Find fun, adventure, and rejuvenation amid 1,640 acres of the natural Florida Panhandle at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, one of the all-out treasures of Destin’s hinterland.
That memorable name comes from the tallest of the park’s great dunes, which with their sandy crests do indeed resemble ship sails. Those sandy features cradle a number of rare freshwater dune lakes, most notably the large Morris and Campbell Lakes, which shimmer within shouting distance of the park’s three-mile-long Gulf of Mexico beachfront.
Those precious bodies of water—natural dune lakes are a globally scarce resource—are only part of the exceptional ecological mosaic making up this state park. Here you’ll also find old-growth stands of longleaf pine and coastal scrub of sand pine and Florida rosemary: mighty rare ecosystems these days along the Emerald Coast, and superb places to wander through.
This diversity of habitats made all the more significant by extensive development elsewhere along this shore, make Topsail Hill Preserve State Park a hotspot for wildlife-watching. It’s an absolute dream world for birders, for one thing: This is a significant Panhandle location along the Great Florida Birding & Wildlife Trail. From beachfront to flatwoods, keep your eyes peeled for feathered amazements, including yellow-billed cuckoos, indigo buntings, cardinals, easter bluebirds, snowy plovers, northern gannets, red-shouldered hawks, magnolia warblers, and royal terns.
Throw in gopher tortoises, alligators, white-tailed deer, and maybe some beach-cruising dolphins and sea turtles, and you’ve got quite the magnificent menagerie in this compact swath of protected land.
Exploring that wildlife-rich swath comes easy given 15-plus miles of hiking trails. Those routes include the Turpentine Trail, which shows off relics of the region’s bygone turpentining industry among the pinewoods, as well as the Deer Track Trail past Campbell Lake and beds of carnivorous plants and the No Name Lake Trail accessing the park’s littlest dune lake. You can also hop on a bicycle to pedal the paved Beach Tram and Campbell Lake trails: just about pure bliss!
Engrossing as Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is for day trips, it’s all the better if you can spread out your visit over a few days. The Gregory E. Moore RV Resort Campground offers both RV and tent campsites as well as cabins; there’s plush “glamping” available here courtesy of the Florida State Parks partnership with Santa Rosa Beach-based Fancy Camps.
You can also tuck into a topnotch picnic here, from the Gulf white sands to the pavilions edging Campbell Lake.
Other outdoor recreation possibilities here include kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding in the nearshore Gulf waters—the vessels aren’t allowed on the dune lakes to protect them from exotic species—and fishing, whether you’re after bass and catfish on the lakes or surf-casting for pompano, Spanish mackerel, or redfish along the beach. Speaking of the beach, swimming can be note-perfect here, but stay aware at all times: There are no lifeguards posted in the park.
By the way, keep an eye peeled for the schedule of weekly interpretive ranger programs the state park offers: a great way to deepen your experience of this place.
Whether you need ice and firewood for your campsite, or just some snacks for the hiking trail or bike path, the Topsail Hill Preserve State Park has you covered.
Free parking is available on site, so you can easily access all the park has to offer without worry.
Discover what the Emerald Coast in its glorious natural outfit looks like at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park—and have a full-bore blast in the process!
Insider Tip:
– Though not allowed on the beach, dogs on a short leash are welcome on the trails of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park—so bring that (well-behaved) pooch along!