Making an arc through uplands adjoining Big Lagoon, the Perdido Key Discovery Trail is the only marked trail at Johnson Beach, the sole unit of Gulf Islands National Seashore on Perdido Key.
An accessible nature trail made up of a boardwalk with a paved connector between trailheads, it provides interpretation of coastal habitats while offering a pleasant destination for birding.
Rosemary bald along the loopResources
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Overview
Length: 0.6 mile loop
Trailhead: 30.30271, -87.41486
Address: 13233 Johnson Beach Rd, Pensacola
Fees: $15 pedestrian / cyclist, $25 vehicle (good for one week)
Restroom: at the main beach pavilion
Land manager: Gulf Islands National Seashore
Phone: 850-934-2600
Open 5 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs permitted.
Directions
From Pensacola, follow SR 292 west around Pensacola Naval Air Station. After the traffic light at Gulf Beach Highway, SR 292 crosses the bridge onto Perdido Key. Turn left onto Johnson Beach Rd after a half mile. Continue to the park entrance gate and pay the entrance fee. At the first road junction, make a left. Be cautious of people walking along the road. The road ends at the far trailhead.
Hike
There are two entrances to the boardwalk, both along the short road down to Big Lagoon. The road becomes a connector to make the loop.
We started our walk at the trailhead closest to the lagoon, which provided a nice, slow introduction to the habitats of Perdido Key starting at the lowest point.
TrailheadThe boardwalk traverses a coastal pine forest for the first short stretch, with puddles of wetlands visible between the trees.
At a trail junction, a short side boardwalk leads out to an expansive marsh. To its north you can see the arc of the SR 292 bridge from the mainland.
Marsh along the edge of Big LagoonAlthough several locations provide benches along the boardwalk, this is the best one for birding. Sit and watch the sweep of the marsh towards the lagoon.
As the trail turns away from the marsh, elevation increases. Scrub forest begins to invade the understory of the pine flatwoods.
An intermingling of habitatsAfter a quarter mile, you are firmly in the scrub, the boardwalk bridging dunes topped with open stretches of white sand where diminutive oaks and Florida rosemary thrive.
As the boardwalk curves again, you catch a glimpse of condos at the edge of Johnson Beach.
Developed waterfront outside the National Seashore gateCurving again, the path points back towards Big Lagoon, with more immersion in the scrub forest.
The boardwalk ends at a second kiosk along the road to Big Lagoon. Johnson Beach sits off to the right within walking distance.
Turn left to walk back to the parking area at Big Lagoon, or right if you started at Johnson Beach.
Scrub near the end of the trailTrail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about Gulf Islands National Seashore
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.Video
A virtual walk on the Perdido Key Discovery Trail
Slideshow
See our photos of the Perdido Key Discovery Trail
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
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
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.
Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park Conserving a vast swath of wetland habitats in low-lying areas along the Perdido River floodplain, Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park is home to four species of Sarracenia - pitcher plants - unique to the Gulf Coast. 
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.