Hiking Miss Daisy
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Florida trails, preserves, & state parks with our rescue girl 🌼 Easy hikes, nature, & hidden gems. 🥾🌿🐕
Daisy had an amazing day at the sandbar, but she was exhausted and sore for about 24 hours. It reminded us that we need to be careful with her and not let her overdo it. She’s our responsibility!
Hidden shady trails are some of our favorites 🌿🐾
Donald B. Moore Heritage Preserve in Ft. Pierce surprised us with peaceful hammock trails, towering oaks, wooden bridges, and a lookout over the Indian River Lagoon.
We explored about 2 miles on the northern botanical trail, but recent flooding kept us from venturing farther without waterproof boots into the more historical trail. 😅
If you’re looking for a quieter local trail with lots of shade and old Florida feel, this one is worth adding to the list 🌿
📍Donald B. Moore Preserve — Ft. Pierce, FL
05/17/2026
Ancient Oaks Preserve 🌿�📍Ft. Pierce, FL
This shady little loop trail tucked beside a local park ended up being a really peaceful morning walk for us and Daisy.
The trail itself is an easy 1-mile loop with mostly hard-packed paths, a few roots to watch for, and several small wooden foot bridges crossing over muddy areas. There’s a nice mix of Florida scrub and large oak trees throughout the trail, which gave it a quieter, more relaxed feel than we expected.
There’s also plenty of parking, bathrooms, and a playground nearby, which would make this a nice quick nature stop for families.
BUT…let’s talk about the mosquitoes 😅🦟
We started early to beat the heat, and the mosquitoes were definitely out in full force. We had bug-repellent wristbands on and still needed spray — even Daisy had one clipped to her harness.
Worth it for a peaceful walk? We thought so. Just come prepared 😂🌿
🌿 Trail Ratings
🌳 Shade: 5/5�🥾 Difficulty: 2/5 (Easy)�🐾 Dog Friendly: 5/5�🚗 Worth the Drive: 2/5
🅿️ Parking: Yes�🚻 Facilities: Bathrooms + playground
🎒 Trail Essentials: bug-spray & water
Not every trail is the same… and honestly, that’s the best part 🌿🐾
Boardwalks, shaded paths, swamps, wildlife, old Florida views — every trail gives us something different.
A great little trail that hugs the shore of Lake Dora. Beautiful boardwalk section that winds through the cypress trees and lots of wildlife…owls, gators, bald eagles, and more!
Mount Dora is the cutest little town to walk. If you go, head down to the lighthouse and then over to Palm Island Park. You won’t be disappointed!
Check out Florida being WILD! 😜
Each trail brings something wild…we just never know what it’ll be.
Full trail review of Myakka River State Park is over on IG .
Myakka River State Park this past weekend didn’t impress us as much as we wanted it to! We will go back and give it another try because there are definitely more trails that we missed!
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