98.3 miles. It was once a national forest, established in 1909 the same time President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Ocala National Forest into existence.
But Choctawhatchee National Forest, covering 640 square miles west of Pensacola, was to be managed for timber and naval stores for the U.S. government.
Management of the forest was transferred to the U.S. Army in World War II, greatly expanding the footprint of Eglin Field.
Eglin Air Force Base is Florida’s largest military base, a decades-old research center and one of the top munitions testing sites in the United States.
A dedicated unit, the Jackson Guard, oversees its old-growth forests and their inhabitants while providing public access for recreation.
Largely along the outer edges of the military reservation, the Florida Trail traverses deeply folded terrain carved by creeks through some of the highest ground in Florida.
The landscape creates challenging and satisfying terrain for backpackers to tackle between DeFuniak Springs and Crestview.
The dead-end Cimmaron Trail is meant to extend the Florida Trail in the future, but the challenge of crossing the Yellow River floodplain remains.
For now, the Florida Trail exits Eglin Air Force Base to follow SR 85 into Crestview and US 90 west, returning to the woods near Holt along the Yellow River floodplain.
It dips into the Yellow River Ravines, a rugged traverse through steepheads and bayheads on the north side of the river.
Weaver Creek, the final section inside Eglin Air Force Base, crosses sandhills and steepheads near East Bay, north of Navarre.
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Trip Planning
Access
Eglin Air Force Base requires you obtain a recreational permit in advance of your hike. Both day use and year-long permits are available via iSportsman.
Five segments of this section are on base and require a permit for access: Owl’s Head, Alaqua, Catface, Titi, and Weaver Creek. You will also need one to hike the Cimmaron Trail.
Thru-hikers starting or ending their hikes fifty miles beyond the base may call to arrange a special permit for the length of their stay. Contact the Jackson Guard at 850-882-4164.
Before your hike, call the Jackson Guard or check the Public Access Map online to ensure the base is open.
Portions of the trail may close during the week for military operations including land management activities such as prescribed burns.
FPCON DELTA status means the base is closed to all public access.
Camping and Lodging
A series of designated campsites spans Eglin Air Force Base. Backcountry campsites include include Eglin Portal, Alaqua, Bull, Red Deer, Pearl, and Dean.
Those located at public recreation areas JR Walton and Speck Pond absolutely require a camping permit via iSportsman. They are drive-in areas so can be very busy on weekends.
Weekends and section hikers should obtain a permit for campsites online as part of your planning for backpacking.
On the Yellow River Ravines section there are two designated campsites—Guest Lake and Wild Azalea—and random camping is also permitted.
North of Eglin Portal trailhead, DeFuniak Springs has an excellent collection of hotels near Interstate 10 and full services a mile farther north.
Less than two miles north of the SR 285 road crossing is a Sleep Inn adjoined by a Love’s Truck Stop at Interstate 10.
In Crestview, the Florida Trail leads you past dozens of hotels, restaurants, and stores. A hiker in town runs Lil’ Cubs Place, a hostel a few blocks east of downtown.
In Holt, walk-in campers are welcome at River’s Edge Campground, a mile before the west end of the Crestview Roadwalk.
Several hotels and a KOA are 2.2 miles north of where the trail emerges onto SR 87 in Milton before you cross the Yellow River into the Weaver Creek section.
Dogs
Leashed dogs are permitted across the entire Eglin section. However, the trail passes through a dog training area on the Catface section, where you may encounter loose hunting dogs.
Wildlife
Bears are active in Eglin, so a bear canister or bear bagging your food is recommended.
White-tailed deer are plentiful. So are hogs, and some of them are very large. Do your best to avoid them.
We’ve spotted otter and raccoon tracks along the spring-fed creeks and spied fox squirrels watching us from oaks in the sandhills.
Eglin Air Force Base is also home to one of the largest colonies of red-cockaded woodpeckers in the Southeast thanks to its old growth pines.
Water
At the far eastern side of this section, no reliable surface water exists between Owl’s Head trailhead and Moccasin Creek.
Hikers headed from Nokuse into Eglin should top off water bottles at Sweet Spot Creek. However, most of the remainder of Eglin east of Crestview has plenty.
To the west, the trail drops into the Yellow River basin, with several small springs trailside.
The Weaver Creek section is largely devoid of water sources except at Buck Pond, Weaver Creek, and Dean Creek.
Resupply
After a long dry spell of few services since Blountstown, DeFuniak Springs makes for a great resupply stop north of the Eglin Portal trailhead, with a Walmart among its offerings.
Or if you’re good for a few more days, hold out until Crestview, where you walk right past one in addition to major grocery stores like Publix.
A Dollar General in Holt makes for an easy stop before heading into the Yellow River Ravines section. The Tom Thumb at SR 87 is your last chance resupply for the finale of this section.
Parking & Shuttles
See our mileage chart for trailhead locations. Shuttles involve some significant distances between rural towns and congestion around Crestview and Navarre at certain times of day.
Long distance hikers should join the Florida Trail Hikers Facebook group to request assistance. Be sure to compensate any shuttle volunteers for their gas and time.
Safety
Military Base
In addition to their own training missions, Eglin Air Force Base hosts training for other branches of the military, including National Guard and Army Ranger units.
Ongoing military activities are why recreational permits are required. Hikers must stay on the trail and in designated campsites. Do not venture off the trail corridor.
While the Florida Trail skims the edge of the base, Eglin is a testing ground for munitions and also has an area where ordnance is disposed of by setting it off, entered from US 331.
