Blackwater River Trail

The Blackwater River Trail is a segment of the Blackwater State Forest's extension of the Florida Natural Scenic Trail. The southern terminus of the trail shares a point with the Yellow River Ravines Trail on Pond Rd. at Hwy 90 and the northern terminus is located in the Blackwater Forest State Park where it is shared with the southern terminus of the Juniper Creek Trail, another segment of the state forest extension. This trail is the first trail that grabs the heart of the Blackwater State Forest and has a lot to offer. This trail crosses multiple service roads, has four benches for resting in the southern portion, Steephead, and of course the Blackwater river as the main focal point in the north. The Blackwater River Trail can be accessed from the southern terminus via the parking lot on Pond Rd, via via multiple service roads, or by the State park access parking lot area, and at the northern terminus after a short hike from the Blackwater State Park campground (day use parking is available). It is recommended to park at Pond Rd. and hike the trail as a north bound trail (6.2 miles) or beautifully paired with the Juniper Creek Trail for a longer day hike (13.1 total miles). While parking at Pond Rd. has no associated costs, parking at the state park or the campgrounds comes with a $4.00/day use fee. Please plan accordingly.