On the north side of Eagle Harbor, the Bayview day use area was restored and reopened to the public in 2023 after an enormous cleanup effort following the passage of Hurricane Michael.
Originally a shorter route before the storm radically changed landscapes within St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, the Bayview Trail has been extended, showcasing natural environments on both sides of the park road.
This hike serves up scenic views across St. Joseph BayResources
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Overview
Location: Port St. Joe
Length: 1.7 miles
Trailhead: 29.776528, -85.402222
Address: 8899 Cape San Blas Rd, Port St. Joe
Fees: $6 per vehicle
Restrooms: At Gulf Breeze day use 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 at the state park. Stay on the main park drive for 3 miles, passing through the ranger station on the way to the Bayview day use area.
Hike
Starting at the trailhead near a large pavilion with picnic benches, follow a worn pathway between a pair of cabbage palms that quickly opens to salt marsh habitat.
Small crabs scurry across the soggy sand as the trail cuts across a tidally flooded section on a small wooden walkway.
Tidal creek crossingAfter rounding a bend while approaching the bay, a short side path leads out to the water where fish leap into the air and wading birds gracefully strut across the shallows.
The trail follows a dip between the dunes and shoreline, meandering northward past an inviting bench overlooking serene maritime landscapes.
Bayside benchFrostweed and false rosemary cling to the sugary white dunes, producing soft purple and yellow blooms alongside gnarled oak trees and Florida rosemary bushes.
At 0.7 mile, the trail takes a sharp turn to cross over a sandy ridge and paved park road before winding southward.
Wildflowers on the dunesAcross the road, a narrow pathway follows along sloped terrain, tracing the edge of wet flatwoods covered in saw palmettos, gallberry and fetterbush lyonia.
At 1.2 miles, cross a road leading to the Shady Pines campground before climbing onto an elevated crest flanked by a pair of wetlands.
Fetterbush lyonia in bloomAs the route nears the southern end of the loop, placid waters of a brackish pond come into view to the west, surrounded by salt marshes lined with slash pines.
Passing another well placed bench, the trail turns to join a paved park road for 0.1 mile before returning to the Bayview day use area.
Looking across a salt marsh to the Gulf Breeze day use areaTrail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about St Joseph Peninsula State Park
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.Video
A walk through the Bayview Trail
Nearby Adventures
St. Joseph Peninsula Maritime Hammock Trail Under a mile in length, the Maritime Hammock Trail showcases a remarkable variety of upland, wetland, and coastal habitats along with a bayside shell midden.
St. Joseph Peninsula Wilderness Preserve Trail If you’ve dreamed of camping on a deserted beach, here’s your chance. Spend a night under the stars along the Gulf of Mexico amid the quiet of the Wilderness Preserve.
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.
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.
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