Hikers Visiting Florida Absolutely Can't Miss This Scenic State Park

When travelers are looking for a place to enjoy world-class theme parks filled with thrills, Florida often tops the list. However, if you find you want to balance out that amusement park-inspired fun with some well-deserved time in nature too, there are just as many options at your fingertips. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida is home to 175 state parks, and combined, these protected spaces span more than 800,000 acres of terrain. Among the bunch is Torreya State Park, an ideal destination if you happen to be an enthusiastic hiker.

Torreya State Park is easy to access in Bristol, Florida, about 54 miles northeast of Panama City. While the state's panhandle region has a way of exclusively conjuring visions of a Florida beach vacation with white sand and sparkling blue waters, Torreya State Park's location a bit further inland means visitors can also enjoy time immersed in a new version of local nature. Here, bluffs, ravines, hardwood forests, and the rare Torreya trees (for which the park is named) set an inviting scene for hikers year-round. The landscape is fed by the Apalachicola River, and a collection of high plateaus throughout the park means there's no shortage of vantage points for hikers to enjoy spectacular views during their visit.

When you hike at Torreya State Park in Florida, you'll enjoy access to 16 miles of pathways within a trail system steeped in history. These trails wind through terrain that was developed into a state park during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The designation as a state park was linked directly to the historical landmarks already on-site, which included a cotton warehouse and Confederate gun pits. Today, adventurers can pair their hike with a tour of the Jason Gregory House. This plantation home hosts 3,000 square feet of living space along the bluffs overlooking the river and dates back to 1849.

Beyond the rich history, hiking adventures at Torreya State Park can conveniently be broken up into manageable sections when you're spending time with the entire family. The park hosts playgrounds and picnic areas where you can rest up before continuing on the trail, or let the little ones burn off excess energy at the end of the hike. The most family-friendly trail here to add to your list is Weeping Ridge Waterfall. This mile-long, out-and-back route takes about 26 minutes to complete and rewards you and your traveling crew with beautiful cascade views. The Torreya Trail from Gregory House is more challenging at 4.6 miles long, but there are options to elevate the experience further on the Torreya Trail, which asks hikers to cover 6.7 miles of ground in nearly three hours.

The most avid hikers heading to Torreya State Park in the name of adventure will be delighted with their time spent on the Torreya Challenge Trail. This loop spans 12.5 miles of decidedly difficult terrain with an elevation gain of 1,653 feet. You'll want to set aside at least five to six hours of your time to complete this trail that runs alongside the scenic Apalachicola River. As with the easier trails that wind their way through the park, you can count on beautiful views to enjoy along this route, too. Certain sections of the trail even host Florida flame azaleas which are breathtaking when they bloom in the spring.

While Florida-focused travelers can see wild alligators waiting for them in nature out in the southern Everglades, Torreya State Park is the place you want to be for hiking and wildlife watching of a different kind. Here, you'll want to be sure to keep your eyes open as you trek along the trails for creatures that call the park home like gray foxes and bobcats as well as deer and beavers. If you happen to be a birding enthusiast, make sure you've packed your binoculars in your bag for a hike because the park hosts upward of 100 species of birds to observe.