check for the required permit to drive on the beach. The speed limit is 10 MPH, and you must drive with at least one open front window and the vehicle headlights on. Just note that the sand can get soft at times. Usually, signs will be posted for this area informing people that 4WD is needed.

The beach drive is highly affected by the ocean tides, which change every six hours. During high tide, access to the beach through the entrance ramps is restricted because the high tide narrows the amount of beach available to drive on—the access ramp gates close off the beach during high tide and dangerous storms.

Powerline Road is a scenic drive under and between tall electricity pylons. While traveling under the pylons, travels can expect to hear electrical crackling and zapping sounds along with birds chirping and cows mooing. Driving through Babcock Webb WMA on Powerline Grade will show marshes, lush green vegetation, and pylons all disappearing far into the distance. Powerline Grade is an odd combination of modern engineering and nature combined into one. Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area is an active cattle ranch located in southwest Florida. The Wildlife Management Area consists of prairies, marshes, and woodlands spanning almost 66,000 acres in Charlotte County. Babcock Webb WMA allows camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, wildlife watching, paddling, boating, and horseback riding.

Powerline Grade is made of limestone and gravel. The trail has no curves and is a diagonal shape out-and-back trail. Powerline Grade is almost 2.5 miles long and has no mentionable elevation changes. There are no obstacles on this trail. Powerline Grade is best suited for cars, trucks/SUVs, and drivers of all experiences.

Camping is not allowed on Powerline Grade however, camping is allowed at Webb Lake Campground on Tucker Grade. Webb Lake Campgrounds has three primitive sites all located at the beginning of the trail. The main campgrounds are open yearly but only on: -Weekends from 5 pm Friday-9 pm Sunday. -Memorial Day, Independence Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Labor Day. The two main campsites consist of Webb Lake Campground North and Webb Lake Campground South. The third campsite is the Overflow Campsite which is used during hunting season. All campsites are linked together and have restrooms (no running water), picnic tables, firepits, and boat ramps. Camping reservations are required. Please see the official Babcock-Webb Campgrounds website for reservations.

Wampee Strand sounds like it came from Star Wars, however, it is a bumpy trail in western Tiger Bay State Forest. The trail is a weaving forest shortcut that connects Bear Island Road to Gopher Ridge Road. Wampee Strand is made of compact dirt and has plenty of potholes that will minorly flex vehicle suspension components. After a typical Florida downpour, the trail will have some areas to throw mud down the side of your vehicle while cruising through a neverending forest of green vegetation.

Camping is not allowed on Wampee Strand or anywhere in western Tiger Bay State Forest. However, several commercial campgrounds can be found nearby.

Wampee Strand is suitable for any vehicle and drivers of all experiences.

Road 4 is a short but beautiful trail located in northcentral Babcock Webb WMA. The trail connects to the almost 1300 acres for the Boy Scouts' Field Trial Area. Road 4 is a basic trail that cuts through bright green prairie, waist-tall grass, and marsh/swamp areas. Trail 4 also connects to Road 5. Road 4 is a great place to relax and take in Florida's sights and sounds. Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area is an active cattle ranch located in southwest Florida. The Wildlife Management Area consists of prairies, marshes, and woodlands spanning almost 66,000 acres in Charlotte County. Babcock Webb WMA allows camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, wildlife watching, paddling, boating, and horseback riding.

Camping is not allowed on Road 4 however, camping is allowed at Webb Lake Campground on Tucker Grade. Webb Lake Campgrounds has three primitive sites all located at the beginning of the trail. The main campgrounds are open yearly but only on: -Weekends from 5 pm Friday-9 pm Sunday. -Memorial Day, Independence Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Labor Day. The two main campsites consist of Webb Lake Campground North and Webb Lake Campground South. The third campsite is the Overflow Campsite which is used during hunting season. All campsites are linked together and have restrooms (no running water), picnic tables, fire pits, and boat ramps. Reservations are required to camp. Please see the official Babcock-Webb Campgrounds website for more information regarding camping, hunting, and reservations. Camping reservations are required. Please see the official Babcock-Webb Campgrounds website for reservations.

Goethe State Forest is located in central Florida and spans almost 54,000 acres. Exploring Goethe State Forest can be done in many ways, such as hiking, bicycling, horseback, and street-legal vehicles. Goethe State Forest is great for anyone looking to hunt, fish, camp, and watch wildlife. Camp Road is located in northern Goethe State Forest. Camp Road is home to Black Prong Trailhead which has picnic tables, restrooms, large covered buildings, horse hitching stations, and non-potable water. Black Prong Trailhead has almost 40 miles of hiking and horse trails to explore! Despite Black Prong Trailhead being located on Camp Road, camping is not allowed.

