Trail Overview
McDaniel Road connects Simmons Road at the north end and County Road 4 at the south end. It is a 2.5-mile-long road that takes you through the north-west part of the Blackwater River State Forest and gives you access to several trails and swimming spots along the Coldwater Creek District. The road conditions are a mixture of packed sand, loose sand, some deep holes that can turn into 2-foot deep mud holes after rainy days, and a few water crossings. The road is always wide enough for two vehicles to pass. 4WD and high clearance are recommended. All vehicles must be street legal. Please be aware that the cellphone reception is weak and the next gas station might be far. Blackwater River State Forest is one of the largest State Forests in Florida and is named for the Blackwater River. It is located in the Florida Panhandle, northeast of Pensacola.
History
Blackwater River is one of the few shifting sand-bottom streams that remains in its natural state for nearly its entire length. The topography of the forest is gently rolling, and various natural communities are represented. Blackwater River State Forest is known for its longleaf pine/wiregrass ecosystem, which, in combination with the Conecuh National Forest to the north and Eglin Air Force Base to the south, is the largest contiguous ecological community of this type in the world. Longleaf pines once covered over 60 million acres in the Southeastern Coastal Plains of the United States. Less than 5 percent of the original acreage now remains. Longleaf pine communities are rich in plant and animal life, including many species classified as endangered, threatened, or of special concern.
