Outdoors in Madison County – 25 Best Things to Do!

Madison County is 716 square miles crammed full of small towns, forests, rivers, lakes, and rolling hills. All of these give you countless opportunities to get outdoors and, as they say here, “move at the speed of nature.” Madison County, like Jefferson County, was named to honor a president—the fourth United States President, James Madison, …

20 of the Best Ways to Play Outside in Dixie County!

There is no shortage of things to do outside in Dixie County. Located in the Big Bend region of Florida, it is the perfect spot for all types of eco-tourism activities that let you “play outside.” Natural North Florida is frequently called “Forgotten Florida.” I like to think of it as Florida like it used to be, …

Spend A Day At The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo—It’s Good For You!

There’s only one American Zoo Association accredited zoo on a  college campus,  and it’s on Gainesville‘s Santa Fe College campus.  Santa Fe College offers both Associate and Bachelor’s degrees and won the 2015 Aspen Prize for Educational Excellence.  It enrollment now tops 20,000 and it’s an excellent adjunct to the educational community in Gainesville, which …

Take a Long Bike Ride–Or a Short One–On Natural North Florida’s Cycling Routes

If you’re a bicyclist, our Natural North Florida region offers 32 excellent rides–long and short.  Many are on bike-laned roads and others follow routes originally used by the railroads and logging trucks. All our routes can be accessed and ridden using the BikeWithGPS app on your smartphone. Unlock the power and utility of our routes by …

See The World’s Largest Bat Houses On The University of Florida Campus in Gainesville

Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat Yep, bats!  Would you believe that one of the world’s largest bat house/barn complex is located on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville? The Bat house (R) and Bat Barn make up the Florida Museum of Natural History’s bat complex near Lake Alice, on Museum Road.  A third house …

Stop and Smell the Roses: Florida’s Wildflowers

One of the prettiest things about summer in North Florida is all of the wildflowers that you see blooming everywhere.  After the dreary gray of winter, the flowers of spring and summer bring a much needed splash of color back into the world.  Here is a guide to identifying some of the wildflowers that you …

Beauty Berry: Not Just a Weed. Insecticide, Jams, and Native Landscaping.

Callicarpa Americana more commonly known as Beauty Berry is one of the most easily recognizable backyard plants.  It grows pretty much anywhere, and most people think of it as just a weed.  It is easily identified by its bright purple berries, and due to its color, most people think it is poisonous.  However, this is …

Get Outdoors Florida! Targets ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’–We’ve Got the Cure!

Come to Natural North Florida and get cured of ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’. The Get Outdoors Florida! coalition is an union of public and private partners that include federal and state land managers; state conservation, health, and education agencies; educators; healthcare providers; non-profits, and businesses. These groups realize an imperative need to reconnect communities, families and …