Set far from Florida’s beaches and bright lights, Calhoun County feels like a whispered story in a loud room — easy to overlook, but rich with roots. This rural Panhandle county is all pine hills, slow rivers, farm fields, and small towns where folks still wave from their front porches. It’s Florida stripped down and honest. And if you know how to listen, it’ll teach you something about the soul of this state.
What It Is
Located in the central Panhandle, Calhoun County borders the Apalachicola River and includes the cities of Blountstown (the county seat) and Altha. With a population under 15,000, it’s one of Florida’s least-populated counties — but that’s part of its charm.
There are no malls here. No high-rises. No amusement parks. But what you’ll find instead are wide-open skies, long dirt roads, family farms, quiet rivers, and a deep, enduring connection to the land.
What to Do
Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area
This protected area along the river offers hiking, birdwatching, and primitive camping opportunities. The trails wind through bottomland hardwood forest and open floodplain, giving visitors a rare look at one of Florida’s last big rivers in its natural state. Bring bug spray and patience — this isn’t theme park Florida. It’s something much older.
Torreya State Park (Nearby in Liberty County)
Just across the county line, this rugged park features some of the highest bluffs in the state and rare Torreya trees. The views from the Gregory House bluff are stunning, especially in fall when leaves change color — yes, in Florida. Torreya State Park
Panhandle Pioneer Settlement
Located in Blountstown’s Sam Atkins Park, this living history museum includes over 18 relocated and restored buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Tour log cabins, a blacksmith shop, a grist mill, and a syrup shed. It’s Florida frontier culture, preserved. Pioneer Settlement
Chipola River Paddling
Though the Chipola cuts mostly through neighboring counties, portions near Calhoun offer scenic kayaking through limestone shoals and high bluffs. Outfitters nearby can help arrange gear and shuttles.
Annual Events Worth Catching
- Goat Day (October): Yes, it’s a real thing — a quirky, community-rich fall festival in Blountstown with crafts, games, and goats aplenty.
- Calhoun County Christmas Parade: A small-town parade with big heart. Think marching bands, vintage tractors, and candy tossed from flatbeds.
Where to Eat
- El Jalisco (Blountstown): Hearty Tex-Mex with local regulars and big portions.
- Main Street Station (Blountstown): Comfort food classics and Southern hospitality.
- Oglesby Plants International (Altha): Not a restaurant — but a must-stop for those interested in agriculture and horticulture. Their nursery tours are locally famous.
Where to Stay
- The Courthouse Inn (Blountstown): A charming B&B inside a converted courthouse building. Think antique charm with a side of history.
- Torreya State Park Campgrounds: For those who prefer to sleep under stars and wake to birdsong.
Why It Matters
In an age of overdevelopment and Instagram gloss, Calhoun County stands quietly apart. It doesn’t try to impress. It just is. And that authenticity is increasingly rare.
This is a place where people still cook with cast iron, where Saturdays mean high school football and Sundays mean front-porch quiet. It’s where the land has memory and the river still decides the pace of life.
To visit Calhoun is to understand a different Florida — slower, deeper, and still wild in the best ways.
Here’s What I’d Do:
Arrive on a Friday and catch the sunset from the bluff at Torreya. Spend Saturday wandering the Pioneer Settlement and floating a stretch of river. On Sunday, grab breakfast at a diner, drive a few country roads, and stop at a roadside stand for homemade jam.
I once saw a bald eagle swoop low over the Apalachicola River here, so quiet you could hear the wind in its wings. That’s Calhoun. Quiet, grounded, unforgettable.
