Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides
At the south end of Santa Rosa County, Navarre is a gateway to the western side of Eglin Air Force Base and vast stretches of unspoiled beaches along the Gulf of Mexico
Florida’s largest military base is also a major destination for outdoor recreation
In mid-April, the pitcher plants of Santa Rosa County are at their peak of bloom. During the 2013 Panhandle Trace Hike, we went in search of them and here’s what we found.
98.3 miles. One of the most compelling sections of the Florida Trail for backpackers, Eglin offers rugged elevation changes and crystalline waterways.
Encompassing the sweep of Florida west of the Suwannee River, the Florida Trail through Northwest Florida offers some of the most dramatic panoramas and rugged terrain you’ll find while hiking in Florida.
32.3 miles. In addition to several bike paths and the wild and scenic UWF-SRIA Dunes Preserve, the Seashore section of the Florida Trail walks you along a beach to the trail’s Northern Terminus.
14.3 miles. Along the western side of Eglin Air Force Base, the Florida Trail traverses high, dry sandhills with some impressive views.
On a peninsula separating Blackwater Bay and East Bay, Garcon Point Preserve presents an open landscape of wind-swept prairies punctuated by oak hammocks and tall longleaf pines
Stretching across three Gulf Coast states, Gulf Islands National Seashore protects portions of the barrier islands between Navarre Beach, Florida and Gulfport, Mississippi.
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.
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.
