Encompassing the sweep of Florida west of the Suwannee River, the Florida Trail through Northwest Florida offers some of the most dramatic panoramas and rugged terrain you’ll find while hiking in Florida.
From coastal views along the Big Bend and Pensacola Beach to tangled black gum and titi swamps and the delights of climbing in and out of steephead ravines, this is a part of Florida that surprises and delights all hikers.
Following the Florida Trail through the Panhandle, you’ll discover that Florida certainly isn’t flat or boring when it comes to hiking.
This region has a mix of expansive protected wild places in public lands along coastlines and rivers, massive acreage in farms and pine plantations, and a light population except along the beaches from Panama City Beach west.
NEARBY CITIES: Pensacola, Panama City Beach, Tallahassee
TRAIL TOWNS: Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Milton, Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Freeport, Ebro, Blountstown, Bristol, Sopchoppy, Panacea, Medart, St. Marks, Madison
Trail Sections
Each of the below sections correspond to a smaller segment of the Florida Trail in this region, from east to west (Tallahassee to Pensacola).
Florida Trail, Big Bend
116.2 miles. After crossing rural farms and forests in the Big Bend, the Florida Trail reveals the secrets of the Aucilla River before tracing the Gulf coastline at St. Marks NWR
Florida Trail, Apalachicola
77.9 miles. Florida’s largest national forest, Apalachicola is a very lush place, which means soggy feet and spectacular botanical diversity south of Tallahassee.
Florida Trail, Central Panhandle
99.3 miles. West of the Apalachicola River, the Florida Trail stitches a series of public lands together along the corridor of the Northwest Florida Greenway.
Florida Trail, Eglin
98.3 miles. One of the most compelling sections of the Florida Trail for backpackers, Eglin offers rugged elevation changes and crystalline waterways.
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 Trail, Seashore
32.3 miles. In addition to several bike paths and the wild and scenic UWF-SRIA Dunes Preserve, the Seashore section of the Florida Trail walks you along a beach to the trail’s Northern Terminus.
NORTH << Eastern Continental Trail SOUTH >> North Florida