Acquired by the state in 2020, the St. Teresa Tract of Bald Point State Park has a long history of ownership.
Once part of Camp Gordon Johnston, established during WWII to train soldiers and support units in the use of amphibious landing craft, it was later bought by a developer.
Trails follow old access roadsLanguishing for years, it changed hands again, becoming a sand pine plantation for pulpwood.
Under the ownership of Florida State Parks, the land is being restored as a crucial link in an extensive wildlife corridor.
In addition to miles of hiking and biking trails along Ochlockonee Bay, the park provides paddlers access to a large freshwater lake, Corn Landing Lake.
Footpath leading into the forestResources
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Overview
Location: St. Teresa
Length: 4.8 miles
Trailhead: 29.954807, -84.440087
Address: 4449 U.S. 98 East, St. Teresa
Fees: $4 per vehicle
Restrooms: Portable toilet at trailhead
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 850-962-2771
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome.
Directions
From the intersection of US 98 with US 319 south of Crawfordville, head south on US 319 for 14.3 miles, passing through Sopchoppy, before turning left onto a dirt road with a large sign for the St. James Tract of Tate’s Hell State Forest. Continue north on the dirt road for 0.8 miles to the park entrance with an iron ranger. In another 0.7 miles, turn left onto a crushed shell parking area.
Hike
Starting at the parking area, head towards a set of wooden fences, following a sloping pathway down to the shoreline of Corn Landing Lake.
Several picnic tables sit under a shady canopy of oaks, next to a launch where vehicles can unload kayaks to explore the lake.
Picnic area and kayak launchA kiosk at the north end of the picnic area displays a map and information about the park, highlighting the loops, lakes, and local wildlife.
The trail begins beyond the kiosk, where posts painted with yellow and blue indicate the trail, a crushed shell road flanked by dense stands of sand pine.
Yellow and blue trailWhere the two loops split at 0.3 mile, turn to the right, following blue blazes eastward on a wide, grassy pathway.
Patches of saw palmetto cluster alongside an occasional sand live oak or turkey oak begins to dot the predominantly pine covered landscape.
Shady spot under the oaksAt 0.6 miles, the trail crosses a scenic salt marsh creek on a sturdy wooden walkway. Tall grasses line the banks of the waterway as it snakes northward towards the bay.
Continuing eastward, the trail rises out of the wetlands onto a dry environment that was likely scrubby sandhill habitat before being converted to agriculture.
Creek bridgeCarpets of deer moss border the trail, alongside St. John’s wort and small asters with bright yellow flowers.
A keen eye might spot evidence of the original habitat where a small pawpaw, lupine, or Florida rosemary sprouts from the stark white soils.
Florida rosemaryWhere the loop begins at 1.5 mile, turn to the right, following a sandy corridor for 0.4 mile, then turn left at an intersection of forest roads.
Distant water comes into view while heading northward on a pine needle strewn pathway.
The trail reaches the shoreline of Ocklockonee Bay at 2.5 miles. A pair of picnic benches provide a perfect spot to rest and enjoy the waterside scenery.
Granite PointTurning back towards the trailhead, a few side trails lead towards more views of the bay before the loop concludes at 3.2 miles.
From this point, pay close attention to the blue blazes as they lead back to the trailhead in 1.4 miles, as it is easy to miss a turn at road junctions.
Blue blazed trailWith a detailed map or reliable navigation on hand, the route back can be expanded upon, making the hike into a figure-eight.
Use the network of forest roads west to reach the main access road, then follow the road north to the parking area.
Sandy forest roadThe shared-use portion of this trail is also part of the adjacent Bluffs Overlook Trail starting at the same trailhead.
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.Trail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about Bald Point State Park
Bald Point State Park From its namesake point at the Gulf of Mexico to the sandy heights of St. Teresa Bluffs, Bald Point State Park protects miles of waterfront along Ochlockonee Bay while providing extensive trails to roam.Video
A walk through the Granite Point Loop
Nearby Adventures
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.
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.
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.
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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