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Misty dunes with lake beyond

South Walton

Explore the outdoors along 30A and US 98 in South Walton County, home to mysterious coastal dune lakes protected by a string of Florida State Parks.


Resources

Resources for exploring the area
North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Hiking the Gulf Coast book cover  
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Exploring South Walton

The region known as South Walton stretches along the Gulf Coast from Rosemary Beach to Santa Rosa Beach, flanked by Destin to the west and Panama City Beach to the east.

It also encompasses the oceanfront communities of Alys Beach, Seacrest, Seagrove Beach, Seaside, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain Beach along scenic 30A.

South Walton is the home of Florida’s coastal dune lakes, a rare ecosystem only found in this region in the United States, and only one of three regions worldwide where this coastal phenomenon occurs.

These freshwater lakes perch close enough to the Gulf of Mexico to exchange waters with the Gulf whenever they are at capacity or when tides are high.


Trails and Parks in South Walton

Camp Helen State Park Camp Helen State Park Haunted by a sea monster sighted in one of the largest ancient coastal dune lakes on Florida's coast, Camp Helen State Park offers seaside relaxation and historic interpretation.
Open water with trees in foreground and dunes in distance Deer Lake State Park At Deer Lake State Park, the coastal flatwoods ecosystem hosts rare pitcher plants, Gulf Coast lupine and stately magnolias along a coastal dune lake, with beach access along the Gulf of Mexico at Alys Beach.
Doubletrack through pine forest Eastern Lake Trail A chain of three stacked loops that enable you to walk or ride up to 10.9 miles, the Eastern Lake Trail offers an immersion in Point Washington State Forest for hikers and cyclists
Two-story mansion under live oak canopy Eden Gardens State Park Edging a windswept bayou off Choctawhatchee Bay, lush cultivated gardens surround the historic Wesley House, an elegant home built by timber baron William Henry Wesley in 1897.
Trail descending to the edge of a lake Grayton Beach Flatwoods Trails The quieter side of Grayton Beach State Park is the perfect place for a walk in the woods to the north shore of Western Lake.
View of lake beyond scrub covered sand ridge Grayton Beach State Park Cradled in a cocoon of coastal dunes, Western Lake shimmers in the sun. At Grayton Beach State Park, it's the focus of both passive and active recreation.
Palmettos in front of longleaf pines Point Washington State Forest Protecting the upland watersheds of the Coastal Dune Lakes along the South Walton coastline, Point Washington State Forest offers extensive offroad biking and hiking trails
Covered bridge on bike path Timpoochee Trail Showcasing the beauty of the South Walton coastline, the Timpoochee Trail connects coastal communities while leading cyclists past Florida's renowned Coastal Dune Lakes
Boardwalk across reflective pond in dunes Topsail Hill Preserve Hiking Trails Along with views of three miles of protected coastline on the Gulf of Mexico, the extensive hiking trail system at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park delves into dozens of unique biomes around two coastal dune lakes.
Oceanfront with wave at sunset Topsail Hill Preserve State Park With one of Florida's most beautiful sweeps of beach, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is a linear preserve with tall dunes along three miles of shoreline.
Green wooded corridor Tucker Bayou Trail Starting on the edge of Tucker Bayou, an easy-to-follow nature trail tunnels into dense uplands habitats with striking autumn leaves.

Recent Articles

Low light over scrub at dusk Panhandle Puttering (12/17/2006) Just back from a trip to Destin for a Visit Florida board meeting, between which I availed myself of a couple of quick hikes at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and Eden State Gardens.

ALL Articles and Destinations


NEARBY: Destin Ebro Freeport Panama City Beach | ALONG: Gulf of Mexico | PART OF: Northwest Florida

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Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

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Our recent park & trail updates in this region

View of a bay through pines

Sand Pine Trail, Bald Point State Park

Sand Pine Trail, Bald Point State Park
Pine flatwoods

Sundew Trail, Bald Point State Park

Sundew Trail, Bald Point State Park
Trail tunneling into oak scrub

Sand Pine Nature Trail

Sand Pine Nature Trail
Trail into bluff forest in deep shade

Rocky Bayou Nature Trail

Rocky Bayou Nature Trail

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