A salt breeze fills the air as you watch the red-winged blackbirds swoop and call in the tangled shrubbery of Buttonbush Marsh.
Less than a mile from the strumming waves of the Gulf of Mexico, this freshwater marsh provides an important habitat for wildlife at the end of this barrier island.
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Overview
Location: Panama City Beach
Trailhead: 30.12533, -85.73405
Address: 4607 State Park Ln, Panama City
Fees: $8 per vehicle
Restroom: At beach access points and pier
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 850-708-6100
Open 8 AM to sunset. Only a few cars can fit in the small parking area at Buttonbush Marsh. Pets welcome but they may frighten off wildlife.
Directions
From where US 231 ends at US 98 in Panama City, drive west on US 98 for 6 miles, crossing to Panama City Beach. Exit onto Thomas Dr (CR 392) and drive 3.7 miles. The road makes a sharp left behind the beachfront condos and continues a half mile, changing its name to State Park Ln once within the park gates. Look for the pulloff on the right.
About the Overlook
Cradled by relict dunes topped with coastal scrub, Buttonbush Marsh is the first natural feature you can stop and visit when you enter St. Andrews State Park.
Look for the small parking area on the right just a few minutes down the main park road. A boardwalk leads to an observation deck where you can watch the birds flit between the shrubs, or peer into the dark waters to try and find an alligator.
Explore More!
Learn more about St. Andrews State Park
St. Andrews State Park Anchoring the eastern end of Panama City Beach, this popular state park is an important natural haven and outdoor recreation destination in an urban setting.Slideshow
See our photos from St. Andrews State Park
Nearby Adventures
St. Andrews Heron Pond Trail At St. Andrews State Park, the interpretive Heron Pond Trail is a walk through coastal history, starting with a mockup turpentine distillery at the trailhead. 
St. Andrews Sandy Point One of the secrets of St. Andrews State Park is its gentle, sweeping beach along Sandy Point, a natural extension of the barrier island that divides Grand Lagoon from St. Andrews Bay.
St. Andrews Gator Lake Trail At St. Andrews State Park, the Gator Lake Trail is only a half-mile but hits the park's high point with panoramic views in the scrub forest and great birding along an established rookery.
St. Andrews Jetty Beach One of Florida's most popular beach destinations, Jetty Beach at St. Andrews State Park offers both wild and mellow surf on either side of the jetty.
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