Explore the spring fed waterways of Northwest Florida

Some of the most beautiful places to explore Northwest Florida are along our spring fed waterways. These creeks, streams and rivers provide incredible recreation and eco tourism along with the valuable drinking water our communities rely on.

Florida boasts more than 700 springs, with close to 40 in the Walton, Holmes, Washington and Bay counties. Blue Springs in Jackson County feeds into the Choctawhatchee River and is Florida’s 12th largest spring with 122 million gallons per day discharge. Holmes Creek has more than a dozen springs and is the largest tributary into the Choctawhatchee River. The Gainer Springs Group on Econfina Creek (including springs locally known as McCormick and Emerald) is the most significant, measuring a first magnitude flow of 114 million gallons a day (mgd). Econfina creek feeds into Deer Point Lake which is the major source of water supply for Bay County.

What are springs?
Springs are portals where water in the earth’s aquifers, rises to the surface and escapes into our streams, lakes and coastal waters. There are two general types of springs in Florida, seeps (water-table springs) and karst springs (artesian springs). The springs in Northwest Florida are karst springs. Karst topography is a landscape created by groundwater dissolving into sedimentary rock such as limestone. This creates landforms such as shafts, tunnels, caves, and sinkholes. The Dougherty Karst Plain underlies our area.  Click here to continue

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Enjoy a lazy paddle down the Shoal River

The appropriately named Shoal River offers an abundance of sandy sandbars, (shoals) along with cool water along a meandering 10-mile paddle in Crestview. This 10-mile stretch is the only open publicly accessible run on the river. It is easily accessible with a boat ramp at each end, with put in at U.S. Hwy. 90 and take out a SR-85 in Crestview.

As part of the Florida Greenways and Trails system, the paddle offers scenic views of a variety of wetland hardwoods such as Titi, black gum, live oak, magnolia and coastal plain willow. Fauna includes a variety of birds such as kingfishers, blue herons and egrets, along with an occasional alligator and turtle.

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Take a leisurely paddle on Peach Creek in South Walton County

Four-mile paddle offers views of native flora and fauna

Located in the historic Point Washington area of Walton County, Peach Creek offers a pleasant paddle exploring nature.

The enjoyable, four-mile journey takes you along a wetland forest shoreline of black titi, red maple, and slash pine trees along with highbush blueberries and saw palmetto. Coastal water birds such as pelicans, gulls, cormorants and seagulls are abundant along with raptors such as osprey and swallow-tailed kites. You might also discover an alligator or two along the way.

Parking and launch area is located at the north end of CR 395. Limited parking is available along the county easement area on each the side of the road. Click here to continue

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Explore Seven Runs creek in Walton County

Small scenic creek near Bruce a quiet journey of natural beauty

Seven Runs creek, located off of State Road 81, just north of Bruce, in northeast Walton County is a scenic paddle through hardwood wetlands and cypress swamps.

A short, 2-3 mile paddle, this fairly swift moving creek provides a few twists and turns before it flows into the swampy cypress tree filled forest of extraordinary beauty. Twisted cypress roots bellow out of the bottom of the forest floor, and with a little imagination, the shady canopy and trees provide a backdrop to a fairy tale.

Eventually emptying into the Choctawhatchee River, you can take out before you reach the river at a county boat launch off of Dead River Road. This location makes for an easy shuttle with two vehicles. The boat launch offers a picnic area and portable restroom facility. Click here to continue

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Fish, hike, paddle and enjoy birding on the
coastal dune lakes of South Walton

Recreational activities abound on these rare coastal dune lakes

Walton County Florida is well known for its beautiful beaches and great fishing. Less known to those that have never visited the area, are the unique and scenic coastal dune lakes that dot the coastline along the area’s beach dune systems.

Nestled along Scenic Highway 30A, Walton county’s coastal dune lakes are rare geological features that only occur in the Florida Panhandle, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand and the northern Pacific coast of the United States.

Streams, groundwater seepage and rain are the sources that feed the coastal dune lakes. Storm surge creates intermittent connections to the Gulf of Mexico, called outfalls. This periodic connection empties lake water into the Gulf, and, depending on tides and weather, salt water and organisms from the Gulf flow back into the lakes. Click to continue

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Wildlife abounds on  Section 1 of the Chipola River Paddling Trail

A barred owl perched along the Chipola River.

