Below are places we have ventured and found worthy of sharing. We encourage you to visit them and make your own memories.
WICHITA MOUNTAINS
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is located in Oklahoma, near Lawton. The Wichitas are approximately 500 million years old. As we toured the different areas, it was clear why this location is an important conservation area.
There are ample trails that take you through the diverse habitats. Atop the mountains, across the prairie lands and alongside the beautiful streams and lakes you will experience the wild.
We hiked two different days. The first day we hiked a few different short trails exploring the different areas. The second day we hiked the 5.7 mile Bison Trail. The landscapes, wildlife and flowers made this a great experience.
Rock climbing is a popular activity enjoyed by visitors there also.
PROVIDENCE CANYON
This small, but amazing canyon is in Georgia, near Lumpkin. The trails are not that long, but the journey through the canyon makes it well worth your time. The history behind this location will fascinate you, because it is through something bad that this place exists. Visit to find out.
WITHLACOOCHEE STATE FOREST
Space, Solitude and Self-Reliance is Florida State Forests motto and you will find it along the 8 mile Croom A trail. Located near Inverness and Brooksville, this tract of land hosts several trails dispersed to allow different users escapes into forest. It was a rolling trail for Florida. The flatwoods, sandhills and sinkholes offered us enough diversity to keep us pointing and talking about what we seen.
For us, this trail was an eye opener for the importance of good shoes. Plantar fasciitis is devastating on the enjoyment of a hike if not properly cared for. Quality shoes, especially hiking shoes, make all the difference. This hike led us to reviewing quality hiking shoes. Check out our favorite gear page to see what works for us.
PICKETT STATE PARK
This is a state park in Tennessee, near Jamestown, that is full of natural wonders. The natural arches had us mesmerized and the arches are what had us drawn to venture here. Parks usually have shorter interpretive trails, but this park will amaze you with over 50 miles of trails. It is surrounded by public owned lands, so a trip here can afford you ample opportunities.
There is also varied opportunities here for overnight stays. They have camp sites, cabins and economy suites. The park is also rich in CCC history.
FROZEN HEAD STATE PARK
This is another state park in Tennessee, this one is near Wartburg. It is a large park that boasts its wilderness area. The falls are largely dependent upon rainfall, so seasonally they may be less desirable. We enjoyed them even though they was not flowing as impressively as it they do.
The trail to the Emory Gap is only .5 mile long and is ranked easy…the last section of it is debatable with us as to “easy” for flatwooders. Yes that is 1960 ft above elevation! That is good when you consider that we live approximately 50 feet above elevation. The hike up to the fall was 1960-1567=393ft UP in elevation…felt like we climbed most of it at the end of the trail right before we got here.
FLORIDA NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL
This 1,300 mile federally designated trail meanders across the state from the panhandle down to the Big Cypress National Park in the southern tip. It goes through multiple public lands including National Forests, National Parks, State Forests, Water Management Districts and through municipals. It has sections to it that are on public lands, then what we consider the downfall is the sections that travel along county roads and on rail to trails through cities.
In the public lands though is where we focus our time and absolutely love it. The trail is maintained primarily by a volunteer group, The Florida Trail. What an amazing group that is organized into chapters and they focus on sections and segments of the trail. Kudos to them, for their hard work pays off because hikers are able to enjoy these amazing areas.
WHEREVER YOU CHOOSE TO GO – HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
FLATWOODERS 