Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala

An avid outdoors enthusiast, Sandra Friend is known beyond her books for keeping up with the cutting edge of online communications. She owns and manages the popular hiking website FloridaHikes.com and is now working on her 28th book.A native of Rockledge, FL, and a member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association John Keatley grew up along the Space Coast and spent most of his youth in the woods or on the water. While preparing for a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail he met Sandra, and they have been hiking and writing together ever since. They live in Sanford, FL.

• GAINESVILLE & VICINITYAlfred Ring ParkBarr Hammock Nature PreserveBivens Arm Nature ParkDevil's Millhopper Geologic State ParkLoblolly Woods Nature ParkLongleaf Flatwoods ReserveMorningside Nature CenterMill Creek PreservePaynes Prairie Preserve State Park: La Chua TrailPaynes Prairie Preserve State Park: Wacahoota TrailPrairie Creek PreserveSan Felasco Hammock Preserve State ParkSan Felasco ParkSweetwater PreserveTuscawilla PreserveUniversity of Florida NATL Nature TrailsWatermelon Pond PreserveOCALA NATIONAL FORESTDavenport Landing TrailFlorida Trail, Pat's Island to Hidden PondFlorida Trail, Lake DelancyJuniper Creek Nature TrailLake Eaton TrailsOcklawaha Prairie Conservation AreaSalt Springs LoopCROSS FLORIDA GREENWAYFlorida Trail, PruittFlorida Trail, SantosFlorida Trail, SW 49th Ave to Land BridgeLand Bridge LoopMarshall Swamp TrailOCALA & VICINITYCarney Island Recreation & Conservation AreaGoethe State Forest: Big Cypress TrailGoethe State Forest: Buck Island Pond TrailHorseshoe Lake ParkRainbow Springs State Park: Sandhill Nature TrailSholom ParkSilver Springs State Park: River TrailsSilver Springs State Park: Sandhill and Sinkhole Trails