Scott Road Trailhead is an entrance to the Florida Trail that lets you get a decent hike along Econfina Creek, check out a couple of suspension bridges, view one of Florida few true waterfalls, and there are gnomes! Right away let me remind anyone going to this trail section that it took a good hit in 2018 from Hurricane Michael. Ever since then lots of wonderful people have been chain sawing damaged trees back off the trail, cleaning it up, and nature has been slowly bouncing back.
When you get to the Scott Road Trailhead you’ll suddenly be on the FNST but not yet intersecting with Econfina Creek. Walsingham Bridge which is a different trailhead is ten miles away, Fender Bridge which is halfway between that point and this one is of course about 5 miles away, and your first landmark most of the time, if you have a keen eye, will be a section of trail that has gnomes and fairy doors and whatnot which seems to be an ongoing thing. I thought these things were done for after the hurricane hit the area, but people keep on trying to craft a little magical wonderland on part of the trail here.
Your next landmark is where Econfina Creek joins the trail which is the better part of a mile in. Here you can quickly find a place to drop just a few feet and get your feet wet, which is always refreshing in this spring fed creek. From that point you’ll wander a little less than a mile to come upon Two Penny Bridge, a suspension bridge that you get to cross to continue on. I’ve seen the remains of primitive campsites near here, found a geocache accidentally once, and heard some gunshots in the distance since hunting happens in this area too. You’re in nature, but you’re not too far behind the town of Fountain, FL so there’s still a lot going on.
After that keep an eye open on the opposite (east) side of the creek because in less than half a mile is the Econfina Creek Waterfall. This is only about a 10 foot high fall, but given that Florida has almost no elevation anywhere that makes this a rare sight. You’ll have to swim over to it if you want to get up close because the trail keeps going along on the west side, heading south to what will at that 5 mile point get you to Fender Bridge, and then ultimately Walsingham Bridge to kind of complete this section.
