March 28th, 2025

Welcome to the Friday Waypoint where you'll find the latest updates about opportunities & activities with the Florida Trail Association.

🎥 Stay Connected with the Florida Trail!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest trail updates, inspiring stories, and behind-the-scenes looks at our work to protect and maintain the Florida National Scenic Trail.

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You’re invited to join us for the Florida Trail Association Annual Meeting from April 25-27, 2025, at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park in Keystone Heights, FL!

Enjoy a weekend of:

✨ Social gatherings & potlucks

🔥 Campfires & live music

🥾 Guided hikes on the Florida National Scenic Trail

🏆 Awards presentations

📚 Informative workshops

How to Reserve Your Campsite:

🏕 Florida Residents: Can reserve campsites up to 11 months in advance.

🔗 Online Reservations: reserve.floridastateparks.org

(Create an account with Florida State Parks and verify your residency.)

📞 Phone Reservations: Call 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287

📢 RSVP here to let us know how many will be attending and if you plan on camping.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Heartland Chapter of the Florida Trail Association, with support from FTA staff, recently completed a much-needed boardwalk replacement in Green Swamp East. The previous structure was lost to fire three years ago, making this 40-foot span a long-awaited improvement. This new boardwalk will ensure that local volunteers can safely transport equipment across the creek year-round.

Over the course of three long days, dedicated volunteers and staff cut and transported lumber to the remote worksite, jetted piles underground, and built a sturdy deck designed to last for decades.

Projects like this are just one way the FTA works to maintain and enhance the Florida Trail.

If you’re interested in getting involved in trail maintenance or infrastructure projects, visit our website below and follow us on social media for upcoming opportunities!

Join the FTA’s Next Generation Coalition for an exciting webinar with Ashley Kusel, a Ph.D. Candidate at the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research at the University of Florida. Ashley studies the ecology of green turtles in seagrass ecosystems, and she’s traveled to incredible places throughout her career in wildlife ecology.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the world of sea turtle research and conservation! For more information and to register, visit www.floridatrail.org/calendar or click below!