• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Estuary at Bald Point State Park

Bald Point State Park

Where Ochlockonee Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico along the Forgotten Coast, quiet Bald Point State Park protects the tip of the peninsula, providing beaches to roam and estuaries and uplands to explore.

Alligator Point      ( 29.937608,-84.337377 )      17.1 miles

228 shares

Along Florida’s Forgotten Coast, the beaches of Bald Point State Park arc out into Apalachee Bay where the Ochlockonee River flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s a slender peninsula reaching off aptly named Alligator Point, fringed with extensive salt marshes and the slimmest of coastal hammocks along a quiet shore.

Estuary with mazy salt creek Mazy meanders of the estuary


Resources

Resources for exploring the area
Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Paddlers Guide Florida Hiking the Gulf Coast book cover  
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Alligator Point
Trailhead: 29.937608,-84.337377
Address: 146 Box Cut Rd, Alligator Point
Fees: $4 per vehicle, $2 pedestrian or cyclist
Restroom: at the parking area
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 850-349-9146

Open sunrise to sunset daily. Dogs are not permitted on the beach. Picnic tables, restrooms, and the boardwalk are accessible.

Sunscreen and a hat are suggested, as shade is limited along the shoreline.

Carry insect repellent, as you may need it in the estuary for the mosquitoes. Yellowflies can be a major problem here in early summer. Unfortunately, repellent doesn’t work on them.


Directions

 
From Tallahassee, follow US 319 to US 98 at Medart. Drive west on US 98 through Panacea to Ochlockonee Bay, crossing the bay on a long bridge. Continue one mile to SR 370, the road to Alligator Point. Follow this road for 3 miles to the turnoff for Bald Point Road. Follow Bald Point Road into the main entrance for the beach portion of the park. See the map above for other trailheads within Bald Point State Park.

About the Park

Surrendering yourself to the coast of the Big Bend means tuning into both tiny details and panoramic landscapes.

You’ll want to sweep your view across the vast horizons, where waves dance in the foreground.

View across a hazy bay Looking out across the water


But don’t forget to look down. At Bald Point State Park, wildflowers put on a perpetual show.

Summer means splashes of purple and white, coming from runners of morning-glory with a parade of blossoms, and members of the pea family blazing in the sun.

White morning glory bloom peeping up from grasses Morning glory on the dunes


In fall, the park is in the migration path for both monarch butterflies and raptors, including bald eagles.

Even in winter, the beach walk is fascinating, with shorebirds dashing along the sand.

Bald Point State Park Picnic pavilion at the beach


Individual picnic table pavilions front the beach at each of the parking areas.

Near the end of the park road, a boardwalk leads out to an observation platform overlooking the estuary. An accessible fishing pier is at the end of the road.

Narrowing sandy bearch with birds The sweep of sand to where bay meets Gulf


Hiking

The Sand Pine Trail off Alligator Drive is a 1.7 mile loop through the coastal sand pine scrub.

While it’s open to cyclists, the soft sand is challenging enough for hiking. A spur leads towards Alligator Harbor for scenic views.

View of a bay through pines Sand Pine Trail, Bald Point State Park Crossing a rolling landscape of sandy ridges, the Sand Pine Trail explores the largest scrub community found in Bald Point State Park.

The Sundew Trail is a 1.6 mile loop off the Tucker Lake Trail, which is more popular with cyclists because it’s 6 miles around the larger loop.

The shorter loop will get you up close to carnivorous plants in the wetlands.

Pine flatwoods Sundew Trail, Bald Point State Park A remarkable variety of wildlife inhabits dry and wet pine flatwoods along this loop trail dotted with tiny carnivorous sundew plants.

Hikers will appreciate the beach walk, which can be connected with the estuary boardwalk for a 1.3 mile loop.

Since we last hiked it, a return trail has been blazed to parallel the park road and is now known as the Maritime Hammock Loop.

Bald Point State Park Maritime Hammock Loop, Bald Point Discover the beauty of a lightly-walked beach paired with the intimate details of a maritime forest and the immense panorama of a coastal estuary on this 1.3 mile loop at Bald Point State Park.

