Pensacola

Exploring Pensacola

With powdery white beaches, lush pine forests, broad open prairies, rugged riverside bluffs, and clear sand-bottomed rivers perfect for enjoying the outdoors, the region around Pensacola has a deep and rich history.

A naturally deep harbor, Pensacola Bay first attracted Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León.

But it was Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano who settled on its shores in 1559, founding the first European settlement in what is now the continental United States.

As the City of Five Flags, Pensacola has a rich cultural history, including Spanish, French, and British rule. Shots were fired at Fort Barrancas mere hours before the Civil War began.

Three of Pensacola’s four historic forts remain accessible for exploration. Other important historic sites include Historic Pensacola Village, the Pensacola Lighthouse, and the Arcadia Mill site.

Trails and Parks near Pensacola

Arcadia Mill At the site of Florida’s first "modern" industrial complex, Arcadia Mill features an accessible boardwalk offering a glimpse of the past and the gradual return of natural landscapes.

Bagdad Mill Site Park Reclaiming a beautiful stretch of waterfront along the Blackwater River below Milton, Bagdad Mill Site Park restored a historic mill site while interpreting its past.

Bear Lake Trail At Blackwater River State Forest, each of the recreation areas offers access to hiking, and popular Bear Lake is no exception. A 3.8-mile trail loops around this impounded reservoir, which flows into Sweetwater Creek.

Big Lagoon State Park Explore a sweep of coastal forest and wetlands along one of Florida's largest lagoons, with panoramas that stretch to Perdido Key and the Gulf of Mexico.

Blackwater River State Park Stunning white sand beaches along the Blackwater River tempt swimmers during the warm months and paddlers and hikers all year to this state park east of Milton.

Chain of Lakes Trail Featuring white sandy beaches, pine forests, and swamps alongside a lazy river, this loop along the Blackwater River provides an excellent opportunity for relaxation.

Clear Creek Nature Trail The Clear Creek Nature Trail leads you to a wonderland of bright blossoms and lacy white-veined trumpets reflected against reflections of the sky.

Edward Ball Nature Trail Circle the Thompson Creek floodplain beneath the shade of tall cypresses on this nature trail loop on the edge of the University of West Florida campus.

Florida Trail, Blackwater The 45 mile Blackwater section of the Florida Trail walks through Atlantic white cedar and longleaf pine forests, pitcher plant bogs and titi swamps to reach Alabama.

Florida Trail, Fort Pickens 6.9 miles. At the westernmost tip of Santa Rosa Island, the Florida Trail comes to its Northern Terminus in the shadow of the most important historic sites in Northwest Florida, Fort Pickens.

Florida Trail, Hutton An exceptionally scenic hike, the Hutton section of the Florida Trail navigates distinctive landscapes though clayhills, ravines, and pitcher plant bogs amid thick stands of pine.

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, 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.

Florida Trail, Seashore In addition to bike paths and the scenic UWF-SRIA Dunes Preserve, the 32-mile Seashore section of the Florida Trail walks you along a beach to the trail's Northern Terminus.

Florida Trail, UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve 3.2 miles. At the UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve on Santa Rosa Island, the Florida Trail traverses a series of coastal habitats cradled by the sweeping dunes, providing a one-of-a-kind hike.

Florida Trail, Weaver Creek 14.3 miles. Along the western side of Eglin Air Force Base, the Florida Trail traverses high, dry sandhills with some impressive views.

Fort Barrancas Part of the Third System of coastal defenses built in the 1840s by the Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Barrancas is the showy centerpiece of a National Park unit inside Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Fort Barrancas Woodland Trail The gentle Woodland Nature Trail loops a half mile through a patch of woodlands downhill from the promontory where Fort Barrancas stands above Pensacola Bay at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Garcon Bayou Nature Park On 18 acres along Garcon Bayou, a boardwalk with freshwater wetland and brackish bayou views attracts birders to a small nature park with picnic pavilions and playgrounds.

Garcon Point Trail Pitcher plants and orchids accent expansive coastal prairie landscapes and diverse pine flatwoods along a series of trails at Garcon Point.

Gulf Islands National Seashore Stretching across three Gulf Coast states, Gulf Islands National Seashore protects portions of the barrier islands between Navarre Beach, Florida and Gulfport, Mississippi.

