Q: Hey Buddy, looks like you run a great Web site. Thanks for all the advice. I have a question for you. My girlfriend and I are going to be traveling from Key West to Tampa during a 2-day period. We are looking to do some hiking somewhere between these two cities. Can you recommend any hiking areas? Is the Everglades a place where we could do some hiking? How about lodging? We are interested in the hiking, but have not made the step to camping yet. Any good B&B's or hotels around these hiking areas? Thanks.

A: Hi, Mack, thanks for your kind words about the Web site.

There are a lot of places to hike between Key West and Tampa. You mentioned the Everglades. There are hiking areas in Everglades National Park, but these are mostly short interpretive trails or boardwalks. (The best way to see the Everglades is by water -- on a canoe, kayak or other boat that can navigate shallow water.) For distance hiking in the Everglades area, I'd suggest section 42 of the Florida National Scenic Trail in Big Cypress National Preserve. The trail winds from its southernmost point of Tamiami Trail (which cuts through the Everglades), all the way to the western panhandle near Alabama. But you don't have to walk all of it! Anyone can walk on the trail, but in order to walk on sections that are on privately owned land, you must be a member of the Florida Trail Association (FTA). For lodging in this area, try The Ivey House in Everglades City, just south of Tamiami Trail, which you have to travel on anyway to get from Key West to Tampa.

For remote hiking, try Myakka State Forest. Named after the river that flows through southwestern Florida (and the forest), it has more than 8,500 acres. The forest is primitive, and I don't believe there are any facilities, so be prepared. (I could tell you a now-humorous story about "having to go," but I won't. Instead, I'll just mention again how remote this forest is.) Which leads to your lodging options -- your best bet is going to be Venice, which is north of the forest. Try Banyan House, a Mediterranean-style B&B.

On the charming Sanibel Island, J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge offers visitors a 5-mile road that vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians share. Hiking here, you'll likely see a variety of birds and possibly alligators, but depending on when you go, you could see more humans than wildlife. For lodging, I recommend Sanibel Inn, which is environmentally friendly and cultivates a butterfly garden. To get to Sanibel Island, you have to cross a toll bridge in Fort Myers.

You didn't mention when you're planning your trip, but as of 2-1-01, many trails throughout the state are parched due to drought. So making a fire is out of the question, and if you smoke (or if your car backfires), please be extremely careful not to set a fire.

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