Fronting the upper reaches of North Bay, Lynn Haven Bayou Park & Preserve is a balancing act between recreation and habitat conservation.
On 98 acres, beautifully landscaped recreation spaces blend with natural waterfronts and woodlands dominated by wet pine flatwoods, wet prairies, bayhead, and titi swamps.
Waterfront on McKitchen’s BayouFacilitated by the Trust for Public Land and Florida DEP and gifted to the city of Lynn Haven, nearly two-thirds of the park preserves habitat for the tiny Panama City crayfish.
It’s an endangered species. Its habitat is limited to less than seven square miles on the east side of North Bay, a large chunk of which is facing development.
Larger-than-life Panama City crayfish as playground equipmentCelebrated as the centerpiece of a showy playground and in a story walk, the endemic two-inch-long crayfish was thought to be extinct when it was rediscovered in 2000.
The impressive infrastructure for recreation at this park was developed with mitigation funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Dock for boaters on North BayA winding drive provides access to four parking areas with nearby restrooms. Large maps at each trailhead point out the park’s many features.
Our walk around the trail network revealed many picnic areas, multiple launch points, observation decks with fabulous views, and a sprawling disc golf course.
Trail Map at Parking West trailheadSix named trails make up the network. Circling the east side of the preserve, the mile-long Bayou Loop is easy to follow.
Putting together the remainder of the named trails and paved waterfront pathways, we made our own Bay Loop to its west.
Intersections are marked with symbolsResources
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Overview
Location: Lynn Haven
Length: 2.3 mile loop
Trailhead: 30.25840, -85.60519
Address: 4770 CR 2321, Lynn Haven
Fees: Free
Restroom: At three of the parking areas
Land manager: City of Lynn Haven
Phone: 850-265-2121 ext 2121
Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. Trails and key features are marked with icons on posts; snap a photo of a trail map when you start your hike to orient yourself.
Where natural surface, walkways are still a bit rough, as this is a young park and most of the trails were carved through the wet habitats of the preserve by heavy equipment.
Directions
From Panama City, follow US 231 to SR 77A at Lynn Haven. From the crossroads of US 231 and SR 20 at Youngstown, drive south for 17.5 miles to SR 77A. Continue 2.2 east along SR 77A to the elementary school and turn left just past it. Turn right and follow this road a half mile to the park entrance. Turn right and continue a half mile, passing Parking East and Central Parking, to reach Parking West. If it’s packed, use Central Parking.
Hike
As this preserve is so important to the Panama City crayfish (and vice-versa), start with a circuit of the playground to see the outsized model with its striped back.
Follow the Story Walk along the sidewalk leading to the Bayou Dock, which has a launch point for paddlers.
Bayou Dock and observation deckAn observation deck provides a pretty panorama of where McKitchen’s Bayou meets North Bay.
Leaving the dock, follow the boardwalk to the right to the Bay to Bayou Overlook, a covered observation deck with panoramic views.
Bay to Bayou OverlookReturn to ground level to walk the broad graveled path along North Bay, separated from the water by a scrim of dense native vegetation.
The gravel ends at a picnic pavilion but a worn path continues along the edge of the pine flatwoods, reaching the Bay Loop paddler’s dock at 0.4 mile.
Bay Loop paddler’s dockWalk past restrooms and a kayak rack to the Oak Hammock Trail. A sidewalk to start, it hovers close to the bayshore, leading to the Bay Boat Dock and picnic pavilions.
Beyond those, a natural surface walk curves into the preserve along a wetland off North Bay.
Oak Hammock TrailAt a trail junction, cross a boardwalk through a needlerush marsh to continue on the outer loop into higher ground.
Loblolly bay and pines tower above a thicket of understory on both sides of the South Link Trail, a broad forest road. Make the first left off it at 0.7 mile.
Boardwalk across small marshComing to a four-way junction, meet the Wetland Loop (identified by frog symbols) and turn right.
Walk through a pretty wet pine flatwoods, passing Hole 15 on the adjoining disc golf course. Bear left at the next junction.
Wetland Loop junctionAt a marked junction, follow the Wetland Loop as it curves towards Parking West, crossing a boardwalk over a bog near Hole 5.
Use the gravel path and crosswalk to return to the playground area, completing the first mile and the Bay Loop.
Walking past the giant crayfish againFrom the giant crayfish, cross a boardwalk over the nearby marsh to the waterfront at Central Parking to begin the Bayou Loop. Make the first left.
A gravel path winds past a picnic pavilion and outdoor classroom to a long boardwalk to an observation deck on McKitchen’s Bayou.
McKitchen’s BayouStaying close to the bayou, pass another picnic pavilion and cross a boardwalk over a bog. The walkway becomes gravel again.
At 1.4 miles is a dock and paddle launch adjoining a picnic pavilion. Views of the bayou continue, the path a broad graveled road in full sun through the pine flatwoods.
Spring wildflowers thrive along the upper edge of the path.
Dock and paddle launchA marked junction has the dragonfly symbol associated with the rest of the Bayou Loop. This is the final connection with the Fitness Trail back to the Central Parking area. Turn left.
A boardwalk on the bayou’s edge offers a panorama of its grassy marsh. Pass a picnic pavilion and enter pine flatwoods where young longleaf pines are reaching for the sun.
Marsh along the bayouThe path remains a broad graveled road as it passes a cluster of disc golf holes. On the hill above them is Parking East and its restroom, accessible via an unmarked footpath.
Cross a short bridge. The Bayou Loop curves and uses a crosswalk over the entrance road at 1.7 miles
Path below Parking EastNarrowing, the graveled surface reaches a boardwalk through crayfish habitat. A broader path resumes through wet flatwoods, with large puddles where titi swamps drain into it.
A bench is at a junction with a road leading to a maintenance shed. Around the curve, a boardwalk is a nod to the titi thicket edging the path.
Titi bloomsPass Holes 9 and 18 on the disc golf course, steering clear of swampy puddles. Bear right at the next junction, walking beneath tall spindly pines.
In a clearing just shy of 2 miles, the Wildlife Viewing Platform is an elevated observation deck with benches.
Wildlife Viewing PlatformInterpretive signs relate what you may see while looking down into the surrounding wet pine flatwoods.
Continuing through the flatwoods, emerge at a trail junction with the Wetlands Loop. Use the graveled path straight ahead to cross the entrance road to the Central Parking area.
Wetlands Loop junctionStay to the left, along the sidewalk, turning left at the plaza with the map to finish up the Bayou Loop.
Follow the boardwalk across the needlerush marsh to end your 2.3 mile hike within sight of the giant crayfish at Parking West.
Boardwalk to the playground areaTrail Map
Explore More!
Video
A virtual walk through Lynn Haven Bayou Park & Preserve
Slideshow
See our photos of Lynn Haven Bayou Park
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Florida Trail, Econfina Creek 18.4 miles. Winding along rolling hillsides north of Panama City, the Econfina Creek section of the Florida Trail offers a challenging hike with stunning views of its namesake creek.
Pitt and Sylvan Springs Distinctly different in nature, massive Pitt Spring and burbling Sylvan Springs make up a popular swimming and launch area along Econfina Creek.
Pine Log State Forest Florida's oldest state forest offers waterfront camping and a variety of loop trails for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians, plus a 5.7 mile linear segment of the statewide Florida Trail.
Oaks by the Bay Park An urban green space in Panama City, Oaks by the Bay Park protects a natural shoreline along St. Andrews Bay.
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