Britton Hill | Florida (#23)

What a contrast from Smugglers Notch State Park, Vermont to Britton Hill, Florida, and it’s been quite an interesting few weeks. Having visited most of the State Parks on my list of the Best State Park in each State and summited most of the High Points on the East Coast, I took a bit of a break from both of these lists. However, I didn’t take a break from exploring – I’ll add some of these finds in my Fun Finds section.

Britton Hill, no Sherpas needed

Britton Hill, the “mountain” of Florida, my 23rd State High Point, proudly stands at a towering 345 feet above sea level and has the dubious honor of being the lowest of high points ranking #51 in State High Points. So on a positive note, you can summit without a Sherpa and your grandmother can get to the top without breaking a sweat. Britton Hill is part of the picturesque Lakewood Park (not sure if I would go that far) and is surrounded by the tranquil landscape of the Florida Panhandle. Apparently there are three nature trails on which to wander and enjoy the local flora and fauna – the Yellow Trail (45 minutes), the Red Trail (90 minutes) or the Blue Trail (1 hour). I am not sure what trail I took, but it was a simple 1/2 mile loop around the park that took about 10 minutes – lol.

Getting There

Heading south from Montgomery, Alabama, it’s about 2 hours to Britton Hill. I took I-65 down to Georgiana, then Alabama 55 through Andalusia, and into Florala, Alabama (now that’s an original name). From there you take Alabama 54 to No Co HWY 285. The park is just past the Alabama-Florida border. As I drove down these country roads, and even going through these small towns, I realized how much of a dichotomy of wealth we have in this country and how much poverty we have in rural America. I also passed several cotton fields at the end of the harvest season.

Short and Sweet

So the long and short of this summit – pardon the pun. The park has plenty of parking and a restroom. From the parking lot, it is a very short walk to the High Point Marker. The High Pointers Club has donated a bench, which you’ll see at many of the State High Points. And then there is a 1/2-mile trail to explore. Boom, drop the mike!

Pictures: Park Sign on County Road 285 | Park Sign with Restrooms in the background

Pictures: High Point Marker | High Pointers Club Bench

Pictures: Summit Selfie | Walking Trail

Opportunity Knocks!

From here I was headed back to Tennessee, but I was a little hungry from the grueling climb to the summit of Britton Hill and decided to find a park and eat lunch. Looking north I found Opp, Alabama – yes that is a real name – and they say it’s the City of Opportunity. In all seriousness, I had to find out why it was called Opp. So here is your Jeopardy! answer – Who is Henry Opp. He happened to be a lawyer for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and he lived and practiced law in nearby Andalusia.

The Frank Jackson State Park is located in Opp and I decided to go there for lunch. It was a quiet day, and as I drove into the park, there was actually an entrance booth, manned with a ranger. Unbeknownst to me, the park has an entrance fee. I was going to turn around, and I simply mentioned that I was just looking for a place to eat lunch. He let me in for free – I love the sense and hospitality of the South! It was near Halloween and the park was decorated with scarecrows for the Annual Scarecrows in the Park festival, a community tradition in Opp. So I had my lunch and checked out some of the scarecrows – but kept my distance from the water. lol

Pictures: Frank Jackson State Park | Don’t think I’ll be swimming anytime soon

Pictures: Scarecrows in the Park

Pictures: More Scarecrows in the Park

Next Stop….

I had thought about heading to Ichetucknee Springs State Park, Florida – on my list as the Best State Park in Florida, but with Halloween, they were having a special event, and honestly, I think it is best to visit when the weather is warmer as much of the experience is tubing on the river. I had also thought about visiting Fontainebleau State Park, Louisiana – on my list as the Best State Park in Louisiana, but due to recent storms, some of the park was closed. So I decided to head to Tuscaloosa and visit the University of Alabama – yes this Florida Gator stepped foot in Tuscaloosa! What can I say, I love the SEC (Southeastern Conference).

Date of Visit: 25 October 2023