Hike Planning Information
Listed below from south to north are the five access points to the trail in the Weaver Creek Section:
East Bay River Boat Ramp (EBR)
EBR is located on the west side of Hwy 87 in Navarre. Hikers can park next to the trail sign near the entrance to EBR. From EBR, walk across Hwy 87 to River Road, then turn right on Nelda Road and continue approximately .3 mile to where the trail turns into the woods on the left.
River Road Trail Crossing (RR)
River Road is on the east side of Hwy 87 across from the entrance to the East Bay River Boat Ramp. Follow River Road; once it becomes a dirt road, look for the hiker sign and FNST sign on the left (less than .1 mile down the dirt road). Hikers can park on the side of the road. RR is approximately 1.6 trail miles from EBR.
Hwy 87 Trail Crossing (H87)
The trail crosses Hwy 87 just north of Holley with the crossing marked by FNST roadside signs. There is a small parking lot on the east side of Hwy 87. Gate access to the trail is a short distance to the north. H87 is approximately 4 trail miles from RR.
Range Road 213 Trail Crossing (RR213)
Range Road 213 (aka Choctaw Field Road) is on the west side of Hwy 87. Look for the sign for NOLF Choctaw Field on Hwy 87. The trail crossing is approximately .3 mile from Hwy 87 (just past the power line). There is a small hiker sign at the trail crossing. Hikers can park in the grassy area on the side of the road. RR213 is approximately 2.1 trail miles from H87.
Yellow River Boat Ramp (YR)
The boat ramp and parking area are located on the east side of Hwy 87 at the south end of the bridge over the Yellow River. To access the trail, walk across Hwy 87 and step over the barricade. Walk down the slope (use caution – it’s steep) and follow the orange blazes to a cut in the fence that is generally held closed with a carabiner clip. YR is approximately 6.4 trail miles from RR213.
The above trail miles can be used to plan one-way or round-trip hikes. Information for additional hiking options includes the following:
Dean Creek is located approximately 1.8 trail miles north of RR and 2.2 miles south of H87. The trail crosses Dean Creek on a wooden footbridge over a mostly shallow, sandy-bottomed creek. Approximately .4 trail mile south of the creek is a short blue-blazed trail that leads to a primitive campsite.
Buck Pond Primitive Campsite is located at the end of a blue-blazed trail that starts at a junction along the main trail that is approximately 4 trail miles north of RR213 and 2.4 trail miles south of YR. While the pond no longer exists, there is still access to water for filtering.
Weaver Creek Steephead Loop starts and ends at the RR213 trail crossing. Follow the trail north from the road to a sign post for the junction of the FNST (orange-blazed trail to the left) and the connector trail (white-blazed trail straight ahead). Stay on the orange-blazed trail, which follows the steephead and dips down to a water source on Weaver Creek, then climbs uphill to a second junction of the FNST and connector trail. Turn right onto the white-blazed connector trail and follow it back to the first junction and out to the road. This loop trail has a distance of approximately 1 trail mile.
Note: The distances presented above are estimates and other information regarding signage, trail blazes, parking, etc. is subject to change due to conditions that may affect the trail or be imposed by Eglin AFB.
East Bay River Boat Ramp (EBR)
EBR is located on the west side of Hwy 87 in Navarre. Hikers can park next to the trail sign near the entrance to EBR. From EBR, walk across Hwy 87 to River Road, then turn right on Nelda Road and continue approximately .3 mile to where the trail turns into the woods on the left.
River Road Trail Crossing (RR)
River Road is on the east side of Hwy 87 across from the entrance to the East Bay River Boat Ramp. Follow River Road; once it becomes a dirt road, look for the hiker sign and FNST sign on the left (less than .1 mile down the dirt road). Hikers can park on the side of the road. RR is approximately 1.6 trail miles from EBR.
Hwy 87 Trail Crossing (H87)
The trail crosses Hwy 87 just north of Holley with the crossing marked by FNST roadside signs. There is a small parking lot on the east side of Hwy 87. Gate access to the trail is a short distance to the north. H87 is approximately 4 trail miles from RR.
Range Road 213 Trail Crossing (RR213)
Range Road 213 (aka Choctaw Field Road) is on the west side of Hwy 87. Look for the sign for NOLF Choctaw Field on Hwy 87. The trail crossing is approximately .3 mile from Hwy 87 (just past the power line). There is a small hiker sign at the trail crossing. Hikers can park in the grassy area on the side of the road. RR213 is approximately 2.1 trail miles from H87.
Yellow River Boat Ramp (YR)
The boat ramp and parking area are located on the east side of Hwy 87 at the south end of the bridge over the Yellow River. To access the trail, walk across Hwy 87 and step over the barricade. Walk down the slope (use caution – it’s steep) and follow the orange blazes to a cut in the fence that is generally held closed with a carabiner clip. YR is approximately 6.4 trail miles from RR213.
The above trail miles can be used to plan one-way or round-trip hikes. Information for additional hiking options includes the following:
Dean Creek is located approximately 1.8 trail miles north of RR and 2.2 miles south of H87. The trail crosses Dean Creek on a wooden footbridge over a mostly shallow, sandy-bottomed creek. Approximately .4 trail mile south of the creek is a short blue-blazed trail that leads to a primitive campsite.
Buck Pond Primitive Campsite is located at the end of a blue-blazed trail that starts at a junction along the main trail that is approximately 4 trail miles north of RR213 and 2.4 trail miles south of YR. While the pond no longer exists, there is still access to water for filtering.
Weaver Creek Steephead Loop starts and ends at the RR213 trail crossing. Follow the trail north from the road to a sign post for the junction of the FNST (orange-blazed trail to the left) and the connector trail (white-blazed trail straight ahead). Stay on the orange-blazed trail, which follows the steephead and dips down to a water source on Weaver Creek, then climbs uphill to a second junction of the FNST and connector trail. Turn right onto the white-blazed connector trail and follow it back to the first junction and out to the road. This loop trail has a distance of approximately 1 trail mile.
Note: The distances presented above are estimates and other information regarding signage, trail blazes, parking, etc. is subject to change due to conditions that may affect the trail or be imposed by Eglin AFB.