An entirely new tract of the state park is now open along on the St. Teresa Bluffs along Ochlockonee Bay south of Sopchoppy.

Accessed via a drive through a signposted entrance for Tates Hell State Forest off US 319, it features two loops out to the bay and a lake for paddling.

Pine forest with trail Granite Point Loop Traversing a variety of ecosystems undergoing degrees of habitat restoration, the Granite Point Loop at Bald Point State Park features fantastic views of Ochlockonee Bay.

Biking

Off-road enthusiasts can join hikers on a network of sandy trails through the coastal pine forests.

These follow a network of 18 miles of old roads where a subdivision was prevented by the purchase of this land for conservation, as well as forest roads for park management.

Bald Point State Park Exit from the Sand Pine Trail, which can be biked


Double Pond

The 1.4 mile Double Pond Loop can be accessed off the entrance road to the beach. Look for the gates on the left.

From it, the Sunday Reel Trail extends another 2.1 miles out to Ochlockokee Bay, for a 5.6 mile round-trip and loop ride.

Access to these trails is by biking Bald Point Rd from one of the trailheads north or south of the entrance point to the trails.

Bald Point State Park Wildflowers in bloom near the trailhead


Tucker Lake

The longest loop in the park is 6 miles around Tucker Lake. Access it from the very first trailhead you see heading north on Bald Point Rd on the right after you turn off Alligator Dr.

Bald Point State Park Maritime hammock at Bald Point


Paddling

Chaires Creek and Tucker Lake, both tidal waterways in the estuary, can be reached by paddlers who put in off Range Rd just west of the Chaires Creek Bridge.

One paddle-in campsite is along Chaires Creek for the benefit of the Florida Saltwater Circumnavigational Trail. If you’d like to use it, just call the park in advance.

Bald Point State Park Coastal estuary and bay beyond


Trail Map

Bald Point Trail Map
Green: Sand Pine. Light Blue: Tucker Lake. Purple: Sundew. Dark Blue: Double Pond/Sunday Reel. Red: Maritime Hammock.

Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of Bald Point State Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Pitcher plants Apalachicola National Forest Noted for its botanical beauty, the Apalachicola National Forest is the largest National Forest in Florida, sweeping south and west of Tallahassee.
Myron B Hodge City Park Myron B Hodge City Park Myron B. Hodge City Park offers a nature trail where you can linger along the Sopchoppy River amid the sweet spring scent of Florida azalea.
Expanse of blue water and pines Ochlockonee River State Park At Ochlockonee River State Park waters meet, the tidal bore of the estuary pushing upstream to meet two rivers draining the vast swamps of the Apalachicola National Forest.
Lighthouse with palm trees and white sand beach on marsh St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Stretching across 70,000 acres in Florida's Big Bend, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge protects one of Florida's longest wild shorelines, more than 43 miles in three counties.

Trail Map (PDF) Official Website

Category: Beaches, Florida State Parks, Northwest Florida, Parks, PlacesTag: Alligator Point, Bald Point State Park, Big Bend Scenic Byway, Birding, Boating, Carrabelle, Fishing, Florida State Parks, Gulf of Mexico, Sopchoppy, Swimming

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

NORTHWEST FLORIDA OVERVIEW
Florida Trail

Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.
Order Now


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook
Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Apps Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

View of a bay through pines

Sand Pine Trail, Bald Point State Park

Sand Pine Trail, Bald Point State Park
Pine flatwoods

Sundew Trail, Bald Point State Park

Sundew Trail, Bald Point State Park
Trail tunneling into oak scrub

Sand Pine Nature Trail

Sand Pine Nature Trail
Trail into bluff forest in deep shade

Rocky Bayou Nature Trail

Rocky Bayou Nature Trail

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks River. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail Lake Wales Ridge.

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg.Lithia. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Riverview. Ruskin. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Park. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction. Zephyrhills

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coconut Creek. Coral Gables. Coral Springs. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact