Sunshine State Seekers

06/14/2026

Today was a special day for our family.

We hiked out to Mud Spring, but the real reason for the trip was a milestone years in the making. With this hike, Torrey completed his final Trailwalker trail and officially became a Florida Trailwalker through the Florida State Forest Trailwalker Program.

This accomplishment is especially meaningful because outdoor adventure has become a family tradition. His older sisters earned their Florida Trailwalker recognition years ago, and Chris and I have both completed the Trail Warrior Program. Now Torrey has joined the club.

Watching him grow from a baby in a carrier to a little hiker determined to walk the trail himself has been one of the greatest joys of parenthood. The trails have given our family so much—adventure, confidence, resilience, and countless memories together.

We arrived at the spring early and had it all to ourselves for a while before other families began arriving. It was a beautiful morning and a fitting place to celebrate a big accomplishment.

We are incredibly proud of our newest Florida Trailwalker. Here’s to many more miles, muddy shoes, and adventures ahead. ❤️🥾🌲

Three Trailwalkers. Two Trail Warriors. One very lucky family.

06/10/2026

Sharing directly from the Florida Forest Service.

I’ve seen some discussion recently about whether places like this should be shared online.

I think it’s worth remembering that this isn’t a “secret spot” being leaked by an influencer. This is a publicly managed recreation area that the Florida Forest Service is actively promoting and encouraging people to visit.

The reality is that conservation often depends on people forming a connection with a place. Most of us fight to protect the things we’ve personally experienced. We volunteer, donate, vote, attend meetings, support land acquisitions, and speak up when public lands are threatened because we’ve walked the trails, paddled the rivers, camped under the trees, or watched wildlife there.

Of course visitation comes with responsibility. Public lands should be respected, Leave No Trace should be practiced, and sensitive areas should be managed appropriately.

But I don’t believe the biggest threat to Florida’s wild places is that too many people know they exist. The bigger threat is often apathy. Places that nobody knows about, nobody visits, and nobody values can be much easier to lose.

Thankfully, Tate’s Hell State Forest belongs to all Floridians, and the Florida Forest Service is inviting people to experience it.

06/07/2026

Tucked into the rural woodlands between Ochlockonee River and Bald Point state parks in the panhandle, a small spring sits on public land, in a quiet spot where planted sand pines stand over an surprisingly healthy sandhill habitat. This hidden swimming hole requires a half mile hike, and also features a primitive campsite on the other side of the water that can be reserved online.

Note: This spring has a relatively modest flow compared to some of Florida’s larger first-magnitude springs. Water clarity and color can vary significantly depending on recent rainfall, groundwater conditions, and seasonal factors. At times, the spring may appear crystal clear and blue, while at other times it can take on a darker, tannin-stained (“brown”) appearance. Satellite imagery and recent visitor photos may not always reflect current conditions.

Florida Forest Service

06/02/2026

05/04/2026

May the Forest Be With You 🌿

Seven years ago today, Christopher and I got married on the banks of the St. Johns River with Spanish moss overhead, wildflowers in hand, and the Front Porch Backsteppers playing us down the aisle. We tried our best to avoid May 4th, to avoid the star wars reference but the date kept calling us back. For us, it was never about lightsabers. It’s always been May the Forest Be With You.

This was a second marriage for both of us, and there was nothing wrong with who came before, just the humbling gift of eventually finding your person. The one who will hike through palmetto scrub in July and call it a good day.

We celebrated seven years the only way that made sense: on a trail, with the little boy we spent years hoping for, now trotting ahead collecting sticks and jumping roots. That was enough.

What I’ve learned in this marriage is that milestones are more reachable when you’re genuinely part of a team. We check in constantly, recalibrate when life shifts, and make sure we’re still walking toward the same horizon. The trail teaches you that.

These were amazing photos were taken by CLD Photography

Here’s to seven years, miles of trail, and every step still ahead. 🧡🌿

Happy anniversary, Waterbear. There’s no one I’d rather walk with.

04/24/2026

📖 It’s officially out in the world.
Preorders are now arriving on doorsteps. (Official release date May 12)

The Hiker’s Guide to the Sunshine State by Sandra Friend and Christopher Stevens — years in the making, and I couldn’t be more proud.