Osceola National Forest is one of three National Forests in Florida. Spanning 266,000 acres, Osceola is the smallest of Florida's National Forests. Exploring Osceola National Forest can be done in many ways such as hiking, ATVs, horseback, and street-legal vehicles. Ocala National Forest is great for anyone looking to hunt, camp, watch wildlife, or visit the Lewis D. Whitaker shooting range! National Forest Road 205 is centrally located on the eastern side of Osceola National Forest. The trail is surrounded by tree clearings and was an ex-logging road. Bear Bay makes drivers weave through forest and swampland, traversing over dirt and limestone. During Florida's wet seasons, Bear Bay is subjected to multiple water crossings and mud. It is best suited for high clearance vehicles with 4x4 capability.

Camping is not allowed on Bear Bay, however nearby on FR202 there is East Tower Hunt Camp. East Tower Hunt Camp is an improved campsite with grills, toilets, drinking water, and parking. The camp can also handle up to medium-sized RVs and trailers. For more info and campsite reservations please visit East Tower Hunt Camp and Osceola Ranger Station.

Goethe State Forest is located in central Florida and spans almost 54,000 acres. Exploring Goethe State Forest can be done in many ways, such as hiking, bicycling, horseback, and street-legal vehicles. Goethe State Forest is great for anyone looking to hunt, fish, camp, and watch wildlife. Griffins Road is located in northern Goethe State Forest. The trail is short and cuts through dense forest and has a few corners that keep drivers guessing what's around the corner. Griffins Road is a calm and easy trail to explore and soak in what Goethe State Forest has to offer.

Camping is not allowed on Griffins Road, however on North Gasline Road visitors can find Apex Trailhead. Apex Trailhead allows primitive camping sites, but reservations are required. The campground has non-potable water, picnic tables, restrooms, a medium-sized building for gatherings, grills, firepits, and hitching posts for horses. For more information and campsite reservations please visit the official website. Visitors looking for a more plush commercial camping/hotel experience, or looking to bring an RV, please see Goethe Trailhead Campground. The nearest hotel/motel is north on Highway 98 in Chiefland.

Osceola National Forest is one of three National Forests in Florida. Spanning 266,000 acres Osceola is the smallest of Florida's National Forests. Exploring Osceola National Forest can be done in many ways such as hiking, ATVs, horseback, and street-legal vehicles. Ocala National Forest is great for anyone looking to hunt, camp, watch wildlife, or visit the Lewis D. Whitaker shooting range! National Forest Road 213 is a short connecting trail located in the middle of Osceola National Forest. The trail allows explorers to take an express/easy path from FR212 and FR272 and connect back to FR323. FR213 cuts through forest and swampland. FR213 is also well maintained and will be surrounded by water during Florida's wet seasons so keep your eyes open for alligators!

Camping is not allowed on FR213, however on National Forest Road 212 there is Big Camp Hunt Camp. Big Camp Hunt Camp is a primitive campsite with garbage cans and toilets during hunting season. The camp can also handle tents, but no RV's or trailers. For more info and campsite reservations please visit Big Camp Hunt Camp and Osceola Ranger Station.

Osceola National Forest is one of three National Forests in Florida. Spanning 266,000 acres, Osceola is the smallest of Florida's National Forests. Exploring Osceola National Forest can be done in many ways such as hiking, ATVs, horseback, and street-legal vehicles. Ocala National Forest is great for anyone looking to hunt, camp, watch wildlife, or visit the Lewis D. Whitaker shooting range! Stuka is a short and sweet trail located in Osceola National Forest. The trail cuts right through dense forest and is a shortcut from National Forest Road 231 and National Forest Road 276. Stuka is the shortest trail in Osceola National Forest and drivers will appreciate it when attempting to quickly connect between trails. The trail is mainly dirt and grass and suitable for any vehicle.

Camping is not allowed on Stuka, however nearby on FR202 there is East Tower Hunt Camp. East Tower Hunt Camp is an improved campsite with grills, toilets, drinking water, and parking. The camp can also handle up to medium-sized RVs and trailers. For more info and campsite reservations please visit East Tower Hunt Camp and Osceola Ranger Station.