Britton Hill | Florida (#23)

From Smugglers Notch State Park, Vermont to Britton Hill, Florida — now that’s a contrast.

It’s been an interesting few weeks. After visiting most of the State Parks on my Best State Park in Each State list and summiting many of the East Coast high points, I decided to take a short break from both lists.

However, I didn’t stop exploring. I’ve stumbled across a few great detours lately, and I’ll be adding those to my Fun Finds section soon.

Britton Hill — No Sherpas Needed

Britton Hill, the “mountain” of Florida, was my 23rd State High Point. It proudly stands at a towering 345 feet above sea level and has the dubious honor of being the lowest of all state high points, ranking #51 overall.

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 Lakewood Park (not sure I’d go so far as to call it picturesque), tucked into the Florida Panhandle. Apparently, there are three nature trails you can wander to enjoy the local flora and fauna:

• Yellow Trail (45 minutes)
• Red Trail (90 minutes)
• Blue Trail (1 hour)

I’m not sure which trail I took. In reality, it was a simple ½-mile loop that took about 10 minutes.

That’s it. That’s the climb. 😄

Getting There

Heading south from Montgomery, Alabama, it’s about two hours to Britton Hill.

I took I-65 down to Georgiana, then Alabama 55 through Andalusia and into Florala (now that’s an original name). From there, you take Alabama 54 to County Road 285. The park is just past the Alabama–Florida border.

As I drove those country roads and passed through small towns, I realized how much of a dichotomy of wealth we have in this country — and how much poverty exists in rural America.

Along the way, I also passed several cotton fields at the end of the harvest season.

Photo: Alabama Cotton Field

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’s a very short walk to the High Point Marker. The Highpointers Club bench is there too, which you’ll see at many of the state high points.

Then there’s a ½-mile trail if you feel like stretching your legs.

Boom. Drop the mic!

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

Photos: High Point Marker | Highpointers Club Bench

Photo: Summit Area with Trailhead in the background

Photos: Summit Selfie | Walking Trail

Opportunity Knocks!

From here I was headed back to Tennessee. Still, after the grueling climb to the summit of Britton Hill (lol), I was hungry.

So I decided to find a park and eat lunch. Looking north, I found Opp, Alabama — yes, that is a real name — and they call it the City of Opportunity.

In all seriousness, I had to find out why it was called Opp. So here’s 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.

Photo: Opp, Alabama — the City of Opportunity.

Frank Jackson State Park

Frank Jackson State Park is located in Opp, and I decided to stop there for lunch.

It was a quiet day. As I drove in, I saw an entrance booth staffed by a ranger. Unbeknownst to me, the park has an entrance fee. I was about to turn around when I mentioned I was just looking for a place to eat lunch.

He let me in for free — and I love the hospitality of the South.

Since it was near Halloween, the park was decorated with scarecrows for the annual Scarecrows in the Park festival, a community tradition in Opp. So I ate my lunch, checked out the displays, and admired the creativity.

But I kept my distance from the water. 😄

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

Photos: Scarecrows in the Park

Photos: 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. However, with Halloween, they were hosting a special event.

Honestly, it’s also probably best visited when the weather is warmer, since so much of the experience is tubing.

I 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 instead, I pivoted.

I headed to Tuscaloosa and visited the University of Alabama — yes, this Florida Gator stepped foot in Tuscaloosa.

What can I say? I love the SEC.

Photos: University of Alabama: Bryant Denny Stadium | Selfie with the Alabama Elephant – Tuska | Coach “Bear” Bryant

Catch you on the summit!

Date of Visit: 25 October 2023