Access the Trail
How to Find the Trail
The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail consists of four sections. There are nearly 500 separate locations on the Trail. Click on the section names below for listings of sites:
- East Florida Section (opened November 2000)
- West Florida Section (opened November 2002)
- Panhandle Florida Section (opened May 2004)
- South Florida Section (opened January 2006)
Specific information on site features/amenities, habitats and species information can be found in the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail guides and the trip-planning tool.
Four ways to get a guide to the Trail
1) For the most up to date information, download a copy of the guides.
2) Request a free copy to be mailed to you.
3) Pick one up at any number of nature centers throughout the state, or visit one of the gateway sites (see below, under Gateways).
4) An extended "Guide to the Great Florida Birding Trail: East Section" was released in book form by the University Press of Florida in 2002. It is available for purchase online as well as in major Florida bookstores.
Gateways
To better introduce visitors to the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, we designated nine “gateway” sites at exceptional birding locations. There are two or three gateways located in each Trail section. Gateways have staffed visitor centers and serve as hubs for Trail information. Each gateway has a special kiosk with birdwatching tips for beginners and introductory information regarding the Trail. Loaner optics can be checked out for free for a day with a driver’s license or major credit card at all gateway locations. Or stop by and pick up a copy of the trail guides.
Visit these gateway locations:
East Florida Section:
- Fort Clinch State Park (Fernandina Beach)
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (Titusville)
- Tenoroc Fish Management Area (Lakeland)
West Florida Section:
- Fort De Soto Park (St. Petersburg)
- Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (Gainesville)
Panhandle Florida Section:
- Big Lagoon State Park (Pensacola)
- St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (St. Marks)
South Florida Section:
- Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (West Palm Beach)
-
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (Naples)
For a successful trip
Check the guide in advance to make sure you're visiting seasonal sites at the right time of year.
Call ahead to visit sites that are by appointment only.
