One of the best ways to experience 30A is by bicycling. There are over 200 hiking and biking trails in the area, winding through state parks and forests, passing dune lakes and preserves. Those who take the time to experience these incredible trails will enjoy scenic views of the area and will meander through the charming coastal 30A neighborhoods.
Trail-goers can rent bicycles at several places along the trail. If you’re staying in the area for a while you might want to consider renting your bike for the week because it’s such a fun and pleasant way to get around.
Here are some of the most popular trails according to visitors and locals alike:
Elgin Reservation – East trail is a 32.9 mile trail that is rated “difficult.
Bay Loop Trail is located on the north side of the Choctawhatchee Bay, in the quaint town of Freeport. The trail takes hikers, bikers and joggers past the historic Freeport shipyard, which was the hub of this city when settlers came to the area in 1830.
Located in Santa Rosa Beach, this 1 mile trail is rated easy and is a birding trail. Dogs are allowed on leash.
The Eastern Lake Trail – Red Loop is a 3.69 mile trail rated moderate. It is also in Santa Rosa Beach.
This 2.1 mile trail is rated easy. It is located in Santa Rosa Beach.
This moderately-rated trail is 6.9 miles long. It is located in Santa Rosa Beach.
The Turpentine Trail is in Santa Rosa Beach. It is an easy, .75 mile trail with lake access, fishing and birding.
The Santa Rosa Beach Campbell Lake Nature Trail is an easy 5.20 mile trail. Camping is available as is fishing; dogs are allowed on leash. This trail is wheelchair accessible.
The multi-use Greenway Trails are in the Santa Rosa Beach area. They are wheelchair accessible with paved trails and timber bridges, giving everyone the opportunity to view the wetlands and native vegetation. Nearby, a 2-acre off-leash dog park called Alaqua Unleashed is sure to satisfy your four-legged friends.
Deer Lake State Park shares its name with the coastal dune lake within its boundaries. Southern magnolias, golden asters, woody goldenrod, and scrub oaks can be seen in this coastal dune habitat. A boardwalk across the dunes offers easy access to the beach where visitors can picnic, swim, and fish. It also offers a spectacular view of the dune ecosystem, one of 11 natural communities found in the park.
This is a 17-mile, moderately difficult trail in the Santa Rosa Beach area. Nokuse Plantation is the vision of M.C. Davis focusing on conservation, preservation and restoration. There is an education center located on Hwy 20, east of Freeport.
Easy 1/10ths mile long trail in Santa Rosa Beach.
The Timpoochee Trail is a crowning jewel of 30A, tracing the Gulf shoreline and running parallel to 30A. It is a 19 mile long trail, perfect for bicycling, that meanders through state parks, dune lakes and charming 30A neighborhoods.
This Santa Rosa Beach trail is 3.07 miles long and rated moderate. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Western Lake Loop is located at 357 Main Park Road in Santa Rosa Beach. It is .70 miles long and has a moderately difficult rating. Camping, birding, beach access are the amenities and dogs are allowed on leash.
Rated moderate – 2.10 miles long in Santa Rosa Beach.
Flatwoods Trail, Santa Rosa Beach, is a 3.81 mile long moderate trail. It offers beach access, birding, camping and dogs are allowed on leash.
Eastern Lake Trail is an easy-moderate trail that is 3.27 miles in length. There are bathrooms along the way, a birding trail and dogs area allowed on leash.
Deer Lake Trail in Santa Rosa Beach is 1.46 miles long with bathrooms, beach access and dogs allowed on leash.
This 57 mile trail runs from Morrison Springs to the opening of Black Creek near the Choctawhatchee Bay. Amenities include:
• birding,
• boat ramp,
• canoeing/kayaking
• fishing,
• Paddle Trail,
• pets allowed,
• picnic pavilion,
• bathrooms available,
• wildlife viewing,
• overnight camping facilities along trail stops.
The Old Growth Train in Santa Rosa Beach is a difficult 1 mile trail. It offers birding, bathrooms, camping, fishing, lake access, and dogs on leash.
Another Santa Rosa Beach trail, Morris Lake Trail is a difficult 2.5 mile path with bathrooms, beach access, birding, camping, fishing, lake access and dogs on leash.
The Salamander Pond Trail is an easy bike ride or hike, with 1.1 miles on the path. There are bathrooms, beach access and lake access. This is part of the birding trails in the area with camping and dogs allowed on leash.
Morrison Springs is one of the most popular diving spots in northwest Florida and well-known throughout the southeast. This 161-acre park was acquired by the state in 2004 and has been leased to the county to maintain and preserve. The highlight of the park is a 250-foot diameter spring pool that produces and estimated 48 million gallons of crystal clear water each day and has been recorded to produce up to 70 million gallons a day. Three cavities allow Morrison’s frigid waters to surface from the underground aquifer. The deepest of these cavities, at approximately 300 foot in depth, eventually terminates in an underground chamber of unknown dimensions.
Local biking trails along 30A are a wonderful way to spend the day with your family and friends, an ideal way to get some exercise, and are a lot of fun!
