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The Florida Trail Association develops, maintains, protects, and promotes a network of hiking trails throughout the state, including the unique Florida National Scenic Trail.
Together with our partners we provide opportunities for the public to hike, engage in outdoor recreation, participate in environmental education, and contribute to meaningful volunteer work.
| | Central Florida Chapter Update | |
Hey Trail Family—
After what seemed like a ridiculously hot summer, the breeze is shifting, mornings are cooler, and the trails are finally calling again. You know what that means—hiking season is officially back, and we’re excited to welcome the return of our favorite winter residents: our seasonal hikers!
We recently hit the trail and were treated to a bit of Florida magic—Pine Lilies and Celestial Lilies blooming in the wild! These vivid late summer flowers are native to our region and don’t stick around long. Spotting both in one outing was a reminder of why we hike: every trail holds a surprise—if you’re paying attention.
With cooler temperatures, now is the perfect time to jump back in - whether you're gearing up for your first hike or feeling ready to lead one. To our new Activity Leaders: Don’t be shy! If you’re still finding your footing or feel unsure about leading solo, just know—we’ve all been there. Many of us would be more than happy to co-lead a hike with you. It’s a great way to ease in, build confidence, and start shaping your own trail community.
Our calendar is filling fast, with many events right around the corner. Doug Alderson joins us next Thursday (September 18) to share his inspiring journey on the Kissimmee River, and Kristin Anderson from Conservation Florida will headline in October. Full details are in this newsletter and up on Meetup—don’t miss out!
As always, thank you for being part of this amazing community. Whether you're hiking, leading, volunteering, or just cheering from the sidelines—you are what makes our chapter special.
Let’s make this season unforgettable. Get outside, share your passion, and maybe even lead the way.
See you on the trail,
Chelsey Stevens
| September Chapter Meeting | |
📅 Thursday, September 18, 2025
🕡 6:30 PM – Social Time | 7:00 PM – Presentation Begins
📍 Leu Gardens – Magnolia Room
🍎 Bring a snack to share and join us for an evening of community, conservation, and storytelling.
🌊 Featured Speaker
Doug Alderson – New Dawn on the Kissimmee River
Between 1960 and 1971, the Army Corps of Engineers straightened and diverted the Kissimmee River to control flooding. These drastic alterations shortened its length, devastated wildlife populations, and fueled a real estate boom that further threatened native species. By 1992, Congress approved one of the most ambitious restoration projects in history to return the river to its natural flow.
In the spring of 2007, Doug Alderson joined an expedition down the Kissimmee chain of lakes and the newly restored river. Over twelve days of paddling, his group encountered recovering bird populations, otters, turtles, alligators, and the quiet wild beauty of a reborn river.
In his book, New Dawn on the Kissimmee River, Alderson weaves this journey together with the history and ecology of the region, celebrating what has become the world’s most successful river restoration project—and the model for Everglades restoration.
📖 About the Author:
Doug Alderson is the former associate editor of Florida Wildlife magazine and retired as the Florida Paddling Trails Coordinator for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. He has written numerous books on Florida’s natural and cultural heritage, inspiring readers to connect more deeply with the state’s wild places.
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Highlighted Hike of the Month
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D Ranch Preserve
Opened to the public May of this year, D Ranch Preserve protects 476 acres of land in the Lake Monroe floodplain. Acquired by Conservation Florida in 2019, this former working ranch boasts an impressive variety of habitats undergoing various stages of restoration. Built with the help of volunteers, a network of well-marked trails crisscrosses the property, showcasing its natural beauty.
From the parking area, the main trail is designated with red markers. In less than a quarter mile, this path branches to the south, where the yellow and orange loop trails explore upland habitats. To the north, the green and blue loop trails weave across seasonally flooded wetlands. With many routes to explore, a hike can be anywhere from a half mile trip to over four miles. This time of year, the flatwoods should be starting to sport vibrant wildflowers, from vibrant yellow goldenrod to purple vanillaleaf and blazing stars. Some lucky visitors may even spot a pine lily!
| | | Families Will Love Hiking at Disney Wilderness Preserve | | |
By Rob Rogers
The Nature Conservancy has several great hiking destinations in Florida, and perhaps the best one near Orlando for families is the Disney Wilderness Preserve. Located in Poinciana not far from the Disney parks, the Disney Wilderness Preserve is close to the attractions but feels far away. It also has several interconnected trails ranging in length from less than 1 mile to 6 miles, along with conveniences that families will appreciate. Formed initially from land acquired and donated by Disney as part of mitigation banking efforts to secure permits to expand Celebration in the early 1990s, the Disney Wilderness Preserve now sits on more than 11,000 acres beside Lake Russell, an undeveloped lake whose waters slowly drain south into lakes that feed the Everglades. Before then it had been used for logging and cattle grazing.
