Named after an extremely rare tree found only along the bluffs of the Apalachicola River, Torreya State Park is a hiker’s paradise.
Its centerpiece is the Torreya Hiking Trail, a 14.4 mile trail system developed in the 1970s by the Florida Trail Association.
Made up of two loops, the 14.4-mile Torreya Hiking Trail boasts challenging elevation changes found in few other places throughout the state.
It also offers three primitive campsites as destinations for backpackers who want to take on this rugged terrain.
Rock Creek Campsite (Chris Stevens)Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Overview
Location: Bristol
Length: 14.4 mile loop
Trailhead: 30.577133, -84.949083
Address: 2576 NW Torreya Park Rd, Bristol
Fees: $3 per vehicle
Restrooms: At the picnic area on the main drive
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 850-643-2674
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed pets welcome. Pay your entrance fee at the iron ranger as you enter the park.
In addition to primitive campsites, the park features a campground for tent campers and RVs, two yurts, and an accessible cabin.
Directions
From Exit 166 on Interstate 10, head south on Flat Creek Rd for 3.2 mile, and turn right onto Audie Clark Rd. In 1.1 mile, turn right onto Sycamore Rd and continue for 10.2 miles. Turn right onto NW Torreya Park Rd and follow it 2.6 miles to the park entrance. The trailhead is immediately on the left after passing through the main gate.
Hike
One of the most rugged hikes in Florida, the Torreya Hiking Trail treats you to an billowing landscape of bluffs and ravines rising to 300 feet above the Apalachicola River at Logan’s Bluff.
The unique landscape houses unusual plant communities, including some of the rarest species in the state, including Ashe magnolia, torreya (“stinking cedar”), and Florida yew tree.
You’ll also see remains of Confederate earthwork gun batteries used to shell passing ships from the high bluffs.
Visit in late spring for optimal magnolia blooms—there are several rare varieties that only grow along these bluffs. Pause at the Red Rock scenic area to enjoy the cliffs.
Ashe magnolia (Chris Stevens)Made up of the Rock Creek Loop and the Torreya Challenge Loop, the Torreya Hiking Trail sprawls across river bluffs and ridges, uplands and bottomlands.
For direct access to the full loop, use the trailhead for the Rock Creek Loop.
Torreya Rock Creek Loop
Traversing rugged terrain through steep ravines above the Apalachicola River, the Rock Creek Loop at Torreya State Park offers distinctly scenic landscapes in a botanically-rich corner of Florida.
Torreya Challenge Loop
An atypical hike by Florida standards, the aptly named Torreya Challenge Loop offers 7 miles of tough terrain and a scenic blufftop backpacking campsite.
Trail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about Torreya State Park
Torreya State Park
Perched on bluffs above the Apalachicola River, Torreya State Park is one of Florida’s first state parks, developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Florida Trail, Camel Lake to Savannahs
5.3 miles. Wet feet are expected on this traverse of the pine savannas along the edges of Johnson Juniper Swamp in the Apalachicola National Forest, where careful inspection along the Florida Trail yields a bounty of carnivorous plants.
Florida Trail, Vilas to Camel Lake
10.3 miles. Broadening your perspective on Florida’s largest national forest, the Florida Trail east of Camel Lake offers an ever-shifting focus from macro to landscape, showcasing one of the most habitat-diverse parts of the Apalachicola National Forest.
Florida Trail, Jewel to Vilas
14.3 miles. Delving deep into the swampy heart of the Apalachicola National Forest, this section spans some of the gnarliest titi and gum swamps you’ll see outside of Bradwell Bay.
Ravine Trail
Part of the Terry Rhodes Trail System, the Ravine Trail at the Bear Creek Tract of Lake Talquin State Forest clings to the edges of a large steephead ravine