Coastal Prairie Trail

Starting from the Flamingo area, the Coastal Prairie Trail follows an old roadbed through a landscape that feels more African savanna than American national park. You'll push through low-growing prairie grasses and buttonwood hammocks, with the trail surface alternating between packed marl and sections that can turn ankle-deep in muck after rain. This is not a manicured path — the Park Service has deliberately stepped back from maintenance here to protect Cape Sable thoroughwort, a critically endangered plant found almost nowhere else on Earth. The route stretches roughly seven miles one way to Clubhouse Beach on the Gulf coast, where you'll find a primitive backcountry campsite and a shoreline that feels genuinely remote. Expect full sun exposure, zero shade for long stretches, and mosquitoes that treat you like an all-you-can-eat buffet. This trail rewards the stubborn hiker who wants to earn their solitude the hard way.