Now operated by the Nature Conservancy, the Preserve is a center for efforts to protect endangered birds, including the wood stork, red-cockaded woodpecker, and Florida scrub-jay, the only bird species found only in Florida. The Disney Wilderness Preserve is ideal for families because it is easy. A well-appointed Conservation Learning Center with comfortable bathrooms sits at the end of a 1 1/2 -mile paved entrance road beside ample parking. Green spaces and benches provide pleasant locations for picnics beside a lily covered pond, including a covered lookout with a rocking chair. Informative displays can be found throughout the preserve, including on scenic pull-offs along the entrance road.
And, of course, there are the hiking trails. Four interconnected trails ranging from reasonable for even young children (the 0.5-mile white trail), to ideal for pre-teens (the 2.5-mile red trail) or adults looking for exercise (the 6.1-mile yellow trail) spring from a trailhead beside the Learning Center. Ecosystems vary from longleaf pine forest covered with knee-high grasses and palmetto, to scrub and live oak hammocks, to freshwater marsh and cypress swamp. Benches can be found at pretty overlooks at many locations
on the wide, easily navigated trails, and sturdy picnic tables sit in shady locations ideal for lunch breaks, including a majestic live oak hammock in the southeastern corner of the yellow trail.
The highlight of the trail is an overlook of Lake Russell sitting at the end of a 0.1-mile spur from the red trail, approximately one mile from the Learning Center. Two picnic tables surrounded by cypress trees make for a perfect place to have lunch while watching eagles glide over a lake filled with turtles and alligators. Beside the head of the spur trail is a wooden blind
with benches for adults and small children, perfect for watching birds
wading through the nearby cypress head. When my wife and I hiked there last spring, we were surrounded by groups of Eastern Towhee, which we startled from the palmettos as we walked beneath tall longleaf pines.
Much of the trail is unshaded, so you’ll want to take sunscreen, and portions are also known to be wet during rainy seasons. The Preserve is also closed on Sundays and major holidays and, like most Nature Preserve properties, is not open to campers. But with no fee to enter and smaller crowds than you can expect to see at most state parks, the Disney Wilderness Preserve is a great place to enjoy the outdoors with children of all
ages.
Rob Rogers is the award-winning author of Finding My Way Home: Fighting Depression Backpacking in Central Florida. He also writes a blog called the “Central Florida Backpacking Desk Jockey” (http://backpackingdeskjockey.blog), and his essays on backpacking have been published on FloridaHikes.com and in the Wilderness House Literary Review.
Join us for the Hike of the Mont
| | National Public Lands Day | |
September 27th is National Public Lands Day!
On this day of celebration, our national parks will have free admission, and many public lands will be hosting events.
The Florida Trail Association will be hosting a special National Public Lands Day Webinar on Thursday, Sept 25 at 6 PM ET.
Learn how YOU can volunteer, explore, and give back to the Florida Trail. Two passionate FTA volunteers will share their personal experiences and tips for making an impact.
Register for the webinar now!
Canaveral National Seashore will be celebrating their 50th anniversary on Saturday, Sept 27 from 8 AM- 12 PM.
Experience special programs, meet park staff, and discover the rich history, unique wildlife, and stunning shoreline that make this park one of Florida’s coastal treasures. Meet at Eddy Creek for all activities. All programs are free. No registration required.
Learn More!
Wekiwa Springs State Park will be hosting a volunteer cleanup on Saturday, Sept from 9 AM - 12 PM.
Join other volunteers and remove litter from the trails. You will be provided gloves, pickers, and buckets, to clean our home and protect all who live in it. Admission is free for volunteers. Please email, Josefina.Galvan@floridadep.gov to register and receive fine details.
Learn More!
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Bicycle Trip: East Central Regional Rail Trail, Osteen Trailhead to Maytown.
When: September 27, 2025, Meet at 9:00 AM
Activity Leader: Bill Turman (Cell) 407-413-2950
(email) HokieBill@bellsouth.net
Being that this is early in the college football season, I thought it would be good to stretch our legs prior to pulling up a chair in front of the television.
