College football is officially here, and that means traveling to different parts of the country to see the games this season.
The beauty of college football is that most of the games don’t take place in some overcrowded metropolitan area, so you’ll be able to take in all the natural wonders of a particular venue.
Here at OutKick OutDoors, we wanted to provide you lovers of nature with some of the best hiking spots to hit each week you decide to make the trek to a different college town, and first up on the docket is Tallahassee for the Week Zero showdown between New Mexico State and Florida State.
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Before we begin, a quick reminder that although college football normally means fall weather and mild temperatures, this is still the Florida panhandle in August, so most hikes will happen under some extreme heat conditions.
Dress and pack accordingly and make sure you are staying hydrated.
Believe me, there’s no humidity like Florida humidity, and if you aren’t careful, you’ll end up in the ER on game day surrounded by college kids who went hard in a different direction.
With that out of the way, here are some of the best hikes Tally has to offer.
If you want the best overall hike in the Tallahassee area, this is the move.
Lake Overstreet has about five miles of multi-use trails through live oaks (a northern Florida staple), hills and ravines surrounding a secluded 144-acre lake.
The whole area looks a lot like southern Georgia with its hilly terrain, which can be a nice departure from the typically flat walks that the Sunshine State offers.
Situated a few miles from downtown Tallahassee, Lake Overstreet offers a serene experience to take your mind off the stresses of a game week, and if you’re so inclined, the nearby Lake Hall has kayak rentals available to add a little water action to your hike.
Anyone traveling to Tallahassee from out-of-state needs to make the Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway a must-see on their itinerary.
The scenery is so quintessential North Florida, with the giant oaks forming the canopy overhead that gives the trail its namesake and the rolling countryside is very evocative of the Deep South.
This is also a nice, relaxing walk for anyone not looking to overdo it while they are in town, as it’s less strenuous than some of the more advanced surrounding trails.
If you’re looking for something that screams rural Tally, give this one a try.
For those hikers feeling more adventurous, Lafayette Heritage Trail Park offers a bit more trail time than the previous two on the list.
The woods and trail network make this a natural choice for both hikers and mountain bikers, though that phraseology feels a little silly in a flat state like Florida.
Nevertheless, bikers will find plenty to like about Lafayette Heritage Trail Park, and the views of the lake at sunrise and sunset are picturesque.
A special mention needs to be made for the wooden pedestrian bridge to the north of the lake that goes over the railroad tracks.
It looks like something straight out of Adventureland at Disney World and makes for a great photo op.
Perhaps the most “wild” of all the trails listed here, the Munson Hills Off-Road Bike Trailhead offers a more rugged approach to Tallahassee for those seeking more of a challenge.
A pine-forest landscape nestled against the Apalachicola National Forest region, this trail will give a stiff test to all but the most seasoned flatland hikers.
Munson Hills represents the less-manicured option for those who are looking for a trail that’s more in tune with nature, but be sure to pack plenty of snacks and water, because this one is a doozy.
It’s a little off the beaten path, sitting just south of the Tallahassee city limits, but that’s just what we want from our nature hikes!
Call it burying the lead if you want, but I saved the best trail for last.
Lake Jackson Mounds State Park is an absolute treasure, featuring the preserves of ancient Indigenous ceremonial mounds as well as a 0.75-mile interpretive trail past the site of an early-1800s grist mill plus a 2.2-mile nature trail.
It’s basically a hike through hundreds of years of Tallahassee history.
A fair warning, though: according to the park’s website, the boardwalk to the large mound remains closed.
Everything else here is fair game, and it’s all set to the backdrop of North Florida foliage, giving hikers the perfect taste of Tallahassee for their game week trip.
