Rob Rogers
Author, attorney, backpacker, and lover of the outdoors
Category: Great Places to Hike and Backpack
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Lake Louisa State Park: A Great Place to Learn to Backpack
When I began dreaming about backpacking 14 months ago at age 47 after impulsively purchasing a tent, I did not think I would be solo backpacking on national scenic trails by now. I only wanted to sleep under the stars away from city lights and the noise of parking lot campers. I eventually learned to Read.
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The Little Big Econ State Forest: A Great Way to Taste the Florida Trail
The following article was first published in the January 2025 issue of The Footpath Newsletter, the newsletter for the Central Florida chapter of the Florida Trail Association. Having recently written a book about several one-night backpacking trips I did last year while discovering backpacking in Central Florida, I had not yet actually done a trip Read.
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My First Hike in Ocala National Forest was Amazing (Riverside Island)
Last Saturday I made my first long-overdue trip to the Ocala National Forest, the birthplace of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Although my original intent was to do a one-night backpacking trip, I changed my mind when I looked at the weather forecast which promised post-sunset temperatures in the high 40s dropping to the 30s Read.
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The Green Swamp West Tract: A Section of Florida Trail that is Backpacking Paradise
In my recent discoveries of Central Florida trails, I’ve fallen in love with sections of the Florida National Scenic Trail, Florida’s answer to the Appalachian Trail that runs from the Everglades to the Florida panhandle, and perhaps my favorite place to do one-night backpacking trips near my home in Winter Garden is the section of Read.
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Florida National Scenic Trail: An Outdoor Paradise in Our Own Backyard
Most people have heard of the Appalachian Trail, but did you realize we have our own national scenic trail right here in Florida? The Florida Trail is truly a hiker’s and backpacker’s paradise—and much of it runs through Orange, Seminole, and Osceola Counties. The Florida Trail is one of eleven national scenic trails recognized by Read.