When I lived in Corvallis, Oregon, I had a trail guide just like this one. I made it my mission to hike every trail I possibly could, scribbling notes in the margins, jotting down opinions, reading every entry. I’m not sure I ever finished them all — but I remember how that book made me want to go. It made the outdoors feel possible and personal.

I never could have imagined that one day this would be our life.

Torrey and I got to hike many of these sections alongside Chris. I was there behind the scenes too — the late nights, the conversations about icons and placement and the hundred small decisions most readers will never think about, but will appreciate.

The cover photo even came from a trail right down the street from our house. (I have included a photo of Lyra and Elise taken at the same location years ago.) The publisher made the final call, and when we saw it, we were so glad. It’s perfect. A memory Torrey will have forever.

I remember the first time I met Sandra in person — a book signing, a photo with our girls. I had no idea this would be someone who would be in our lives for a long time.

I hope this book does for others what that Oregon guide did for me — makes you grab your shoes, pick a trail, and go.

04/24/2026

What a delightful Earth Day surprise: our new book from Florida Press dropped a month earlier than expected!

Here's a peek at places you'll find inside. Lots of miles behind us, with over a thousand hikes included.

04/19/2026

Torreya State Park doesn’t look like much of the Florida many of us are used too. The ravines, the elevation, the rare Torreya tree clinging to the bluffs — it’s unlike anywhere else in the state, and we’ve been coming back since 2018.

Our son Torrey is named for this park. I hiked the full Torreya Challenge while pregnant with him. This weekend he hiked sections of it for the first time on his own two feet — Weeping Ridge, part of the main loop, and a section of the Challenge his mama tackled while he was growing inside of her tummy.

He’s 2.5. He spent most of the trip asking what’s this? Where did it come from? How did it get here?
By the end he’d taught himself to lean back on the downhill sections. He loved the climbs and much hike his sisters, he appreciated the roots that flutterbye once proclaimed were “Natures Stairs”.

We only left this morning and I already am itching to return! (And it because of tics for once!)

03/15/2026

We’re incredibly excited to finally see Hiker’s Guide to the Sunshine State getting ready to hit the shelves!

This book represents years of exploring Florida’s trails, long days outside, and a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Chris and Sandra personally hiked every trail included in the guide. Chelsey and Torrey joined on many of those adventures, and the girls accompanied us on only the best hikes (their rule, not ours 😄). Along the way, so many friends joined us on the trail to share miles, stories, and memories.

We’re also pretty thrilled that the cover chosen by the publisher features Chelsey and little Torrey out on the trail — a moment that perfectly captures what this whole journey has been about for our family.

The book officially releases May 12, and we’re counting down the days. If you’re as excited as we are, we’ve added a preorder link in our bio for anyone who wants to grab a copy early.

Huge congratulations to Sandra Friend and Chris Stevens for bringing this incredible guide to life. Florida has so many amazing places to explore, and we can’t wait for people to discover them.

03/09/2026

Another Florida Hiker Fest in the books and we’re heading home with full hearts (and a very tired kid).

Chris and I spent the weekend volunteering, and it was one of those events that reminds you just how special the Florida trail community really is.

I spent most of my time at the Florida Trail Association sales booth, and y’all showed up—merch was flying off the tables. We sold out of quite a few items, which is always a good problem to have when it helps support the trail.

Chris was over at the Florida Hikes! booth, where they were giving away free books and collecting donations for the Florida Trail Hikers Alliance (FT Thru Hike)—supporting the folks who take on the big miles.

We also led a class about taking the first steps to get your kids out on the trail. Only one family showed up… but honestly, that turned out to be perfect. We ended up becoming fast friends. Later that night we all met up at the playground, let the kids burn off energy, and then headed out on a night hike to a drum circle, which was every bit as magical as it sounds.

Torrey had the time of his life. Every evening he hung out with the thru-hikers, who welcomed him in like one of the crew and made him feel like one of the cool kids.

That’s the thing about this community—it’s welcoming, a little wild, and full of people who remember what it felt like the first time they fell in love with the trail.

Already looking forward to the next one. 🌲