If you come across anything that looks like a missile, bomb, or hand grenade, note the location and call Eglin Security Forces at 850-882-2502 to report it.
The Public Access Map, updated daily, should be consulted before you hike at Eglin. It details all closures, which must be roadwalked around when they happen.
We’ve learned from friends who live in the area that the best time to section hike Eglin with minimal chance of a closure is during three-day Federal holiday weekends.
Flooding
Although a new suspension bridge provides safe passage over Alaqua Creek, the trail spends some time crossing its floodplain.
With many creek crossings to navigate, some in deep ravines, this is not a place to hike when water levels hit flood stage in any of these waterways (links to water gauges):
Alaqua Creek
Shoal River near Mossy Head
Yellow River
Most of the Yellow River Ravines section and a portion of the Weaver Creek section in the Yellow River floodplain and will be partly innuduated when the river is in flood stage.
Never walk into water flowing across the trail in these sections or in the Alaqua Creek floodplain, which starts at Blount Creek.
Alaqua Creek is deep and swift; you don’t want to accidently walk into it on the approach to the suspension bridge.
Hunting
Seasonal hunting occurs both on Eglin Air Force Base, managed by the Jackson Guard, and along the Yellow River Ravines section inside Blackwater River State Forest.
Wear a bright orange shirt or vest during hunting seasons. Check hunting season dates in advance on the Eglin iSportsman website and the FWC website for the Blackwater WMA Carr Unit inside Blackwater River State Forest.
Roadwalks
This section of the Florida Trail contains its longest roadwalk, 21.2 miles from Pearl trailhead through Crestview west to the Yellow River Ravines section.
Little of it involves walking on paved road shoulders except to cross highway bridges and to descend on rural roads into the Yellow River basin.
Along the two busiest highways, SR 87 and US 90, paralleling sidewalks and utility easements largely provide a place to walk.
The toughest part is crossing the Interstate 10 ramps in Crestview. But walking through Crestview gives you easy access to lodgings, restaurants, and resupply stops.
Wear a bright shirt or safety vest so motorists see you. Be especially cautious crossing narrow highway bridges as large trucks barrel down these rural roads.
We were harassed by loose dogs near the Yellow River Airstrip. In cases where a sharp “no” or a swing of your hiking stick has no effect, it doesn’t hurt to have pepper spray as a backup.
People
Inside Eglin, you may encounter airmen or soldiers in the backcountry, either on foot or in military vehicles on their extensive road system.
Keep a copy of your permit(s) on you or in your smartphone in case you’re asked to show it, which is mainly likely at Speck Pond and JR Walton Recreation Areas.
When the forest quiet is suddenly shattered by the sounds of thunder, particularly after dark, it’s likely fighter jets screaming overhead or bombs being dropped in the distance.
Folks who live along the edge of Eglin Air Force Base are used to the commotion, as are the hunters you might meet.
Crestview is a small city, a Gateway Community along the Florida Trail. As in any urban area, keep alert to your surroundings and don’t leave your backpack unguarded.
West of Crestview, the trail enters a rural landscape with scattered convenience stores, a couple diners, and a busy Dollar General in Holt at the turnoff off US 90 westbound.
Be cautious of traffic when crossing roads and heed all “No Trespassing” signs, particularly along Log Lake Rd.
Trail Map
Mileages
Key mile markers south to north. For more detail see trail segments below or consult our guides or app.
0.0 – Owl’s Head trailhead EGLIN boundary*
2.1 – Owl’s Head section ends at Segrest Rd
3.9 – Eglin Portal trailhead*
6.8 – Eglin Portal campsite*+
7.8 – Alaqua Creek*
13.6 – Alaqua campsite*+
16.8 – Alaqua trailhead*
19.8 – Florida Trail High Point*
20.5 – Bull campsite*+
28.5 – Red Deer campsite*+
30.3 – SR 285*
32.4 – Speck Pond Rec Area*$+ (0.7E)
38.4 – JR Walton Rec Area*$+
44.9 – Pearl campsite*+
45.8 – Pearl trailhead EGLIN boundary*
48.5 – CRESTVIEW
51.0 – Downtown CRESTVIEW
55.2 – MILLIGAN
60.6 – US 90 parking area
63.1 – HOLT
65.9 – River’s Edge Campground $
67.0 – Enter Yellow River Ravines
67.7 – jct Guest Lake campsite and parking
68.5 – Blackwater River State Forest boundary
74.7 – jct Blackwater section at Deer Lake
76.1 – Wild Azalea campsite
78.0 – Exit Yellow River Ravines for roadwalk
82.3 – SR 87
84.5 – Yellow River trailhead EGLIN boundary*
90.7 – Choctaw Field Rd*
92.7 – SR 87 trailhead*
95.3 – Dean campsite*+
97.8 – Nelda Rd EGLIN boundary*
98.3 – East Bay trailhead
$ fee charged. + designated campsite. * permit needed.
Trail Segments
Details about all segments of the Florida Trail in this section are in The Florida Trail Guide and app. The hikes below include some of our favorites for this section.
Each is described from the perspective of a day hiker, noting landmarks, water, and campsites along the way. Not all are oriented from south to north, but this is the order they are in northbound.
Side Trails
Trails that interconnect with this Florida Trail route. The Blackwater section is an official side trail leading to Alabama, a route incorporated into the Eastern Continental Trail.
Land Managers
Lands this section of the Florida Trail crosses.
Connections
Adjoining Florida Trail sections to the north and south.