The naughty afternoon hike

UWF Dunes Trail – Florida Scenic Trail

February 5, 2013

   As many of you know, I have been a beach lover my entire life.  Even recently I was able to work in a position minimizing ecological impact by clean-up workers when near areas such as marsh and sand dunes.  While researching areas near Pensacola to do some day hikes, I stumbled across a section of the Florida National Scenic Trail known as the UWF Dunes Trail.  This section was located on Pensacola Beach within the tract of nature preserve owned by the University of West Florida, my alma mater.  What’s exciting about this trail was that approximately 8 miles of this section traverse the dunes and maritime forest.  That’s correct; people are actually allowed to walk in and over the dunes.  This is normally a huge no-no, as hefty fines are given out to people who think they can just tromp over dunes and their vegetation.  Just in case one was wondering why these dunes are so important not to disturb, I will tell you!  Dunes are created when wind pushes sand leeward on an island in a process called saltation.  Grains of sand bounce along the ground instead of fly through the air.  Sand is pushed to the back of an island until either the wind dies or it is stopped and held in place by something.  Sometimes this is dune fencing or vegetation, but I have seen dunes form around a coke can.  Ideally, vegetation holds sand in place, allowing for further expansion on the plant’s root system.  More growth of dune plants means more sand to hold in place, thus growing a dune system.  These dunes are extremely important ecological features creating habitat as well as creating a first wall of defense for inland homes and business against forces such as tidal surge during a hurricane.  While dunes will be blown out during a hurricane, their presence helps to slow down the wall of water known as a surge and hold the island in place.  Voila! Dunes are awesome!

   Now, if you worked with me during the past two years, you know how much of a stickler for staying out of the dunes I was, and to the credit of my co-workers, you could continue on with the importance of dunes.  However, this trail is made for walking through the dunes!  What a naughty place to work on breaking in my boots.   

   The trail head begins just West of Portifino Towers on Pensacola beach and immediately heads North through the dunes and then West toward the Gulf Islands National Sea Shore.  The terrain is relatively easy; however I am used to walking in the sand every day.  Vegetation was not hindering, some Salt Meadow Hay and Spartina to get through.  Occasionally the path will lead through a bit of water that has collected but it was fairly dry for me.  My boots, by the way, did keep my feet dry.  The path is marked by the orange blazes indicative of the Florida Trail, but PVC pipes are used due to the lack of trees for the majority of the hike.  The greatest elevation gain is about 25 feet, and that’s only if you feel like scaling the dune.  Scenery is spectacular out there.  The Santa Rosa Sound lies behind the dunes to the North and the Gulf of Mexico an ear-shot away to the South.  The path passes through some Maritime Forest with old salt-burnt live oak and pine stands.  If you keep your eyes open you will see Osprey on their nests or dolphin feeding and playing in the Sound.  The most excitement I got that evening was the close call of doom for a frog that came pretty close to meeting my boot.  Sorry little buddy!

   The trail will most likely be impossible to hike in about a month.  This is a haven for ground nesting birds such as the Least Tern, Black Skimmer, Snowy Plover, Killdeer, etc.  These birds will dive bomb and poop their hearts out to warn intruders.  Besides, no one wants to step on a poor defenseless nest they didn’t see.

The trail continues through the dunes until you reach the boundary of the National Seashore.  It then leads back South to the shoreline where it continues as the Florida National Scenic Trail along the crashing waves.

The view looking West 

   It was a gorgeous afternoon for a hike, even if it did feel so naughty.  I would not have changed a single piece of it for the world.  Obvious challenges that will soon be faced were realized, while at the same time being able to ignore the mundane things that so often get one down in the usual day to day grind.  But, I could say that for any time I am at the beach.  I only hope that the mountains will give me the same sense of freedom and enlightenment.