Permits & Reservations

The following permits are required for hiking and camping throughout the Florida Trail on public lands. For exact locations of these sites, check out the complete Thru Hiker Packet. 

Big Cypress National Preserve

All hikers in Big Cypress National Preserve must carry a backcountry permit with them at all times. These can be printed here. 

Seminole Reservation

Permission is required to hike through the Reservation. Follow the instructions here for submitting your General Release and Covenant Not to Sue. This must be notarized for submission. No camping permitted here, you must pass straight through.

Camp Blanding

Hikers should check the kiosks located just inside the east and west entrances to Camp Blanding. Camp closures are posted on these kiosks. If the Camp is closed for military exercise hikers should follow the white blazed alternate trail around the base.

St. Marks

Requires a permit and small fee for each campsite used. Camping is only available to persons hiking the entire length of the Refuge. You must obtain the written permit prior to entering the refuge. St Marks is the only National Wildlife Refuge that allows hikers to camp and that privilege is extended only to thru and section hikers of the Florida Trail. Failure to obtain your permit may jeopardize this agreement for future hikers. St Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge, PO Box 68, St Marks, FL 32355, (850) 925-6121.

Eglin 

The Florida Trail crosses portions of Eglin Air Force Base, an active military installation. Thru-Hikers (hikers whose journey originates >50 miles outside the Eglin boundary) need to contact Jackson Guard (850-882-4165 or 4166) for special permitting. Hikers must also consult the Public Access Map (PAM) each day to check for mission closures. Please see www.eglin.isportsman.net/FloridaTrail.aspx for more information. Two sections of the trail are exempt from the PAM closures, provided they are not blocked by signage, range personnel, or barriers. When using these PAM exemptions hikers must stay on the trail corridor in these sections:

• The section of trail passing through the Brier Creek East MU (TTA’s N-14, N-13, N-11,N-9). (FTA Map 2)
• The section of the trail passing through the Choctaw West MU west of Hwy 87. ALL portions of the trail east of Hwy 87 are subject to the PAM restrictions. (FTA Map 4)