Part of Florida’s Greenways and Trails, the 51-mile Chipola Paddling Trail is the largest tributary of the Apalachicola, and boasts 63 fresh water springs, the largest number of any river shed in Northwest Florida. The trail runs from just south of the Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna in Jackson County, south to just east and south of Clarksville in Calhoun County, Florida.

Diverse in flora and fauna, the river cuts through limestone rock and boasts caves and springs accessible for exploration. A cave nicknamed “The Oven” along Section 1 of the river can be easily explored with a headlamp or flashlight.

Trees provide a comfortable canopy of shade for a good portion of the journey and provide excellent habitat for wildlife. Bald cypress, green ash, loblolly bay, swamp gum, sweet bay, tupelo gum, water hickory are some of the species that line the river, with bluestem palmetto abundant beneath.

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Enjoy an early morning paddle along the Chain of Lakes in Ebro

If you are looking for an extraordinary paddle to explore the Choctawhatchee River’s tributaries without the powerful current of the river, there is a little known place of incredible beauty near Ebro called the “Chain of Lakes.”

This pristine paddle offers a dreamy experience through a canopied corridor of wetland forest. Pileated woodpeckers hammer on the old growth cypress trees which tower above the waterways in grandiose beauty.

To explore these lake areas takes about 2 hours as you meaner through the narrow paths and openings. There are no places to take out, leaving this area pristine for the true nature enthusiast.

Note: Be careful getting too close to the opening to the river as strong eddies can be dangerous in high water river level situations.

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Enjoy abundant flora while paddling down
Boiling Creek

Located off of Hwy. 87, south of Milton and north of Navarre, Boiling Creek is lined with towering old-growth cypress trees, and an abundance of flora, including water lilies, pitcher plants, water lotus and spatterdocks. The water is clear, and colorful underwater grasses rippling below can be easily viewed as you meander down the slow moving creek.

The creek is approximately 25 feet wide for most of the paddle, and common sights are turtles, ospreys, hawks and other birds, such as woodpeckers. There are a few sloughs you can explore that offer a closer look at the blooming wildflowers.

There are only one or two places to stop along the 6.6-mile paddle. The first one you will find will be a cleared area on the left as you paddle down and is called “Rope Drop,” as the area was originally an old home place and now used by Army and Navy survival teams for training. The second is just a bit further down and also on the left.

The last portion of the trip is where the creek meets with the Yellow River. Much wider than the creek, the Yellow River does not offer the clarity of the creek, making the first part of the paddle the most picturesque. Click here to continue

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Head up Highway 79 to Vernon for a day of paddling fun on Holmes Creek

Holmes Creek is one of the most diverse paddles in the Northwest Florida Panhandle area.

As part of Florida’s statewide system of Greenways and Trails, Holmes Creek flows through a variety of diverse habitats.  The upper and lower portions pass high sandy banks while the majority of the trial is through low-lying swamplands. Click here to continue

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Econfina Creek a natural wonder

One of the many springs that feed Econfina Creek.

Part of Florida’s Greenways and Trails, the Econfina Creek in Bay and Washington counties is many a paddlers’ favorite journey in the Florida Panhandle.

Pack a lunch and bring your snorkel, for you are about the enjoy the paddle of a lifetime as you explore the creek and its many crystal clear springs along the popular seven-mile trip down the creek. Cabbage palms drape over the water’s edge along with blooming wildflowers scattering the banks with color during your journey in the spring and summer months. Steep, fern-covered limestone walls prevail along the second half of the paddle, where the creek slices into the ancient limestone of the Floridan Aquifer. Click here to continue

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Turkey Creek paddle full of beautiful surprises

Located on Eglin AFB Reservation, just off of SR 85, the Turkey Creek paddle is approximately 9 miles long.

Swift and clear, the first two thirds of the paddle is tight, as the creek is only about 25 ft. wide, full of logs and sandy, shallow bottoms. Trees hang over the water, providing good shade and cool water for the journey.

