Battered by Hurricane Ian a year and a half ago, Sanibel Island is working its way back to beloved status. The global holiday destination received a major boost in its recovery efforts on Wednesday.
The 2024 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards were announced on May 22 and the Indigo Trail in the JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge was named one of the best hiking trails in America. It’s an impressive honor when you consider that places like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Yellowstone National Park are on the list. And no other location in Florida makes the Top 10.
Also notable is the fact that Sanibel is known worldwide for its shelling and not its hiking trails.
The USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards highlight the very best in travel, food and drink and lifestyle. Each week, USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite sights and attractions in a wide range of categories. 10The top editors then vet these nominations and select a final set of nominees to present to the voting public over a four-week period.
Sanibel’s Indigo Trail has been selected a ‘Best Hiking Trail’ in America
The Indigo Trail is an easy 4.5-mile loop. It is best known for visiting migratory birds and is a favorite spot for hikers, cyclists and trail runners. Visitors can enjoy it all year round and even bring their dog, as long as it is on a leash.
According to the JN “Ding” Darling website:
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Along the Indigo Trail, visitors often spot wildlife such as alligators, night herons or white ibises.
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The Indigo Trail is CLOSED ON FRIDAYS ONLY. The boardwalk leading from the Visitor and Education Center to the entrance desk is CLOSED. To access the Indigo Trail, head down Wildlife Drive and turn left at the ticket office.
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Located 3/10 of a mile from the Visitor and Education Center, on the Indigo Trail, the Wildlife and Education Boardwalk (WEB) interprets wildlife scats and tracts and provides beautiful views of the freshwater area where alligators and seasonal breeding birds can are viewed over the water with a two-story observation pavilion.
Best Hiking Trails in the USA
1. Whispering Cave (Hocking Hills State Park)
2. Porters Creek Trail (Great Smoky Mountains National Park)
3. Fairyland Tour (Bryce Canyon National Park)
4. Bridal Veil Falls (DuPont State Recreational Forest)
5. Fairy Falls Trail (Yellowstone National Park)
6. Indigo Trail (JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge)
7. Cliff Walk (Newport, Rhode Island)
8. Scenic View via Bald Mountain Trail (Ketchum, Idaho)
9. Tunnel Creek Trail (Incline Village, Nevada)
10. Hollywood Sign via Innsdale Trail (Griffith Park, Los Angeles)
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Where’s the Best Place to Go Hiking on Sanibel Island, Florida
