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View Full Version : Fort pickens to alabama border..Questions??



crl2010
01-04-2010, 00:50
I will be hiking from fort pickens to the alabama border early next week. I was wondering is it a pretty safe trail?? and i plan on tent camping the whole 10 days or so is this possiable??

Mountain Dog
01-04-2010, 16:25
I assume you plan to go through the Blackwater River State Park. It is definately safe as related to wild animals although there are black bears and wild hogs in this part of Florida. The bears will avoid you like the plague and I doubt you could find the hogs if you were hunting them. I've seen hogs one time but never in the area you'll be hiking. But, until you get inside the Balckwater River State Park, you'll be near people/roads. A lot of the route is on or near roads. You'll be walking on really soft and slanted sand from Ft Pickens to Navaire, I guess about 23 miles, unless you walk on the road which will be about 100 or less yards away. You can camp on the beach. From Navaire, you'll do about 24 miles of road walks (Hwy87)with the trail paralleling and crossing the hwy. untill you hit hwy 90. Go east on hwy90 for about 6 miles (no trail available). You can camp on the trail off hwy 87. I do not know what map you are using but the trail north from hwy 90 off Pond Road is being logged and you will not find any markings if you try that route. (The trail is within 50 feet on you right after you cross the RR tracks at Pond Road. That section is sound and you can go back into there to camp if needed. But, do not try to go north from there to Juniper creek) Stay on hwy 90 till you see a sign for Blackwater. It is at Deaton Bridge Road. Go north about 2.5 miles untill it crosses Juniper Creek. Just after the Creek's bridge, go left throught the parking/picnic area, no camping here though. That is where you'll pick up the trail. From there you will have woods to the Alabama line and plenty of places to camp. However, there are long stretches without water. There will be three shelters. One on bluffs over Juniper Creek, another one labeled shelter one (I do not like it) and one labeled shelter two, recently renovated and in good shape. Shelter one is not near water. Shelter two is within 1/2 mile of water. Stop at the cemetary a short ways north of shelter 2. It is neat, most having been buried before 1900. Good luck. The trail from Juniper Creek north is a neat trail, if you like flat land hiking.

Mountain Dog
01-05-2010, 13:11
I sent you a PM.. Suggest you check it before heading out. Send me a PM if you did not recieve mine. My first attempt was rejected but I think my second "send" worked.

crl2010
01-05-2010, 14:53
pm sent to you i did not recieve yours