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Length: 25.3 miles (linear) This section is the northern terminus of the Florida Trail. The trail passes through the Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS) and is the only segment of a National Scenic Trail that follows an ocean beach. Major tourist attractions include the restoration of pre-Civil War Fort Pickens and other more recent defense artillery emplacements.
 The trail follows a public bicycle path thru urban Pensacola Beach and beach walks. A new addition to the Florida Trail is a 3.7-mile stretch of coastal dunes preserved as a conservation area by the Santa Rosa Island Authority and the University of West Florida.
The FT at Fort Pickens passes through the site of the second Spanish settlement in Pensacola. Founded in 1722 after the first site was destroyed by the French, Presido Isla de Santa Rose served the Spanish until 1752 when it was destroyed by a hurricane. The site currently being excavated by an archeology team from the University of West Florida is located approximately a quarter of a mile east of the Fort Pickens campground.
NOTE: Because of hurricane damage, much of the trail has been relocated to the beach. The walk to and from Fort Pickens is 14 miles round-trip. Fort Pickens is not accessible by road. There is potable water at Fort Pickens.
CAMPING has reopened at Fort Pickens! Loop A is open first come, first served for $10 per night. Camping amenities include running water, picnic tables with grills, bathrooms with cold showers. Campers must be prepared to arrive and depart by hiking, biking, or boating - there is still no road access.
 The trail is on Santa Rosa Island, located south of Pensacola via US 98/SR 30 and SR 399. The western end is at historic Fort Pickens in the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The eastern end is near Parking Area 1 at the east end of Santa Rosa Area, Gulf Island National Seashore.
Disclaimer: While FTA strives to maintain accurate information and is constantly updating its geodatabase, the trail and development along the trail corridor is constantly changing. The data has been collected from a variety of sources and accuracy varies. FTA provides this data for recreational purposes only and does not intend the data as a survey.
Centerline data Florida Trail System (c) 2007 Florida Trail Association, Inc. Parking is available at both ends of the trail and at public beach parking areas in between. Park only in designated areas. Boardwalks Botanical Bridges Campsites Gateway Communities Geologic Shelters History The trail offers easy to moderate hiking on a public bicycle path and sandy beaches. The beaches are best hiked in the early morning or evening. If you look carefully you will note that the beaches here have a pink coloration from quartz washed down stream from mountains in Georgia and Tennessee. Hikers should prepare for the intense sun. Beach motels are generally expensive during winter months. Santa Rosa Island suffered catastrophic damage from Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis. Reconstruction will continue throughout 2006-2008. While the map shows a suggested route, due to reconstruction efforts hikers may pick their own route the length of Santa Rosa Island. At Battery Cooper the trail follows a park road to Battery Worth, then out to Ft Pickens on the old trail. Restrooms and water are available at Battery Worth, Ft Pickens, and the campground. Note that the entire park is under construction. Be aware of work crews and heavy equipment. The Ft Pickens campground has reopened for pedestrian and bicycle access although the road is not yet rebuilt. No camping is allowed on the public beaches. There is no fee to enter while the park is under going reconstruction. |
Hiking 
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