Outdoor Activities in Pensacola - Hiking

Adventure opportunities abound in Pensacola, Florida! Pensacola is filled with lagoons, bayous, rolling hills, national seashores, and emerald green waters, meaning there are a plethora of outdoor activities to take part in. We encourage you to get out in the sun and explore all that Pensacola has to offer.

All around Pensacola, there are miles and miles of boardwalks and trails (both paved and unpaved), so you can definitely experience the Pensacola Bay Area on foot if you’d like! Here are some of the best trails, parks, and preserves to take a walk in.

Big Lagoon State Park

Big Lagoon State Park is located on the northern shoreline of Big Lagoon, which is the body of water that separates the mainland from Perdido Key and the Gulf. The state park has saltwater marshes and pine flatwoods, both of which attract a variety of birds, especially during the spring and autumn migration periods.

The park isn’t just great for hiking, though. You can take part in a lot of other outdoor activities here as well, such as swimming, boating, canoeing, crabbing, fishing, and camping.

Pensacola Colonial Archaeological Trail

The Pensacola Colonial Archaeological Trail is a project of the City of Pensacola, UWF Historic Trust, and the UWF Archaeology Institute. The trail highlights the colonial history and archaeology of the area and has a collection of outdoor exhibits that relate to American, British, and Spanish occupation in Pensacola.

Johnson Beach

Johnson Beach is a recreational area on the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Perdido Key. The beach has lifeguards, facilities, and a parking lot. This is an excellent area for hiking and water-based recreation. A raised boardwalk known as the Discovery Nature Trail takes visitors through salt marsh outlooks, pine trees, and dunes for about half a mile.

Pensacola Beach Eco-Trail

Walk along the Footprints in the Sand Eco-Trail on Pensacola Beach to discover the true nature and beauty the area has to offer. This trail is 8.5 miles long and features unique aspects of Pensacola Beach’s ecology. The Eco-Trail encourages its visitors to walk, run, bike, drive, or swim to its 29 stops scattered along the beach. At every stop, you’ll find a board talking about different flora and fauna of the region, along with pictures and maps to help guide you in your exploration.

Bay Bluffs Preserve

The Bay Bluffs are a cool, unique geological feature comprised of red clay. Walkways in the preserve provide easy walking access, parking, and wonderful views of Escambia Bay.

Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park

Tarkiln Bayou Preserve is over 4,000 acres and is home to rare and endangered plant species, including four species of endangered pitcher plants. Almost 100 other rare plants and animals also depend on the wet prairie habitat. So, enjoy a picnic here and then take a hike on the nature trails to observe the rare plants and animals.

Tired of walking? Come see the beauty of Pensacola from the water! Come fishing with us at Rock Bottom Charters. Our goal is to provide you and your family with the fishing trip of a lifetime.

Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons