Longleaf Greenway Trail

Hit the trail and get away from the traffic of 30A. The Longleaf Greenway Trail is in the Point Washington State Forest. It stretches about 8 miles between the Eastern Lake Trail Trailhead and the Longleaf Greenway Trailhead at the end of Satinwood Drive in Santa Rosa Beach.

Generally considered an easy route, it’s mostly a sandy track often covered with pine straw. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and biking, but you often won’t see another soul, and can enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.

The unique features at Point Washington State Forest include Eastern Lake, an old growth Longleaf pine Forest and an abundance of wildflowers. Eastern Lake, one of South Walton’s rare coastal dune lakes, sits along the southern boundary of the forest. If not for the sand sholes along the beaches, Eastern Lake and other lakes in SoWal would be small saltwater bays.

The old growth Longleaf pine stand provides a demonstration of how the southern forests used to appear. Some trees show signs of cup trenching, a technique used at the early stages of the turpentine industry. They also offer shade along the Longleaf Greenway Trail System.

Point Washington State Forest is made up of 10 natural communities, and you’ll see most on the Longleaf Greenway Trail. The majority of the area consists of sandhill, basin swamps/titi drains, wet flatwoods, wet prairie and cypress swamps.

Several plants and animals that are listed as threatened, endangered or species of special concern can be found in the forest. These rare species include American kestrel, gopher tortoise, flatwoods salamander, white-topped pitcher plant, and the world’s largest population of Curtiss sandgrass.