Southwest Greenway Walking Trail

Hidden within an urban core along Jones Creek, a 12-mile walkable greenway trail is 40 percent complete.     

The trail will accommodate a diverse range of visitors for a variety of outdoor recreational experiences including hiking, bird watching, nature photography, and environmental education, picnicking or just to take a stroll.

The Southwest Greenway and the Jones Swamp Wetland Preserve were initiated to provide an important environmental buffer to aide in water quality improvements for Bayou Chico and the Pensacola Bay.  While the Preserve is protecting the valuable natural resources visitors can enjoy some of Escambia County’s diverse ecosystems by using this walkable corridor.  

The Greenway is divided by Fairfield Drive and provides for two very different outdoor experiences.  

The eastern trail system features accessible boardwalks and wide stable surface trails along Jones Creek, and though Bottomland Forest and Wet Pine Flatwoods. 

The western trail system will provide a much more rustic outdoor nature experience.  This mosaic of rare Florida natural bogs and grass land forest communities will be accessible only for foot traffic.

East Hiking Trail Descriptions

• Glynn Key Boardwalk
  • This ¾ mile of elevated boardwalk with a 65’ bridge crossing Jones Creek links neighborhoods to a commercial corridor for easy access to stores if traveling by foot. Educational signage highlights wetlands, vegetation and ecosystems. 

• Canopy Creek Boardwalk
  • Popular for walking and for its scenic creek views, this ¾ mile of elevated boardwalk follows a winding stream and is often shaded.  Note: This section has two gated entrances to Pensacola State College that may be periodically closed. 

• Flatwoods Footpath
  • Spanning a ½ mile, this footpath features a gated bridge linking visitors to Pensacola State College western parking lot.  The trail highlights include educational signage, views of the stream and varieties of native plants including ferns, trees and wildflowers.   

• Rustic Flatwoods Footpath
  • This ½ mile footpath of natural surface trail leads visitors through bottomland and upland forests ends at a scenic view of a wetland gum pond and beaver dams. Trail is subject to water retention after a rainfall and visitors are advised to wear appropriate footing.  

• Decatur Boardwalk
  • Site currently includes handicap parking with a ½ mile elevated boardwalk through pristine wetlands and beautiful old growth bottomland forests. When complete the elevated boardwalk will be a one mile accessible walking link to Fairfield Drive. From there the natural surface trail west of Fairfield Drive will provide the more hearty souls an unimproved backwoods foot trail experience to historic wet flatwoods ecosystems and a beautiful picture plant prairie.  

Trailhead Addresses

• 700 S. Old Corry Road*
• 402 N. Navy Blvd*
• 198 Patton Drive
• 1131 Patton Drive
• 1190 Decatur Ave*

*Handicap Accessible Parking

Trail Safety

• For your safety and the protection of the environment, please stay on designated trails.
• Bring plenty of water, bug spray and sunscreen.
• Wear proper walking or hiking shoes and never hike alone. 
• Please use only designated access points to enter the trail. 
• Camping, hunting or any recreational vehicles are strictly prohibited within Jones Swamp Wetland Preserve

Flatwoods Footpath Trail Blazes

• Look for the yellow blazes on the trees.
• These show that you are staying on the trail and should be visible in front of you as well as behind you.
• A double blaze informs you that the trail is about to change direction.
• If the top blaze is offset from the bottom blaze, the turn is in the direction of the top blaze.