Are you looking for an exciting hiking experience in Panama City, Florida? Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, it's essential to understand the safety measures to take when trekking alone. From urban jungles to steamy rainforests, there are plenty of trails to explore in Panama City and its surrounding areas. Here's what you need to know about hiking alone in Panama City, Florida. When going on a solo hike, it's important to keep your phone close by in airplane mode.
This way, you can still access maps and other resources without using data or compromising your safety. South of Stuart, in Martin County, Seabranch Preserve State Park offers 9.6 kilometers of hiking trails through one of the last untouched scrub habitats in the southeastern United States. The River Rapids nature trail is a great place to start and links to all trails in the park, except for the wetland trail. Little Caney Head is close to Nubbin Creek and the Cave Creek Trail and has six campfires. San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park is another great option for lone hikers.
Located two hours from Panama City, this park has several trails of varying lengths and skill levels. You can travel back and forth to the starting points of the trail by taxi or bus (minibus); walking it will take you a couple more hours and the trail will cover about 23 km (14 miles) in total. Be sure to go during the week to avoid the crowds. The Great Basin of Nevada is another fantastic park with stunning views, but its peaks reach 13,000 feet high, making altitude sickness a concern on uncrowded trails in the area. If you're looking for an experienced guide, Rick Morales leads first-rate expeditions with a minimum of four travelers; book well in advance. The best national parks for solo hiking have busy trails, so you'll never have to go trekking in a remote area on your own.
Farout Apps offers complete logistics and offline maps of the Florida National Scenic Trail (1500 miles), the Florida Keys Heritage Trail (108 miles) and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles). For spectacular scenery, walk the northernmost section of the Florida National Scenic Trail, in Milton's Blackwater River State Forest, northeast of Pensacola. Head to the paved 1.6 km Blue Mesa Trail to see a completely different set of colors (blue, gray and white) in an area of wasteland that seems almost like a strange landscape.
