After this, the road turns from northeast to straight north before descending towards a valley named Hunter Branch, then ascends from that area to pass by Redbay Cemetery.

It then curves around some ponds as it approaches a pair of bridges over Big Branch Creek and Bruce Creek, followed by a blinker-light intersection with the southeastern terminus of CR 183, and later turns straight north long before approaching the southwestern terminus of CR 181 a bi-county road in Walton and Holmes Counties,[2][3] that leads to Ponce de Leon Springs State Park.

Despite entering the town limits, the surroundings are still rural, even as it becomes a divided highway and comes across a couple of gas stations as it approaches Interstate 10 at Exit 96, which contains a rest area on the southeast corner of that interchange which is accessible from SR 81 rather than I-10 itself.

After that crossing and the intersections with Maple Loop and Skelton Street, the road curves to the right again over another bridge over Sandy Creek, then turns straight north again.

The road takes one last dip into some low-lying forestland before emerging at some sparse farmland, which includes a small fruit and vegetable store on the southbound side.