Jeff Friend Trail

Jeff Friend Trail is a part of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, a federal wildlife refuge established for migratory birds. It is also an excellent public access to natural beaches on the north side of the lagoon.

The trail can be accessed at a gravel parking lot off of Fort Morgan Road just west of the Peninsula Golf Course. The trail is a one mile loop consisting of gravel paths and wooden walkways that pass by lagoon beaches at Childress Point and then loop north past inland marshes and through the maritime forest similar to the north side of Pine Beach Trail. The forest has thick growths of pine trees, live oak, palmetto bushes, hardy wildflowers, and scrub brush. Benches and informational signs are scattered along the trail.

This trail is a great location for launching your kayak or canoe on the west end of the Lagoon, although you do have to carry your kayak about 500 feet or so along the trail before you get to the first beaches, it is a great way to see to the natural beaches, clear waters, and sandy bottoms on this end of the Lagoon. If you are hiking the trail or enjoying the beaches, mosquito protection is a must, although along the beaches they will not be much of a problem if there is a good on-shore breeze from the lagoon. No bathroom facilities are available at the trail, so you might have to take a trip to a nearby gas station if you plan to stay on the beaches for a while. ...back...

... or check out this area using Bing (Microsoft) Map's Bird's Eye View (aerial picture of Childress Point on this page taken from that site) ...here...