Open Pond Trail

Chain of Lakes Trail in Blackwater River State Park is a relatively easy 1.4-mile loop trail that takes less than a half hour to hike around. The trail starts just southeast of the Deaton Bridge at the trailhead in the parking lot. There may be birders or people fishing along the trail, but if you come early, you may be able to find some solitude.  Blackwater River State Park is open from 8 am...

Rocky Bayou Campground is a loop trail that is good for all skill levels located near Niceville, Florida.

SCUBA & Free Diving: Established in 1972 by Doc and Ruth Dockery, Vortex Spring is home to the Red & White "Diver Down" Flag and is one of the largest diving facilities in the state of Florida, with 28 million gallons of crystal "gin" clear water daily at a year round temperature of 68 degrees.  The spring basin is 50 feet deep at the mouth of the cavern. Surface lit during the day and ...

SCUBA dive the "Miss Louise" tug boat wreck, located at N 30:22.287, W 86:25.317. For this trip, I went through ScubaTech, a local Destin dive shop that rents dive gear, fills tanks, and takes groups out on various reef and wreck dives in the Destin area. They offer 4 hour (2 dive) trips on their boat, the “Sea Cobra.” The "Miss Louise", an 85' steel tugboat, sits in around 60' of water on the ...

SCUBA dive the Air Force Barge, AKA Englin Barge, located at Latitude 30.35415°, Longitude -86.49302°. For this trip, I went through ScubaTech, a local Destin dive shop that rents dive gear, fills tanks, and takes groups out on various reef and wreck dives in the Destin area. They offer 3 hour and 4 hour trips.  ScubaTech took us out on the “Sea Cobra,” "...the fastest, most comfortable dive b...

Topsail Trails is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.