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Remember when Silver Springs let you wander down their garden paths along the Silver River, and it cost separately to see each thing in the attraction? There was Tommy Barlett's Deer Ranch, the Aquatorium, Ross Allen's Reptile Institute, and of course the Glass Bottomed Boats. But at some point, things - and ownership - changed, and you had to pay one price to get in and see everything, even the river's shores. So I was thrilled in the 80s when the state announced it had bought land for a state park along the river.

I visit Silver River State Park at least once or twice a year, and notice that no matter the time of day or year, there are always people on the trails. This park is built for hiking. None of the trails are particularly long, and all of them have special points of interest. My favorite is the Swamp Trail, which ends on a boardwalk overlooking a spring in the river. Enjoy these freakishly cool days with a hike > check out the hiking trails on the Silver River's shores!