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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, Blackwater  |  Blackwater River State Forest
( 30.78524,-86.886772 )      16.6 miles

161 shares

16.6 miles. At the southern extent of the Jackson Red Ground Trail, the very first trail built in Blackwater River State Forest in the 1970s, the Florida Trail rises up from the red clay bluffs of Juniper Creek.

It enters rolling clayhills topped with longleaf pine forests on its northerly route. This is a high and dry segment of the trail in Blackwater River State Forest.


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover Florida Trail small coffee table book North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide 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.


Overview

Along the 21.2 miles of the Jackson Red Ground Trail between Red Rocks and Karick Lake, the Florida Trail immerses you in longleaf pine forests with titi swamps in the folds between the hills. Seepage slopes nourish colorful colonies of pitcher plants.

This is the oldest section of the Florida Trail in Northwest Florida, added to the growing trail system in 1975. Why the mileage discrepancy, you ask? That’s because the Florida Trail portion of the route leaves the Jackson Red Ground Trail at mile 16.6 to join the Wiregrass Trail.

Prior to becoming part of the Florida Trail, this route was established by foresters at Blackwater River State Forest as a historic trail, following the path taken by General Andrew Jackson and his 1,200 troops in 1818 as they marched towards Pensacola.

Jackson had just received orders to be in charge of the Federal “Indian Removal” from the Florida Territory, which was still not quite fully wrested from Spain, another objective for the future president.

The trail itself pre-dated Jackson’s use, serving as a trade route for Native Americans between villages at the sites of what are now Columbus (Georgia) and Pensacola.

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground
Longleaf pine habitat on the Jackson Red Ground Trail

In addition to healthy longleaf pine forests on a world-class scale, the trail treats you to a patch of Choctawhatchee sand pine scrub, views of farmland, seepage slopes with pitcher plants, and rare but occasional stream crossings on boardwalks and bridges across cypress-lined creeks. There are two campsites along the hike.

Both originally also had the Appalachian Trail-style shelters built in the 1970s, but the southernmost of the two shelters burned down in 2013. A connecting trail leads to Bear Lake Recreation Area, which has a developed campground on a beautiful lake.

March and April are excellent times to hike this trail because of the colorful wildflowers along the route. Showy sprays of Gulf lupine add color to the sandhills, while white-topped pitcher plants grow in perched bogs in some of the swales. Florida dogwood blossoms add color to the canopy.


Trip Planning

The Blackwater section was reblazed blue to indicate its status as an official side trail. You’ll still see orange blazes here and there along the route, and also in our older photos of this section.

This section ends at an obvious trail junction at a picnic table and sign. The trail junction is not near a road crossing, so hikers can continue north up the Wiregrass Trail another 4.2 miles to Kennedy Bridge.

Your other option is or east another 4.6 miles along the remainder of the Jackson Red Ground Trail to the Karick Lake (South or North) Recreation Areas. Or they’ll stop short at one of the paved road access points.

This hike can be broken into pieces by using access points along paved roads it crosses, particularly if you are hiking with a friend and can stage cars to hike between them.

With the Red Rock trailhead being mile 0, there are access points at Sandy Forest Rd (mile 1.1), Old Martin Rd (mile 6.9), McVay Rd (mile 8.5), Beaver Creek Rd (mile 10.1), and Peaden Bridge Rd (mile 13.9). Each of these has room for a car or two to pull off for day hiking.

A backpacker can put in a full 21.2 mile journey between Red Rocks and Karick Lake. Since there is a developed campground and camp host at Karick Lake North, we suggest leaving your vehicle at Karick Lake North and getting a shuttle to Red Rocks to hike back to it.

Contact Adventures Unlimited, 850-623-6197, regards a shuttle for a fee. Don’t leave your car at Red Rock Rd. Vandalism has been reported there.

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.

FLOODING can make hiking along the Blackwater River and its tributaries dangerous. Check National Weather Service flood gauge. This section is particularly sensitive to flooding as it is in the Juniper Creek floodplain. 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.


