One of the world's rarest and oldest known trees grows among the bluffs and ravines of Gadsden and Liberty Counties. The Florida Torreya was discovered here in around 1835 by Hardy Bryan Croom, an early botanist.

Florida's springs are windows into the past and places of tremendous natural beauty. No two springs are the same, and each one has its own unique place in human history and in Florida’s ecosystem.

Whether by bicycle, horse, wheelchair, kayak or on your own two feet, trails both within and outside our state parks can lead to a wide variety of adventure and opportunity throughout Florida.

Iconic as sunshine, the beaches and coasts of Florida have come to represent the state. Marshes, beaches and mangroves create unparalleled beauty.

Rocks, sediments, landforms, and water across the state tell a fascinating story. Have you ever wondered why Florida has so many lakes, springs, beaches, and sinkholes? The answer lies within Florida’s vast geological past, which intertwines human history, earth history, ecosystems and economic development.

Whether it’s diving in a spring, floating down a river, or taking a dip in the ocean, there are many opportunities for you to enjoy the water and take a swim throughout Florida State Parks.

It’s the state’s only endemic bird, which means the Florida scrub-jay is found nowhere else, and its need for a specific habitat is one reason why scrub-jay numbers are declining. The only bird species that requires a sandy, scrubby habitat to survive is the Florida scrub-jay.

Florida school groups, including vocational schools, colleges and universities, can visit a state park without paying the day-use entry fee. We also offer the statewide Learning in Florida’s Environment (LIFE) program that brings middle school students out to public conservation lands for science-based environmental education.

Operation Recreation GeoTour, hosted by Geocaching.com, stretches from Pensacola to Key West and includes 71 Florida state parks and trails. Visit 20 caches and win the official Operation Recreation Geocoin.

Letterboxing combines navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a treasure-hunt style game. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly accessible places and post clues on one of several websites to help others find them.

Orienteering is a competitive international sport that combines navigational skills and racing - using a map and compass to navigate from one point to another. The challenge to this sport is not just finishing the race the fastest.

Waymarking helps participants catalog, mark and visit interesting locations around the world. Using GPS technology, users can pinpoint any location, mark it and share it with others, encouraging them to explore.

The world famous Weeki Wachee Mermaids want to hear from you! In an effort to promote education, the mermaids are answering letters from all students under the age of 17. This will encourage literacy and is a great way for your child to practice their best penmanship.

Florida Caverns is the only state park in Florida where visitors can take a guided tour through a large cave system and see spectacular examples of cave formations including stalactites, stalagmites, columns and flowstone.