Every other week, The Current will feature an excursion to a different South Florida location that’s a little off-the-beaten-path. Every adventure is tailored to college students, so they’ll be reasonably priced and extraordinarily awesome. From old-as-Earth natural landscapes to hip and fresh locations, our hope is to get everyone a little more immersed in the local community by checking out some of South Florida’s hidden treasures. Get out there, explore, and quench your thirst for adventure.
This day and age is full of get-togethers and busy plans focused around cell phones. As convenient as it is to have your entire world in front of you on a little screen, occasionally, a retreat to a simpler lifestyle is needed.
I chose to explore the great outdoors to see if nature really is as alluring and relaxing as it appears on those Netflix shows. I tried my luck at Oleta River State Park in Miami—a place known for its expansive 1,043 acre woods in the middle of urban Miami Beach. The park is open all year round, is only $6 per vehicle and offers a variety of activities, such as mountain biking, canoeing and paddle boarding. I decided to enjoy my surroundings in the most natural way possible by hiking.
When venturing through the park, don’t rely on your map; the trails are easy to find and are all marked with their difficulty level. You should, on the other hand, beware that hikers share their routes with mountain bikers. If you are the adventurous type who thinks your skill is beyond the trail most taken, don’t be so quick to judge. You have to stick to the designated paths at this park since there is virtually no way of getting through the underbrush. From little openings to mangrove inlets to vistas of the Oleta River to limestone inlets to the bay waters, all of the trails provide wonderful rewards throughout your journey in the form of beautiful views.
Before your trip, make sure you have the proper equipment. You may be hiking in Florida and not the Appalachians, but a properly-packed bag makes your day a lot better. To prepare, pack your backpack with sunscreen, a towel and two giant re-useable water bottles. Your regular gym attire is appropriate for the excursion and is actually a great choice, considering that the humidity within the park is relentless. Keep in mind that you may get the urge to jump into some of the beautiful waters. I brought a swim suit, but when the opportunity arose to jump into the cool water, I just took off my socks, shoes and backpack and dove right in.
Although I got caught in a massive rain storm, almost got lost on one of the trails because I tried to cross a tree bridge and was occasionally plagued by spiders, it was truly incredible to be out in nature. It made my day to finally see a glimpse of the elusive fiddler crabs that burrow all around the park and to see the strange hues that mangrove trees turn water when they overgrow. It was way better than spending another Saturday doing the same monotonous activities. For more information on rentals, pricing and activities, visit https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Oleta-River.
Photo Credit: N. Guzman
