“Mountain” is somewhat of a misnomer for a Florida landscape that is only 345 feet above sea level at its highest point (northern Walton County), but the first European settlers may have mistaken the Blue Mountain community’s towering dunes for mountains after being at sea for months. Regional lore says the beach gets its name from a blue cast that a native wildflower, lupine, gives the dunes. With its fuzzy blue leaves and purplish blue flowers, it’s easy to speculate that blue flowers covering tall dunes gave Blue Mountain its unusual name.
Barely a blip on the radar between Destin and Seaside, the area celebrates the name “Florida Panhandle Pure & Simple” because of the clean and clear water, which appears vivid emerald-green due to its purity and the shallowness of the gulf.
The 19-mile paved Timpoochee Trail ambles along Scenic Highway 30-A providing hikers and bikers an opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty of the coastal dune lakes, dense woodlands and architecturally stunning communities that make up the Blue Mountain Beach area.