• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Pensacola City Park

Pensacola

The northern terminus of the Florida Trail is at Pensacola Beach, but the wonders of this region extend far inland

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.

Resources

The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover The Hiking Trails of Floridas National Forests Parks Preserves book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us continue to provide public information on this website.

Featured Destinations

Battery Langdon

Florida Trail, Fort Pickens

Florida Trail, Fort Pickens
Arcadia Mill complex

Arcadia Mill

Arcadia Mill
Chain of Lakes

Chain of Lakes Trail

Chain of Lakes Trail
Florida Trail Seashore Dunes

Florida Trail, UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve

Florida Trail, UWF/SRIA Dunes Preserve
Bear Lake

Bear Lake Trail

Bear Lake Trail
Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground Trail

Florida Trail, Jackson Red Ground Trail
Pitcher plant slope

Florida Trail, Hutton

Florida Trail, Hutton
Big Lagoon boardwalk

Big Lagoon State Park

Big Lagoon State Park

ALL Destinations

Recent Articles

Oleta River State Park

Florida’s Best Urban Parks

October 27, 2016//  by Sandra Friend & John Keatley

When you live in a tightly packed space, you need somewhere green as your go-to place nearby. These are our top picks for parks in Florida’s urban areas, chosen for their diversity of outdoor activities and/or their unique green spaces.

View across the Big Lagoon to Perdido Key

Exploring Trout Point in Pensacola

October 31, 2013//  by Sandra Friend

A visit to Trout Point Nature Trail at Pensacola NAS provides scenic panoramas of the Big Lagoon and Perdido Key from a boardwalk atop a coastal scrub ridge.

Two sides of the Yellow River

April 23, 2013//  by John Keatley

Hiking through the Yellow River Ravines section on the Panhandle Trace Hike was a new experience for us all, as it’s a newly opened segment of trail near Milton.

FT Wiregrass

On the 2013 Panhandle Trace Hike

April 4, 2013//  by Sandra Friend

It was a delight this year – Peggy Grantham’s last as hike leader – to join the Panhandle Trace and get to know the far northern reaches of the Florida Trail. It’s been 11 years since I hiked through Blackwater River State Forest and while some things remain the same, others certainly have changed. I …

ALL Articles

Coldwater Gardens cabin

Where to Stay in Pensacola

On our visits to Pensacola, we’ve both camped and found hotels at reasonable prices to use as our base camp while we hiked. Our favorite camping spots include 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 small mom-and-pops as well as 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.

NEARBY: Eglin Air Force Base, Milton, Navarre | PART OF: Northwest Florida

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact