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Close up of leaves of scrub oak

St. Joseph Bay Trail

Home to a diminutive scrub forest, the interpretive St. Joseph Bay Trail scrambles along dunes with views of the expansive bay.

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park  |  Cape San Blas
( 29.776583, -85.402133 )      0.9 miles

160 shares

INDEFINITELY CLOSED due to hurricane damage. Our understanding is a new version of this trail is presently under construction.


For a sampling of the fragile coastal habitats protected along St. Joseph Bay by St Joseph Peninsula State Park, take a short walk on this spectacularly scenic coastal trail.

It meanders through a diminutive scrub forest with delicate Florida rosemary, myrtle oak, and Chapman oak, gnarled and wizened like bonsai thanks to the persistent coastal breezes.

This loop hike scrambles up and over dunes covered in scrub forest to showcase panoramas of the bay.

There are numerous benches along the walk, and several crossovers in the middle of the loop to shorten the walk, making this ideal for small children.


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.

Overview

Location: Cape San Blas
Length: 0.9 mile loop
Trailhead: 29.776583, -85.402133
Address: 8899 Cape San Blas Rd, Port St. Joe
Fees: $6 per vehicle
Restrooms: At the bayside picnic area
Land Manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 850-227-1327
 
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome.

Directions

 
From Port St. Joe, follow SR 30A to SR 30E; continue on SR 30E until it ends in the state park. Continue into the park and follow the state park entrance road to the picnic area past the dunes to the Bayside Picnic Area. Park and walk down along the bay to the boardwalk that leads to the nature trail loop.

Hike

Immediately after crossing the boardwalk over a tidal creek, the trail splits three ways. Turn right to keep to the outer loop, walking out to the shoreline.

Follow the arrows around the coastal fringe, where the trail squeezes down a narrow strip between the bay and cabins.

After 0.4 mile, an arrow directs you to the left into a hilly stretch of relict dunes, creating a loop back to the main trail.


Explore More!

Learn more about St Joseph Peninsula State Park

Bright white sand dunes along emerald shores St. Joseph Peninsula State Park Protecting fragile coastal habitats on the tip of Cape San Blas as it curves around to shelter St. Joseph Bay, T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park provides a sweep of beachfront on both bay and Gulf to enjoy.

Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Coastal scrub at Salinas Park Salinas Park With a boardwalk over a beautiful coastal scrub to a beach on the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Salinas Park provides a picnic grove in a pine forest.
Large marble monument in forest Constitution Convention Museum State Park Learn about frontier days on the Forgotten Coast at this small museum that commemorates the steps taken to establish Florida statehood.

Reserve Campsite Official Website

Category: Hikes, Loop Hikes, Nature Trails, Northwest Florida, TrailsTag: Birding, Botanical, Cape San Blas, Florida State Parks, Port St. Joe, St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

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