Orange Blossom Trails

Nature lovers needn't be discouraged by Florida's population boom. As Orange Blossom Trails testifies, hikers can still find solitude a hundred yards from most trailheads in the state. Whether they walk the abandoned Seven-Mile Bridge to perfect Pigeon Key, watch birds feeding in the Indian River at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge as the space shuttle rises in the distance, observe fish, turtles, deer, birds, and manatees congregating at Manatee Springs, or scour Torreya State Park in search of a tree so rare that only 1,500 specimens survive in the wild, visitors may discover their own vision of Florida's wild side in the 16 walks included here. Maps and travel information combine with Phillip Manning's rich essays to make this both a practical guidebook and a memorable read.