Perdido Key State Park (Blog Hike #1042)

Trail: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Perdido Key State Park
Geographic Location: Perdido Key, FL (30.29383, -87.47000)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: An out-and-back along the south shore of Old River offering good bird watching.
Park Information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/perdido-key-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=979496
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming December 12)

Directions to the trailhead: Perdido Key State Park is located on Perdido Key southwest of Pensacola.  From the Alabama/Florida state line on Perdido Key, take Florida SR 292 east 3 miles to Lafitte Reef Drive.  Go north on Lafitte Reef Dr. 2 blocks to the trailhead on the right.  There is room for a couple of cars to park at this trailhead; take care not to block the gate, street, or any driveways.  If the trailhead parking lot is full, you can park at the Tourist Information Center at the corner of SR 292 and Lafitte Reef Dr. and walk the last 2 blocks to the trailhead.

The hike: Located on its namesake barrier island southwest of Pensacola, Perdido Key State Park is Florida's western-most state park.  Before the land became a park, it was owned and managed by the United States Navy as an area called the Gulf Beach Gunnery Range.  The Navy auctioned the land as excess land in 1954, and the State of Florida acquired the land to establish the park in 1980.

            As usual for a barrier island park, the beach takes centerstage, and this park protects over 2 miles of white sand Gulf of Mexico/America beach.  The park has no campground, but day-use visitors enjoy shelling, swimming, and fishing in addition to 8 picnic pavilions.  For hikers, the park offers only one short nature trail.  While the trail does not go to the beach, it does take visitors over low white sand dunes to views of Old River, and the abundance of nearby water makes this trail an excellent choice for birding.

Vehicle gate and stile at trailhead

            From the small parking area on Lafitte Reef Drive, head east by walking through a stile that takes you through a fence with a locked gate.  Orange aluminum discs mark the trail, but for the most part the path is clear and obvious.  This entire hike proceeds through a 2 city-block-wide strip of sandy scrubland between Old River on your left and SR 292 on your right.  Both of those boundaries remain out of sight through pine trees and shrubs for most of this hike, but vehicle noise from SR 292 will be your constant companion.

Heading east across the sand

            The trail surface alternates between softer and firmer white sand, and some of the softer sand can make for unstable footing.  Most of this trail is exposed to the sun.  Many grasses cover the ground where the sand is more stable.

Old River view

            A meandering eastward route brings you to this hike's only view across Old River at 0.4 miles.  While this viewpoint faces north, this park's location as Florida's western-most state park becomes clear: the houses you see across the wide river are in Alabama.  This view is the most aquatic view on a mostly sandy hike, so take some time to enjoy it.

Bench at trail's end

            Past the Old River view, the trail continues east through more sandy and sunny coastal scrub.  At 0.9 miles, the trail unceremoniously ends at a simple black and white disc that says "end" and a wooden bench.  The bench occupies a sunny spot, and I did some great bird watching while sitting here: I saw some mourning doves, some goldfinches, an egret, some herons, and some hawks.  After bird watching to your heart's content, retrace your steps back across the sand to return to the trailhead and complete the hike.