Gulf State Park Stretching west from the tip of Perdido Key, Gulf State Park encompasses more than 6,000 acres of natural habitats on barrier islands between Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Johnson Beach As part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, the windswept tip of Perdido Key goes on for miles at Johnson Beach. Discover natural habitats and wild shores along its length.

Naval Live Oaks Area Spanning from Santa Rosa Sound to Pensacola Bay, Naval Live Oaks Area is one of America's oldest federally protected forests, now part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Naval Live Oaks Trails One of the most compelling hiking destinations near Pensacola, the trails on the Pensacola Bay side of Naval Live Oaks Area offer outstanding scenery and surprisingly hilly terrain.

Navy Point Linear Park Defining the waterfront of a historic residential community, Navy Point Linear Park offers a recreation corridor across Bayou Grande from Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Pensacola Bay Bluffs Park With nearly a mile of boardwalks above Pensacola Bay, Pensacola Bay Bluffs Park offers scrambles up and down the steep hillside on many sets of staircases.

Perdido Bay Trail Traverse a loop through coastal forests at Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park, featuring sweeping views of Perdido Bay and a dynamic mix of wet and dry ecosystems.

Perdido Key Discovery Trail Showcasing the habitat diversity of Perdido Key at Johnson Beach, the accessible Perdido Key Discovery Trail is a gentle boardwalk over wetlands, forests, and dunes.

Perdido Key State Park With sand as white as fresh fallen snow, Perdido Key State Park offers Florida's westernmost public beach.

Perdido Key State Park North Trail Florida's westernmost nature hike, the little-known 1.8-mile North Trail is a leisurely stroll through the dunes on the Intracoastal side of this popular beach park.

Perdido River Sand Bar Trail Access sandy beaches and swimming holes along the Perdido River on the Florida state line with Alabama along the scenic Sand Bar Trail, a 1.9 mile round-trip in Perdido River WMA.

Perdido River Water Management Area Fifteen miles of riverfront public land buffers a sinuous Outstanding Florida Waterway that forms the state line with Alabama at Florida's western border.

Perdido Riverwalk Walk the banks of the Perdido River after a steep plunge down the bluffs on this short, scenic loop within earshot of Interstate 10.

Sand Pine Trail, Big Lagoon State Park Immersed in an intriguing blend of habitats in a coastal setting, this uplands hiking loop at Big Lagoon State Park showcases a variety of birds and native plants.

Shoreline Park Explore a network of well-maintained and signposted nature trails threading through natural habitats atop bluffs and within wetlands along the shoreline of Santa Rosa Sound.

Tarkiln Bayou Trail A gentle introduction to Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park, the Tarkiln Bayou Trail starts as a sidewalk but ends as a boardwalk to view the glowing gems of this botanical area and the bayou itself.

Tarkiln Bayou Wet Prairie Trail Across the street from the more popular Tarkiln Bayou Trail, this sometimes-soggy loop treads into the heart of a pine prairie with pitcher plants.

Trout Point Nature Trail CLOSED TO VISITORS. Explore a fragile coastal scrub on a waterfront boardwalk inside NAS Pensacola.

Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park East of Pensacola, Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park is a sweeping panorama of wet prairies, home to the largest concentration of pitcher plants in Florida.

Camping and Lodging near Pensacola

Our favorite camping spots include Big Lagoon, Blackwater River State Park, Fort Pickens, and the campgrounds of Blackwater River State Forest, especially Bear Lake for its accessibility to many trails.

Lodging around Pensacola ranges from top-name beach resorts (yes, there is a Margaritaville right along the Florida Trail) to B&Bs and dozens of chain hotels.

Paradise Inn is a great bargain in Pensacola Beach, right along the Florida Trail / Pensacola Beach Bike Path.

Adventures Unlimited in Milton makes a good base camp for outdoor adventures, with tent camping, cabins, and the School House Inn.

At Coldwater Gardens, bring your tent and camp along the creek, check into an eco-friendly cabin, or grab one of their unique glamping tents for a fun weekend in the woods.

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Exploring Trout Point in Pensacola (10/31/2013) PERMANENTLY CLOSED. Our 2013 visit to Trout Point Nature Trail at NAS Pensacola provided scenic panoramas of the Big Lagoon and Perdido Key from a boardwalk atop a coastal scrub ridge.