Florida Trail Activities in Your Area

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Check out our chapter websites and Meetup groups for activities in your area.  Visit the Chapters page, scroll down to the bottom and look for your county.  Click on the chapter for a county to go to its web page.  Florida Trail Association activities include day hikes, backpacking trips, canoeing and kayaking, bicycling, picnics, and campouts.  Day hikes may focus on birding, plant identification, geocaching or historic sites.  Most activities are held locally, but some chapters travel to other parts of the state or out of state for extended trips.  However you like to enjoy the great outdoors, there's a Florida Trail activity for you!
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Home arrow Resources arrow Safety First arrow Personal Safety
Personal Safety PDF Print E-mail
While we treasure our moments on the trail as a respite from the concerns and pressures of “civilization”, it is unrealistic to assume that we are removed from the two-legged dangers faced in other areas. The people we may encounter on and near a trail represent the broad mix of humanity: the good, the bad, and the truly ugly. The following are some basic recommendations to assist the hiker with personal safety issues when heading out on a trail. They are not all-inclusive but should serve as a guide for a safe and pleasant hiking experience.
 1.  Hike with a buddy. Hiking with at least one partner greatly reduces the potential for       harassment and provides a personal safety net if you are injured.

 2.  File an itinerary. Always leave your hike information with family or friends. Include where you   are hiking, where you are leaving your vehicle and when you will return.  Also provide them phone numbers for area law enforcement and land managers. These numbers are           included on the FTA maps.

 3.  Dress conservatively. Choose attire that avoids unwelcome attention.

 4.  Don’t broadcast your itinerary. Do not discuss trip plans with strangers, do not reveal the       plans of fellow hikers and if hiking alone and questioned, claim to be in the lead of a larger       group following behind you.

 5.  Be sociable but cautious in conversations with strangers. Pay attention to details such as       location and their appearance and behavior. Avoid anyone acting strangely, provocatively,       openly hostile or drunk.

 6.  Avoid all provocation and confrontation. Do not respond to taunts or attempts at intimidation,     you may escalate the situation.

 7.  Camp away from roads and motor vehicles. Areas accessible to motor vehicles pose more       danger of harassment. If there is concern, hide your camp or camp as a group with several       others.

 8.  Do not carry firearms. The FTA member code of ethics prohibits firearms when hiking on the   trail and a gun might end up being used against you or fellow hikers.

 9.  Eliminate opportunities for theft. Never leave your pack unattended. Never leave cash or       valuables in your car at trailheads.

10. Trust your instincts. If confronted by an individual or situation that you just feel is “wrong,”       keep moving down the trail until you feel safe once again.

11. Carry current trail guides and maps. The more up-to-date the information, the better informed   the hiker. FTA maps contain the most current information on local law enforcement and land    manager contacts in each area.

12. Obey all land manager/owner regulations. Be particularly courteous on private property.

13. Wear safety orange during all hunt seasons. A mesh vest and/or blaze orange pack cover       work well in Florida. 14. If you are the first person to arrive in a designated or developed campsite, don’t immediately set up camp but wait to see who else might join you there.  That way, if you feel uncomfortable, it is easy to move on down the trail to a new camp.

In the event that you encounter an untoward incident or suspicious activity while hiking the Florida Trail, please do the following:

            •  Immediately contact 911 or the local law enforcement agency listed in our guidebooks and on our maps.

            •   Contact the Florida Trail Association. Help keep us informed so that proper follow up is provided. Send as much detailed information as possible.

In the words of long-distance hiker Jim Owen, “There are volumes that could be said about safety and security, but for me it comes down to this: personal safety is a matter of common sense and mental attitude. Pay attention to your surroundings, to the people around you and to your own feelings. And don’t play with things that bite.”
 
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