Along Florida’s Forgotten Coast, the beaches of Bald Point State Park arc 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.
Mazy meanders of the estuaryResources
Resources for exploring the area
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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.
Mouth of Ochlockonee BayBut 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.
Morning glory on the dunesIn 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.
Picnic area along the Maritime Hammock TrailIndividual picnic table pavilions front the beach at each of the parking areas.
Near the end of the park road, a sidewalk leads to an observation platform overlooking the estuary. An accessible fishing pier is at the end of the road.
White streaks reveal beaches along Ochlockonee BayHiking
The Sand Pine Trail off Alligator Drive is a 1.7 mile loop through the coastal sand pine scrub.
While open to cyclists, the soft sand is challenging enough for hiking. A spur leads towards Alligator Harbor for scenic views.
Bald Point Sand Pine Trail 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.
Bald Point Tucker Lake Trail Circling the largest body of water in Bald Point State Park, the Tucker Lake Trail showcases a blend of dry upland ecosystems and expansive marshlands. 
Bald Point Sundew Trail 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 Maritime Hammock Trail, a combination of footpath and beach walk for a 1.3 mile loop.
Optional side trips to observation points in the estuary and on the bay at the fishing pier overlooking Bald Point extend your mileage to a 2 mile hike.
Bald Point Maritime Hammock Trail A remote beach, a sweep of estuary, a broad bay, and the Gulf of Mexico: the beauty that surrounds this 1.3 mile nature trail at Bald Point invites full exploration on a 2 mile hike.Separate from the two entrances to the park at Alligator Point, a large new tract opened 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 on two different routes to the bay as well as a lake for paddling.
Bluffs Overlook Trail Within pine forests planted on WWII-era Camp Gordon Johnston atop high ground above the Ochlockonee River, enjoy vistas of the river and its bay from the St. Teresa Bluffs.
Granite Point Loop Traversing ecosystems undergoing degrees of habitat restoration, the 4.8 mile 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 at both St. Teresa Bluffs and Alligator Point.
Many of the marked trails follow a network of old roads where development was prevented by the purchase of this land for conservation, as well as forest roads for park management.
Exit from the Sand Pine Trail, which can be bikedDouble 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.
Wildflowers in bloom near the trailheadPaddling
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.
Trail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from Bald Point State Park
Nearby Adventures
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 offers a nature trail where you can linger along the Sopchoppy River amid the sweet spring scent of Florida azalea.
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.
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Stretching across 86,000 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.
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- Hal Scott Preserve - October 28, 2026
- Tradewinds Park - October 27, 2026