The plan is to do a leisurely bike ride on the East Central Regional Rail Trail. We will meet and unload our bikes at the Osteen Trailhead on the east side of the bridge over Route 415 at 9:00 AM, look for my “bright red” Ford F-150 Truck.
We will then proceed to cycle east past the Guise Road TH (2.7 miles), Gobblers Lodge TH (6.2 miles, porta-john), Maytown Intersection (12.7 miles) to the Maytown Spur Road TH (13.1 miles, porta-john) and Vergie’s Pit Stop.
We will then turn around and backtrack to the intersection where we will ride to the old Maytown ruins. The we will return the way we came back to the Osteen TH. The total distance is around 26 miles. We will then load up our bikes and drive down to the Osteen Diner for a well- earned lunch.
We will be wearing bike helmets on this activity, so please ensure that you have one. Please make sure that your bicycle is in good operating order prior to the outing. This is a bicycling trip, pedal power, so our pace will be set by human power versus high speed electric vehicles.
It will be September in Florida, so it will be hot! Bring plenty of water and sun screen, as well as snacks.
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Anclote Key State Preserve Kayaking Trip
When: October 25, 2025, 9:30 AM
Activity Leader: Bill Turman (Cell) 407-413-2950, (email) HokieBill@bellsouth.net
Anclote Key Preserve State Park is accessible only by boat and is located a couple of miles off the coast of Tarpon Springs in the Gulf. The park is home to at least 43 species of birds, including the American oystercatcher, bald eagle and piping plover. A picturesque 1887 lighthouse stands as a sentinel on the southern end of the island. We will meet at the Anclote River Park boat ramp or small beach at 9:30.
We will then paddle out the Anclote River, and across the 2 to 3 miles of open water of the Gulf to Anclote Key. Depending on the weather and marine conditions we may circumnavigate the island. We will land on the south end of the island and explore the old Lighthouse, as well as look for wildlife and birds. We will eat a light lunch on the island. We will then return across the bay back to the park. This will be a paddle of around 8 to 12 miles total, depending on whether we paddle around the island.
Please note that this is kayak paddling in the gulf and water conditions can change during the day. You should feel comfortable in open water away from land, have suitable equipment (spray skirts, bailing equipment for sit-in boats) and know how to operate your boats. In August it will be hot and sunny and there will be little shade, so appropriate clothing and hats is recommended along with sunscreen. Bring plenty of water to drink.
After the paddle, we will stop in a Tarpon Springs (famous for old Florida Greek sponge diving history) at a local restaurant for an early dinner.
For more information and to sign-up for this activity, go to the meet-up site. As always, if you sign up for this trip and then for some reason need to cancel, please be courteous and do so as early as possible to allow the wait-list people to sign up and go on the trip.
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Our Trail Maintenance Season Kicks Off on September 20th!
Join the FTA Central Florida Chapter for a work day in the Mills Creek Woodlands!
We will use a combination of power equipment and hand tools to bring the trail back up to standard. We will: mow, lop (trim) branches, paint new blazes and at times, inspect or repair infrastructure.
Meet at the trailhead at 08:45am for a safety session. Volunteers are then divided into crews. When appropriate, crews may need to carpool and drive one vehicle to a starting location. New volunteers will be provided an orientation on the role they are assigned to and all are encouraged to try new tasks!
Our 2025-2026 Trail Maintenance Schedule
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Featured Podcast
Florida Madcaps: National Public Lands Day and Florida's National Parks
This week is part 1 of 2 of our podcast of National Public Lands Day and Florida's National Parks. Started in 1994 and occurring on the 4th Saturday in September, National Public Lands Day celebrates our public lands with volunteer opportunities and events. Many of our national parks are free, so we decided to discuss the significant ones in Florida!
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📅 Thursday, October 16, 2025
🕡 6:30 PM – Social Time | 7:00 PM – Presentation Begins
📍 Leu Gardens – Magnolia Room
1920 N Forest Ave, Orlando, FL
🍎 Bring a snack to share and join us for an evening of community, conservation, and storytelling.
🌿 Featured Speaker
Kristin Anderson – Protecting Wild Florida: A Look at Conservation Florida’s Impact
Florida’s landscapes are changing fast—but so are the efforts to protect them. Conservation Florida is a statewide land trust working to conserve critical lands that protect wildlife, water, and natural heritage from the Everglades to the Panhandle.
Programs & Community Engagement Lead Kristin Anderson will walk us through the story of Conservation Florida, their mission to preserve working lands and wild places, and the local impact of recent projects like the newly opened D Ranch Preserve. She’ll also share how hikers and volunteers can get involved with stewardship and restoration efforts across the state.
📖 About the Organization:
Founded in 1999, Conservation Florida is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and has helped preserve tens of thousands of acres of vital habitat. With deep ties to Florida’s conservation legacy, the organization continues to protect our state’s natural future—for nature, for people, forever.
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Shingle Creek Steffee Homestead
With boardwalks and trails through pine flatwoods and along the floodplain of Shingle Creek, the Historic Steffee Homestead at Shingle Creek Regional Park makes for an easy family ramble.
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🌟 Ready to Lead the Way?
As the trail comes alive with fall wildflowers and cooler breezes, it’s the perfect time to turn your passion for hiking into something even more impactful—becoming a Certified Activity Leader with the Central Florida Chapter.
Our trail community thrives because of the volunteers who step up, lace up, and lead the way. If you’ve ever thought, “I could do that”—you can. And we’re here to help you every step of the way.
🥾 It’s easier than you think:
To become certified, simply co-lead two different activities with two different certified leaders. This shadowing experience is a great way to build confidence and learn the ropes in a low-pressure, supportive environment.
🤝 Team up with current leaders:
Many of our Activity Leaders have upcoming hikes and would love a helping hand. Whether you’re interested in weekend treks, beginner-friendly walks, or rugged backwoods adventures—there’s a space for you.
📞 Let’s get you started:
Reach out to our Activity Leader Coordinator, Bill Turman, at 407-413-2950 or email HokieBill@bellsouth.net. He’ll connect you with upcoming opportunities and answer any questions you may have.
✅ Certified Activity Leaders:
Rachael Augspurg
Ron Aube
Stuart Dropkin
Kristen Gilbert
Steve Grieger
Kelley Galvin
Erica Johnson
Joan Jarvis
Ned James
Jim Krell
Russ Klette
Elda Larche
Mary-Slater Linn
David Magness
Judy Minter
Tom Regan
Jerry Rogers
Chelsey Stevens
Chris Stevens
Bill Turman
Jackie Warren
🌱 Whether you want to give back, grow your leadership skills, or just share your love of the outdoors with others, becoming an Activity Leader is one of the most meaningful ways to make a difference. Let’s hit the trail—together.
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10% off all regularly priced clothing, footwear, and gear
Offer limited & some exclusions apply
Travel Country Outfitters supports Florida Trail Members Simply show proof of membership at the register
www.travelcountry.com 407-831-0777
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Chelsey Stevens - Chapter Chair
Jerry Rogers - Trail Coordinator
David Magness - Membership Coordinator
Kelley Galvin - Treasurer
Doug Kucklick - Outreach Coordinator
Chris Stevens - Media Coordinator
Vacant - Secretary
Bill Turman - Activity Coordinator
Mary-Slater Linn - Program Coordinator
Media Committee
Rob Rogers
Outreach Committee
Rue Nilson
Stuart Dropkin
Roxane Abelow
Hospitality
Rue Nilson
Jean Williamson
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Join Our Committees!
Interested in getting more involved without the commitment of a leadership position? We're excited to announce the formation of committees to support our leadership roles, and we're seeking enthusiastic volunteers. Initially, we're focusing on the following committees, with plans to expand to additional roles in the future:
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Media Committee: This team will manage social media, share photos, write articles, and coordinate contributions from others.
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Outreach Committee: Members will help set up and staff tables at various outreach events.
If you're interested in joining one of these committees, please don't hesitate to reach out to us!
We hope everyone enjoys a cool and safe summer. Thank you for your dedication to our community and for taking the time to connect with your leadership team. Have a wonderful season!
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📬 Note on Newsletter Distribution
We’re excited to share that our chapter membership is growing — and that’s a great thing! To ensure we’re able to continue sharing updates with our active members, we’ve begun the process of removing individuals from our email list who are not current members of the Florida Trail Association.
Due to the limitations of our current email platform, we’re capped at 500 subscribers. As much as we’d love to send the newsletter to everyone, the cost and platform restrictions make it unsustainable.
If your membership has lapsed, this newsletter may no longer arrive in your inbox — but you can still access it anytime on our website and social media pages.
Want to keep receiving updates by email? Simply renew your membership and we’ll gladly add you back to the list!
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