Lakewood Park and Florida's Highpoint (Blog Hike #616)

Trail: Red Trail

Hike Location: Lakewood Park

Geographic Location: Florida side of Florala, AL (30.98613, -86.28107)

Length: 0.7 miles

Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)

Dates Hiked: January 2017, December 2020

Overview: A short loop around the highest point in Florida.

Park Information: http://www.co.walton.fl.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/28

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=578376

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Florala, take Alabama SR 54 east 2.3 miles to CR 285.  Turn right on CR 285.  Very quickly you will enter Florida.  Drive CR 285 south 0.9 miles to signed Lakewood Park on the right.  Park in the only parking lot.

The hike: If you like the satisfaction of reaching a state highpoint but climbing a 13,000+ foot mountain seems beyond your ability, then maybe a visit to Florida’s state highpoint is in order.  At only 345 feet in elevation, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida but the lowest of the 50 state highpoints.  The hill is contained in tiny Lakewood Park, which is owned and operated by Walton County.

Florida highpoint monument

            In terms of amenities, Lakewood Park offers only a few picnic tables and a short trail system consisting of three trails: the Yellow Trail, the Blue Trail, and the Red Trail.  Each trail forms a loop, but the longest loop is the Red Trail at only 0.7 miles long.  Thus, while Lakewood Park is not a pure hiking destination, if you come to visit the state highpoint you may as well take a short walk in the woods while you are here.

Trailhead beside highpoint monument

            All three loops start to the left of the highpoint monument where an unmarked trail heads into the woods.  The trails at Lakewood Park are mostly unmarked, but they are wide and easy to follow.  Very quickly you reach the park’s northern boundary, where a curve to the left brings you on a westward course.  Oak trees are prominent near Florida’s highpoint, and a layer of acorns covered the trail’s sandy soil on my early January visit.

            Soon the trail curves left and passes a pair of benches to reach a trail intersection.  The yellow and blue trails exit left here in short order, and they are marked by painted tips on arrow-like wooden planks.  Continue straight to stay on the longer Red Trail.

Hiking around the highpoint

            Now you enter the southern part of the park, which features some younger forest with a dense honeysuckle understory.  A dirt road comes into view across the park boundary to the right.  At 0.5 miles, you reach another trail intersection where the Blue Trail comes in from the left.  A confusing red-tipped wooden arrow could make you think you want to turn left, but in fact you need to continue straight to remain on the Red Trail.

            As traffic noise from the county road comes within earshot, the trail curves sharply left to begin treading along what appears to be a man-made wetland on the right.  After tracing three sides of the wetland, you come out at a small shelter with a single picnic table in the developed area of the park.  Your car sits in the parking lot just beyond the shelter.