About 5 miles into the paddle, Turkey Creek joins with Juniper Creek where it widens, and eventually empties into Boggy Bayou in Valparaiso, just west of Niceville. Click here to continue

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Kayakers on Western Lake. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Paddle Your Way Around the Panhandle

With the Gulf of Mexico, the Choctawhatchee Bay and numerous lakes, creeks and rivers in the area, kayaking is a popular sport in the Panhandle. And with little maintenance cost after purchase, kayaking can be enjoyed by most anyone.
There are two basic configurations to choose from, the traditional cockpit style and the sit on top. In a variety of lengths, kayaks range from 8 – 20 ft. and weigh in anywhere from 40 – 70 lbs. Deciding which kayak to choose depends on the type of paddle experience one is looking for.

Marlice Brown of The Kayak Experience in Destin explained that the cockpit style offers a faster paddle and drier experience when using a skirt.

The Kayak Experience sells about equal amounts of both types, boasting a variety of manufacturers such as Old Town, Ocean Kayak, Necky, Wilderness Systmes and Eddyline. The Kayak Experience personnel are experienced paddlers who assist buyers in finding the perfect fit.

The first Saturday of every month the store offers demonstrations, and anyone interested can try out any model of interest. The store also sells books, maps trailers and accessories.

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Hiking, biking, riding and birding trails in

the Walton County area

Walton County, Florida offers a number of trails available to the hiker, biker, birder and horse rider. Maintained and managed by several different agencies and properties, including the state’s Florida Trail, Division of Forestry, and the County, there are a diverse number to choose from depending on a trekker’s interests.

Here is a comprised list of the larger trails available in the area. Some of the maps complementing the information below has been provided by the respective agencies, and Walton Outdoors shares these maps as general guidelines.

The map above is a general location indicator with corresponding numbers to the areas listed below.

Florida Trail

1. Florida Trail Nokuse Lafayette Creek

The eastern end is on State Road 81 just north of Bruce in Freeport just south of the Seven Runs Creek Recreation area. The eastern end spans westward to U.S. Hwy 331 were it joins for the Florida Eglin East Trail.

This is a new trail section opened in October 2008. It runs along the border of the Nokuse Plantation. Trail lovers hiking Nokuse Plantation trail segment see unique steephead habitats, gopher tortoise relocation and restoration of longleaf pine.

Completion of this section of hiking trail closes a significant gap in the 1,400-mile Florida National Scenic Trail that winds along a wilderness corridor the length of Florida. Hikers can explore natural Florida and learn about the area’s biodiversity along the trail.
Length: 15.9 miles (linear)

For local information call (850) 682-6098 or http://choctaw.floridatrail.org

2. Florida Trail Eglin East Trail
The eastern end of this section is on US 331 just north of Freeport. The western end is at the SR 285 trailhead, 2.0 miles south of Interstate 10.

Length: 32.9 miles (linear)
Hiking is on an active military reservation. Of special interest is Eglin’s role as a weapons development and testing facility. The rumbles in the distance are rarely thunder.

Hikers on Eglin AFB are restricted to within 100 yards of the blazed FNST, side trails and designated campsites. Camping is authorized only at designated campsites and fires are restricted to fire rings in the campsites.

Eglin requires that all hikers age 16 or older, except thru-hikers (see below), to have in their possession a valid Eglin Recreation Permit. An annual (Oct 1 to Sept 30) recreation permit cost $10 and can be purchased at the Eglin Natural Resources Branch, 107 Hwy 85 North, Niceville FL, 32578. (850) 882-4164. Permits may be purchased through the mail with a check or money order and a copy of a photo ID.

While on the trail, all hikers must also complete and carry the tear-off Hiker Registration Cards that are available at each trailhead kiosk they pass (US 331, Alaqua). All hikers are also required to carry positive proof of identification. All overnight campers, except for FT thru-hikers (see below), must also purchase a $10 Camping Permit which covers groups up to 10 for 5 days.
As an aid to thru-hikers (backpackers starting and ending their hikes 30 miles beyond Eglin’s boundaries), Eglin does not require thru-hikers to obtain a Recreation or Camping Permit. In lieu of these permits, thru-hikers must have in their possession an official letter from FTA confirming their status as a thru-hiker and listing approximate dates of travel within Eglin. Thru-hikers are also required to complete a Hiker Registration Card at each trailhead kiosk and have the bottom part in their possession while on Eglin AFB.

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