• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Florida Hikes logo

Florida Hikes

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

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • 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
Longleaf pines

Torreya Hiking Trail

One of the most rugged hikes in Florida, the Torreya Hiking Trail treats you to an scenic landscape of ravines and bluffs rising 300 feet above the Apalachicola River.

Bristol (30.577133, -84.949083)   14.4 miles   Torreya State Park
132 shares

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.

Small benches and fire ring Rock Creek Campsite (Chris Stevens)


Resources

Resources for exploring the area
Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Paddlers Guide Florida
 
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.

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.

Large leaves of Ashe magnolia 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.

View from river bluffs 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.
Oaks and pines 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

Torreya State Park trail map
The Torreya Hiking Trail is shown in red

Torreya Hiking Trail map
1981 FTA map of the original Torreya Hiking Trail

Explore More!

Learn more about Torreya State Park

Floodplain forest at Torreya 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

Tupelo swamp Florida Trail 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.
Florida Trail, Vilas to Camel Lake 10.3 miles. Broadening your perspective on Florida's largest national forest, this hike offers an ever-shifting focus from macro to landscape amid habitat diversity in the Apalachicola National Forest.
Florida Trail Jewel to Vilas 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.
Steephead stream in bluff forest Terry Rhodes Trail System Featuring steep topography and a high biodiversity of plant life along its network of five loop trails, Bear Creek Educational Forest is the crown jewel of Lake Talquin State Forest.

Trail Map (PDF) Reserve Campsite Official Website

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Sandra Friend
Sandra Friend
Author of over 40 books, Sandra Friend established FloridaHikes.com in 2006 to expand on the field research she'd completed for her first six hiking guides. She has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Florida Trail Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association.
Sandra Friend
Latest posts by Sandra Friend (see all)
  • Carl Duval Moore State Forest - September 4, 2025
  • Safety Harbor Waterfront Park - August 15, 2025
  • Hammock Park - August 12, 2025
Category: Backpacking, Day Hikes, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Northwest Florida, TrailsTag: Apalachicola River, Big Trees, Blountstown, Botanical, Bristol, Developed Camping, Florida State Parks, Geology, Hilly Trails, Historic Sites, Marianna, Primitive Camping, Quincy, Scenic Hikes, Torreya State Park, Wildflowers, Wildlife Viewing

Sidebar

FarOut Guides

Our comprehensive trail logistics presented on offline maps:

Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles)
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles)
Eastern Continental Trail in Florida (92 miles)


We earn a small commission on sales through these links. Thanks for your support!


Our Guidebooks

We’ve written Florida guidebooks for over twenty years. These include Northwest Florida destinations.

Book cover of Florida Trail Hikes
The Florida Trail Guide fifth edition
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook
Hiker's Guide to the Sunshine State

Explore More

Newest Articles for Northwest Florida

Shallow tannic creek edged by floodplain Turkey Creek Walk
Waterfront path along a river basin Old River Trail
Tall cypress along a lake at dusk Silver Lake Trail
Bayfront forest with tall pines Naval Live Oaks Trails

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Vimeo

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

METROS: Bradenton. Clearwater. Crestview. Daytona Beach. Destin. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Myers. Fort Walton Beach. Gainesville. Jacksonville. Kissimmee. Lakeland. Melbourne. Miami. Naples. Ocala. Orlando. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Port St. Lucie. Punta Gorda. St. Petersburg. Sanford. Sarasota. Sebring. Stuart. Tallahassee. Tampa. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach.

MULTI-REGION: Atlantic Coastal Ridge. Atlantic Coast. Bartram Trail. Big Bend. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail. Gulf Coast. Lake Wales Ridge. WATERWAYS: Indian River Lagoon. Intracoastal Waterway. Kissimmee River. St. Johns River. Withlacoochee River.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Altha. Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Big Bend Scenic Byway. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Bruce. Cantonment. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. DeFuniak Springs. Eastpoint. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Freeport. Fountain. Gulf Breeze. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Holt. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Munson. Navarre. Navarre Beach. Newport. Niceville. Panacea. Panama City . Perdido Key. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Santa Rosa Beach. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. George Island. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Sumatra. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka. Woodville. WATERWAYS: Apalachicola River. Blackwater Bay. Blackwater River. Chipola River. Choctawhatchee Bay. Choctawhatchee River. Coastal Dune Lakes. Ochlockonee Bay. Perdido River. St. Marks River. Wacissa River. Wakulla River. Yellow River.

NORTH FLORIDA: Alachua. Amelia Island. Archer. Baldwin. Branford. Bronson. Bunnell. Callahan. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Cross City. Cross Creek. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fanning Springs. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Fort White. Glen St. Mary. Green Cove Springs. Hawthorne. High Springs. Inglis. Jacksonville Beaches. Jacksonville Northshore. Jasper. Jennings. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler. Lake City. Live Oak.Macclenny. Mandarin. Mayo. Mayport. Micanopy. Middleburg. Old Town. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Palm Valley. Perry. Ponte Vedra. Rodman. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Waldo. Welaka. White Springs. Williston. Worthington Springs. Yankeetown. WATERWAYS: Santa Fe River. St. Marys River. Suwannee River. Tolomato River. Upper Withlacoochee River.

CENTRAL FLORIDA: Altamonte Springs. Apollo Beach. Apopka. Astatula. Astor. Auburndale. Bartow. Babson Park. Bayport. Belleview. Bithlo. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Cassadaga. Christmas. Chuluota. Citrus Springs. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Edgewater. Enterprise. Eustis. Ferndale. Fort Meade. Frostproof. Geneva. Gibsonton. Hernando. Hernando Beach. Holopaw. Homosassa. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Largo. Leesburg. Lithia. Longwood. Lutz. Maitland. Malabar. McIntosh. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. Narcoossee/Lake Nona. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Nobleton. Oak Hill. Oakland. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Ocoee. Oldsmar. Orange City. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Paisley. Palm Bay. Plant City. Poinciana. Polk City. Ponce Inlet. Port Orange. Ridge Manor. Riverview. Ruskin. Safety Harbor. Silver Springs. Sorrento. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Umatilla. Viera. Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Weirsdale. Wimauma. Windermere. Winter Garden. Winter Haven. Winter Park. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction. Zephyrhills. WATERWAYS: Alafia River. Halifax River. Hillsborough River. Lake Apopka. Little Manatee River. Ochlawaha River. Rainbow River. Tampa Bay. Wekiva River. Wekiva River Basin.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: Alva. Boca Grande. Cape Coral. Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Ellenton. Englewood. Estero. Immokalee. Marco Island. North Port. Osprey. Palma Sola. Palmetto. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Sanibel Island. Venice. WATERWAYS: Caloosahatchee River. Manatee River. Myakka River. Pine Island Sound.

SOUTH FLORIDA: Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Big Cypress Swamp. Bowling Green. Clewiston. Everglades City. Indiantown. LaBelle. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Ortona. Pahokee. Palmdale. Port Mayaca. South Bay. Wauchula. Zolfo Springs. WATERWAYS: Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Peace River.

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA: Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coconut Creek. Coral Gables. Coral Springs. Davie. Delray Beach. Fellsmere. Flamingo. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Indrio. Jensen Beach. Juno Beach. Jupiter. Jupiter Farms. Key Biscayne. North Hutchison Island. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Palm Beach. Palm Beach Gardens. Pompano Beach. Redland. Sebastian. South Hutchinson Island. WATERWAYS: Florida Bay. St. Lucie River.

FLORIDA KEYS: Big Pine Key. Islamorada. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Overseas Heritage Trail.


©2006-2024, 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