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

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Florida Trail, Blackwater

45.5 miles. The Blackwater section of the Florida Trail walks you through Atlantic white cedar and longleaf pine forests, pitcher plant bogs and titi swamps en route to the Alabama border.

Florida National Scenic Trail  |  Milton & Munson | Blackwater River State Forest
( 30.632750, -86.854652 )      45.5 miles

532 shares

Florida Trail, Blackwater

45.5 miles   Milton, Munson, & Pensacola

An official connector, the Blackwater section takes a blue-blazed branch of the Florida Trail up to the Alabama State Line to link up with the Alabama Hiking Trail and the greater Eastern Continental Trail.

Blackwater River State Forest is Florida’s largest state forest, encompassing 190,000 acres of pine flatwoods and clayhills along the scenic Blackwater River and its tributaries.

Popular for backpacking trips, this beautiful section of the trail walks you through Atlantic white cedar and longleaf pine forests, pitcher plant bogs and titi swamps.

Once a major lumber and turpentine area, it’s now devoted to conservation and recreation, with a handful of private leases to farmers growing cotton and corn.

North of Deaton Bridge, the Florida Trail utilizes parts of three hiking trails to head north: the Juniper Creek Trail, the Jackson Red Ground Trail, and the Wiregrass Trail.

South of Deaton Bridge, the trail traverses the Hutton Unit and the Deer Lake Unit, both of which sport showy pitcher plant bogs as well as steephead ravines.


<< Eglin


Resources

Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover Florida Trail history book

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.

 
Guthook GuidesGuthook Guides GPS-driven map-based guide to the Florida National Scenic Trail with thousands of waypoints from The Florida Trail Guide. Works offline. For iPhone and Android. The Blackwater segment of the trail is our free trial for you to try out the app.


Hiking Tips

FLOODING can make hiking along the Blackwater River and its tributaries dangerous. Check National Weather Service flood gauge.

There is no safe way to skirt around flooding at Deaton Bridge if it occurs. Do not enter flowing waters.

Wear a bright orange shirt or vest during hunting seasons in Blackwater River State Forest. Check the FWC website for hunting season dates.

No permits are required to hike in Blackwater River State Forest.

Fees apply if you are camping at developed recreation areas such as Blackwater River State Park, Bear Lake Recreation Area, Krul Lake Recreation Area, Karick Lake Recreation Area, and Hurricane Lake Recreation Area.

Fees apply if you leave a car at Blackwater River State Park, which is the safest place to leave one during a backpacking trip, inside the park gates. Check at the ranger station for fees.

Frequent prescribed burns are used for forest management throughout Blackwater River State Forest. All times of year, expect at least a portion of your hike to be through recently burned forest.

To avoid walking into an ongoing burn, call ahead to check on their schedule of planned burns along the Florida Trail, 850-957-5700

Water sources are scarce the farther north you go along this section. Plan where to get your next water.


Trail Map

Florida Trail Blackwater section map


Hikes

Pitcher plant slope

Florida Trail, Hutton

An exceptionally scenic hike, the Hutton section of the Florida Trail navigates distinctive landscapes though clayhills, ravines, and pitcher plant bogs, encompassed in thick stands of pine.

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground Trail

16.6 miles. On the very first trail built in Blackwater River State Forest, the Florida Trail rises up from the red clay bluffs of Juniper Creek to enter extensive longleaf pine forests.

Florida Trail, Juniper Creek

Florida Trail, Juniper Creek

7.3 miles. Also known as the Juniper Creek Trail, the Florida Trail at Juniper Creek is a gorgeous place to explore, with its panorama at Red Rocks and botanical delights along and above the creek basin.

Florida Trail, Wiregrass Trail

Florida Trail, Wiregrass Trail

12.3 miles. On the northernmost segment of the Florida Trail, connecting to the greater Eastern Continental Trail at the state line with Alabama, the Wiregrass Trail immerses you in longleaf pine forests northeast of Pensacola.


Recent Articles

Hiking the Hills of Hutton

April 21, 2013

With our switcheroo on the previous day – skipping the burned zone of the Jackson Trail to walk the Juniper Creek Trail back to the campground – Day Four of the Panhandle Trace Hike had us headed northbound for the first time on this trek. Peggy had hikers going in all directions and for different …

The Harold Store

April 18, 2013

Back in camp on Day 3 of the Panhandle Trace Hike, we met up with Gail and Sally. Since we had to move Primrose to our next campsite – and we had to kill time, since someone was still occupying it – we a took detour to the Harold Store. En route I realized that …

All Articles & Hikes Interactive Map

Category: Backpacking, Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, Northwest FloridaTag: Best Florida Trail Backpacking, Blackwater River, Blackwater River State Forest, Blackwater River State Park, Eastern Continental Trail, Florida Trail, Locations, Milton, Pensacola

Have an update? Contact us.

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Our Florida Trail Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideThe comprehensive mile-by-mile guidebook to planning section and thru-hikes along the entire length of the Florida Trail. 356 pages, $19.95 + tax and shipping.

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Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail HikesFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail, plus nine of the best section hikes. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

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Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
Our virtual walk along the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.

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The Florida Trail

Florida Trail large coffee table book cover of trail down swamp causeway under ancient pines

Our history of the first 50 years of the Florida Trail, from its founding in 1966 to becoming a National Scenic Trail to volunteer efforts today.

Learn More

The Florida Trail App

Comprehensive logistics and offline maps all in one: The Florida Trail Guide is now also an interactive map-based mile-by-mile app by Guthook Guides.

Get the App!

Florida Trail Updates


Get periodic recaps of changes to the Florida Trail, which we accumulate between editions of our guidebook. Find all official Trail Closures & Notices here.

Hiking the Florida Trail

  • Florida Trail Overview
  • Plan your Hike
  • Choose the Right Gear
  • Best Scenic Hikes
  • Best Backpacking Trips
  • Section Hiking
  • Thru-Hiking
  • Eastern Continental Trail
  • Florida Trail in South Florida
  • Florida Trail in Central Florida
  • Florida Trail in North Florida
  • Florida Trail in Northwest Florida
  • Florida Trail for Scouting
  • Florida Trail Adventures
  • Florida Trail Updates

Florida Trail by Section

Porter Lake, Apalachicola National Forest

Florida Trail, Apalachicola

Florida Trail, Apalachicola
Florida Trail Big Bend view

Florida Trail, Big Bend

Florida Trail, Big Bend
Florida Trail Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Big Cypress

Florida Trail, Blackwater

Florida Trail, Blackwater
Florida Trail Nokuse

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle

Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
Eglin Weaver Creek

Florida Trail, Eglin

Florida Trail, Eglin
Florida Trail Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee

Florida Trail, Kissimmee
Florida Trail at Rice Creek

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida

Florida Trail, Northeast Florida
Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Florida Trail, Ocala

Florida Trail, Ocala
Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail

Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail
Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee

Florida Trail, Okeechobee
Florida Trail at Forever Florida

Florida Trail, Orlando

Florida Trail, Orlando
Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, Seashore

Florida Trail, Seashore
Florida Trail along a canal south of Clewiston

Florida Trail, Seminole

Florida Trail, Seminole
No Name Creek

Florida Trail, Suwannee

Florida Trail, Suwannee
Cypress Lakes Preserve

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

Florida Trail, Western Corridor

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