Directions

 
For the southern trailhead, follow SR 191 north from US 90 through Milton towards Munson to the turnoff for Red Rock Picnic Area on Red Rock Rd. Cross the bridge and continue uphill 0.5 mile past the picnic area to the trailhead parking area on the right.
 
For the northern trailhead, follow SR 189 north from US 90 to Karick Lake Recreation Area. Use the Jackson Red Ground Trail, which starts at Karick Lake, to connect to the Wiregrass Trail in order to hike south.
 
Alternatively, access the Wiregrass Trail via Hurricane Lake Recreation Area: follow SR 189 north to CR 28; turn west and follow signs to Hurricane Lake.

Hike

Starting from the trailhead at Red Rock Road, the trail heads north and uphill through longleaf pine forest. You’ll find this more of an immersion in the habitat than experienced farther south in Blackwater River State Forest.

The good news is, it gets even better the farther north you hike. The understory is very open and the majestic pines tower overhead.

The trail is well-blazed and the footpath easy to follow. Expect to see fox squirrels and white-tailed deer in these rolling hills.

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground
A red rock outcrop along Charley Foster Rd

While there are few surface streams in the first part of the hike south of SR 4, a notable one is crossed by a boardwalk proudly marked as an Eagle Scout project.

Just north of it at 5.5 miles, the trail joins Charley Foster Road, a dirt road, to cross a stream basin. This is the most likely place to find water before you reach the upcoming campsite, Blackwater Shelter 2 Camp.

Just past the camp is the Bear Lake Connector heading west to Bear Lake Recreation Area.

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground
The connector to Bear Lake follows forest roads

The trail continues across Old Martin Rd into more rolling hills with longleaf pine before dropping you onto a road and a short roadwalk along SR 4 to cross a creek using the highway bridge.

Returning to the woods at McVay Rd, there is another bridged creek before the trail enters the Choctawhatchee sand pine forest that edges cotton fields.

North of Beaver Creek Road, the trail meanders through hardwoods and pines, with a boardwalk traverse of a bayhead swamp in the middle.

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground
Boardwalk through a bayhead swamp

At 12.5 miles, a sturdy bridge over a creek is your next place for water for the upcoming Blackwater Shelter and campsite.

Less than a mile north of that stop, the trail emerges onto Peaden Bridge Road to cross the Blackwater River on the highway bridge.

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground
Blackwater River as seen from Peaden Bridge

The last stretch of trail is more rolling hills with longleaf pines and turkey oaks. Look for pitcher plants in bogs where bog bridges appear in the middle of the grassy slopes.

Paralleling Sherman Kennedy Road, a dirt road, the trail diverges from it before coming to the Wiregrass Trail junction at a picnic bench.

FLORIDA TRAIL NORTHBOUND: Wiregrass Trail
FLORIDA TRAIL SOUTHBOUND: Juniper Creek Trail


Explore More!

Learn more about the FT and Blackwater River State Forest

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.

Blackwater River SF

Blackwater River State Forest

At Blackwater River State Forest near Milton, immerse yourself in the largest state forest in Florida: 190,000 acres surrounding the Blackwater River and its tributaries.


Slideshow

See our photos of Jackson Red Ground Trail


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

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.

Blackwater River State Park

Blackwater River State Park

Blackwater River State Park is the gateway to thousands of acres of public lands stretching northward to the Alabama border.

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.

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.

Forest Map (PDF) Hunt Dates Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Day Hikes, Florida Trail, Hikes, Northwest Florida, TrailsTag: Best Dog Hikes, Blackwater River State Forest, Dog-friendly, Florida State Forests, Florida Trail, FT Blackwater, Hilly, Historic Sites, Milton, Munson, Pensacola, Pitcher Plants, Primitive Camping, Weekends, Wildflowers, Wildlife Viewing

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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 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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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.

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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

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Florida Trail by Section

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No Name Creek

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