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Ladder up a bluff

Florida Trail, Eglin East

41.8 miles. Simultaneously rugged and scenic: that’s the beauty of a backpacking trip across the Alaqua, Catface, and Titi sections of the Florida Trail in Eglin Air Force Base.

Florida Trail, Eglin  |  Eglin Air Force Base
( 30.686233, -86.571317 )      41.8 miles

429 shares

Established concurrently with the Ocala National Forest in 1908, Choctawhatchee National Forest protected a vast swath of old growth longleaf pine forest.

In 1940, sensing the likelihood America would join the war against the Nazis, the Federal Government transferred the land to the War Department to expand an existing airfield for bomber training. Eglin Air Force Base was born.

Covering 724 square miles, it is the largest military reservation in Florida. Recreation has been a part of the base for some time, so in the late 90s the Florida Trail Association began discussions of routing the trail here.

Three sections of the Florida Trail between Crestview and DeFuniak Springs – Alaqua, Catface, and Titi – make up the Eglin East section, east of Crestview.

With scrambling through ravines, crossing crystalline waterways, standing atop ridges, and marveling at dense hardwood forests, these back-to-back pieces make a fabulous backpacking trip.


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

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


Backpacking Eglin

While the western side of Eglin – known as the Weaver Creek section – tends to close frequently for training maneuvers, the eastern side closes less frequently and makes for one of Florida’s best backpacking trips.

Most hikers tackle it in two or three days, which fits in nicely with Eglin’s requirement that you check the PAM – Public Access Map – before hiking on base.

The PAM provides a three day forecast, so when you see these segments are clear, you’re good to go. Immediately.

Designated campsites are set 8 to 12 miles apart. Dogs are welcome.


Trip Planning

All hikers must have a permit in advance of arriving at Eglin Air Force Base. There is a $5 day use permit or an annual permit for $20. Obtain your permit online.

If you wish to camp at a recreation area there is an additional nightly fee for that.

Before your hike, call 850-882-4164 or check the Public Access Map online to ensure the base is open: FPCON DELTA status means the base is closed to public access.


Camping

Do not random camp. Hikers MUST use designated campsites. Designated campsites have benches, a fire ring, and a nearby water source. Bear bag or use a bear canister, as bears have been spotted here.

Bring earplugs, as traffic noise from Interstate 10 affects the campsites at Bull, Red Deer, and Pearl.

Pearl campsite Eglin
Benches and fire ring at Pearl campsite

Hunting

Wear a bright orange shirt or vest during hunting seasons. Check the Eglin iSportsman website for hunting season dates in Eglin, although you will encounter hunters outside of hunting season in a dog training area in the Catface section.


Wildlife

Bear bagging or use of a bear canister is recommended. Alligator sightings are infrequent, but they can be present in any body of water, mainly in the ponds and swamps.

Pay attention when you come to the edge of a creek or pond to filter. It’s always smart to scoop water up in a bag and take it elsewhere to filter.


Water

There are so many streams through Eglin you can choose to filter multiple times a day instead of carrying water. Flowing water sources are plentiful.

Eglin Bull campsite water
Cascade Grotto, the water source for Bull campsite

Resupply

In the middle of this section, you can walk 2.5N along SR 285 to reach a large Love’s Truck Stop at Interstate 10 for resupply. It has showers and hot food as well, and a Sleep Inn adjoins it.


Parking and Shuttle

It helps that this is a military base. We have heard of no reports with vandalism when cars are left for multiple days while backpacking, nor have we experienced it ourselves.

If you need assistance with a shuttle, join the Florida Trail Hikers Facebook group and ask for assistance. There are a number of volunteers in the area who can help. Be sure to compensate them for their gas and time.


Safety

Eglin Air Force Base is an active military base. Even when the trail is open, you’ll hear both low-flying military aircraft and sounds like thunder but are actually test bombings.

Eglin is the biggest bombing range in the United States. That being the case, you must stick to the footpath and not stray far off it, because unexploded ordinance dating back to World War II is still lurking in these forests.

If you notice any sort of ordinance – rocket, bomb, hand grenade – do not approach it but note the location and call Eglin Security Forces at 850-882-2502 to report it.


Mileages

All of the mileages below start with mile 0 at Eglin Portal trailhead and end with mile 41 at Pearl trailhead. Mileages below are calculated from the Florida Trail App.

0.0 – Eglin Portal trailhead
2.8 – Eglin Portal campsite
3.9 – Alaqua Creek
9.6 – Alaqua campsite
12.8 – Alaqua trailhead
16.5 – Bull campsite
24.5 – Red Deer campsite
26.4 – SR 285 (Mossy Head services 2.0N)
27 – Old SR 285 trailhead
28.5 – Side trail to Speck Pond Recreation Area
34.5 – JR Walton Pond Recreation Area
40.9 – Pearl campsite
41.8 – Pearl trailhead


Trail Segments

These are the trail segments that make up the Eglin East section, south to north (compass east to west).

Florida Trail, Eglin Alaqua

Florida Trail, Alaqua

12.8 miles. With significant botanical beauty, rugged climbs, and nice campsites, the Alaqua section of the Florida Trail in Eglin Air Force Base is one of the most scenic parts of the trail statewide.

Anise Creek

Florida Trail, Catface

14.2 miles. Climbing to the highest elevations along the Florida Trail, the challenging Catface section traverses hilly terrain along the northern edge of Eglin Air Force Base.

Silver Creek, Eglin

Florida Trail, Titi

14.8 miles. Paralleling the floodplain of Titi Creek and its tributaries, this hike on the Florida Trail across Eglin will surprise you with its mature longleaf pine forests and its steep descents into creek basins.

An excellent 17 mile round-trip backpack, the Cimmaron Trail is a dead-end extension to the FNST beyond Pearl trailhead that is hoped to replace the roadwalk through Crestview in the future.

Pitcher plants in front of a pond

Cimmaron Trail

Sunny sandhill communities transition to the deeply shaded Yellow River floodplain along the well-maintained Cimarron Trail at Eglin Air Force Base.


Obtain a Permit Public Access Map (PAM) Hunt Dates Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Florida Trail, Hikes, Military Reservations, Northwest Florida, Trails, Wildlife Management AreasTag: Best Camping, Best Dog Hikes, Best Florida Trail Backpacking, Botanical, Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Destin, Dog-friendly, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida Trail, Fort Walton Beach, Freeport, FT Eglin, Hilly, Niceville, Primitive Camping

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Florida Trail App

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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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Discovering the Florida Trail

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A virtual walk along the length of the Florida Trail via full color photos covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax and shipping.
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Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail HikesSecond edition. The best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. LIMITED QUANTITY. $24.95 + tax and shipping.
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The Florida Trail

Florida Trail history book

A comprehensive photo-rich history covering 50 years of Florida's favorite hiking destination. 9x12", 228 pages, full color.

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Hiking the Florida Trail

  • Florida Trail Overview
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  • Best Scenic Hikes
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Florida Trail by Section

Florida trail blaze on pines in 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

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.

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