Walton Outdoors
Beach Fanatic
A cool way to spend a few hours on the water
Boiling Creek is a beautiful, pristine paddle, full of cypress trees, water lilies and a variety of pitcher plants along its banks. The water is crystal clear, and you will see colorful underwater grasses rippling below, as you meander through the slow moving twists and turns. The creek is approximately 25 feet wide for most of the journey. Common sights are turtles, ospreys, hawks and other birds, such as woodpeckers and indigo buntings.
There are only one or two places to get out of your boat as you paddle the 6.6 miles, with the last half of the trip along the Yellow River. The Yellow river is much wider and does not offer the clarity of the creek. The most picturesque portion of the paddle is the first half along Boiling Creek.
The entire paddle is located on Eglin AFB property. You need an Eglin Pass acquired at Jackson Guard Natural Resources Facility in order to enter the base property. Jackson Guard is located in Niceville, on Highway 85 just north of Highway 20. For more information, call (850) 882-4164 or (850) 882-4165.
How to get there:
The put in is at Boiling Creek Bridge, located on Eglin Reservation Road 211 off Hwy. 87. The take out is at the South end of the Hwy 87 under the Yellow River Bridge.
Take Hwy 87 south from I-10. Cross the Yellow River bridge - takeout is on the left. To put in, continue south on 87. After the second curve in the road, you will see Eglin Road 211 on your left. (This is the 1st dirt road with a stop sign.) Stay on 211 to the bridge.
For more information on upcoming paddles, go to: Upcoming Paddles in the Panhandle | Welcome to Walton Outdoors
WaltonOutdoors.com is an online zine for outdoor enthusiasts in Walton County, Florida and the surrounding area. Lori Ceier can be reached via email at lori@waltonoutdoors.com