One of more than five marked trails among 11 miles of loops inside this 2,900-acre city preserve, the Green Trail provides a sampler of Conservation Park.
Radiating from the main trailhead, it’s a 1.8 mile journey through pine flatwoods amid sandhills punctuated by cypress domes and patches of sand pine scrub.
A signposted trail junction a third of the way through the Green TrailResources
Resources for exploring the area
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Overview
Location: Panama City Beach
Length: 1.8 mile loop
Trailhead: 30.259358, -85.897008
Address: 100 Conservation Park, Panama City Beach
Fees: Free
Restrooms: At trailhead
Land manager: Panama City Beach
Phone: 850-233-5045
Open dawn to dusk. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
Directions
From the intersection of US 98 and SR 79, drive northwest on US 98 for 1.2 miles before turning right onto Griffin Blvd. At the end of the road, turn left into the entrance at Conservation Drive. In 0.3 mile, the parking area is on the left in front of office and next to the trailhead.
Hike
All trails start at a single point across the parking area from the restrooms. Follow the broad path past the junction of Walt Oberst Way along the Cypress Pond route.
Nicely shaded picnic tables and an outdoor classroom are tucked into the pine forest, where gallberry, grapevines, and saw palmetto make up the understory.
Junction with accessible Walt Oberst WayA cypress strand sports shades of rust, orange and yellow in autumn as the needles react to cooler temperatures, shedding into the swamp below.
The trail turns to pea gravel before it reaches boardwalk across a wetland where tannic water flows sluggishly below. Wax myrtles flower in fall.
Wizened cypress in autumn colorsAt the end of the boardwalk, turn right. The broad wood-chipped path leads the Green Trail around the cypress dome, beneath the slash pines.
The original pine savanna along this side of the barrier island was commercially tapped for turpentine up through the 1930s.
Pass a confirmation blaze and head down a straightaway, then curve right to zigzag through scrubby flatwoods towards denser forest in the distance, turning east.
Past a beautiful cluster of blazing star blooming in fall, reach the signposted junction of the Cypress Pond Trail and Osprey Trail at 0.6 mile.
Blazing star (liatris) near the trail junctionContinue straight across the forest road into the pine forest. The trail jogs right and left through what were once rows of planted pines.
Skirting the edge of a cypress dome, it finally approaches and enters it along another broad boardwalk.
The understory is thick with growthWax myrtle dominates the understory. The cypresses have a wizened look, their tops cropped off at one height, perhaps by a hurricane in the past.
This is an extensive boardwalk that twists and winds above the watery landscape before plunging downhill into a wall of pines.
The boardwalk ends in the pinesPokeberry and fungi grow in the dense pine duff, and deer moss grows in thick clumps.
The trail makes a sharp left onto a forest road, guided by a split-rail fence. Soft sand underfoot makes for difficult footing for a short stretch.
Approaching a forest roadGuided right by another split-rail fence, the trail curves past a showy array of sandhill wildflowers, including goldenaster, deer’s-tongue, and sandhill wireweed.
A three-way trail junction is at 1.2 miles. To the left is the Buck Pond Trail. The Cypress Pond Trail continues straight ahead.
Bumblebee collecting nectarTurn right to stay on the Green Trail, which joins the Yellow Trail. In the decade since the park opened, this former sandhill has been nicely restored.
A cypress strand edges the forest. At 1.5 miles, a pump station on the left is an obvious landmark, moving treated water through the cypresses for filtration.
Sandhill restoration (Chris Stevens)Following the elevated forest road, the trail reaches a sign for “Buck Pond Trail” and “Baxley Homestead,” the name for the trailhead.
Pass a gate on the left for Northwest Florida Water Management District access before reaching the trailhead. Turn right to exit, completing the 1.8 mile circuit.
Trailhead parking area at Conservation ParkTrail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about Panama City Beach Conservation Park and its trails
Panama City Beach Conservation Park
String together a set of well-maintained trails to hike loops of up to 11 miles through this vast protected area of woodlands and wetlands in Panama City Beach.
Slideshow
See our photos from Panama City Beach Conservation Park
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Gayle’s Trails
A network of paved trails north of US 98, Gayle’s Trails connect two major parks in Panama City Beach with nearby neighborhoods.
Frank Brown Park
The primary recreational complex in Panama City Beach – with aquatic center and ballfields – Frank Brown Park also provides access to biking on Gayle’s Trails.
Camp Helen State Park
Haunted by a sea monster sighted in one of the largest ancient coastal dune lakes on Florida’s coast, Camp Helen State Park offers seaside relaxation and historic interpretation.
St. Andrews State Park
Anchoring the eastern end of Panama City Beach, this popular state park is an important natural haven and outdoor recreation destination in an urban setting.