Camp Helen State Park Ranger-Guided First Day Hike

Start the New Year by joining Camp Helen State Park for a First Day Hike on January 1, 2023 from 10:00a.m. - 11:00a.m.  Come and enjoy the park on a Ranger guided nature hike and history tour to learn about the park and its wildlife.

Participants will take a hike along the parks Oak Canopy Trail and arrive at the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.  The trail is moderate level but relatively flat with roots, rock, dirt and beach dunes. To make sure your experience is even more enjoyable wear weather appropriate attire and closed toed shoes. Bring water, sunscreen and hat. Please check in at the Ranger Station for starting location.

CAMP HELEN STATE PARK
Camp Helen State Park is the perfect spot for hiking. Oak Canopy Trail winds through a dense canopy of maritime hammock overlooking a salt marsh. Hiking enthusiasts can pick up a complimentary trail guide in the visitor center.

Camp Helen is a place where visitors can explore an environment rich in natural and cultural resources. This 180-acre park is for day use only. Activities include swimming, beachcombing, nature study, hiking, and both freshwater and saltwater fishing. The park is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico and by Lake Powell, the largest coastal dune lake in Florida. 

Lake Powell is the largest coastal dune lake in Florida and North America, covering almost 800 acres. The lake surrounds the north and east side of Camp Helen State Park and provides the park with an extraordinary natural resource.  

Prehistoric middens and mounds indicate that humans inhabited the area more than 4,000 years ago.

From 1945 until 1987, Camp Helen was a company resort for the employees of an Alabama textile mill known as Avondale Mills. Some of those buildings have now been restored.

Camp Helen State Park is located on Panama City Beach Parkway just west of the Phillips Inlet Bridge on the Bay County and Walton County line. The park is open 8 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year. 

23937 Panama City Beach Parkway
Panama City Beach FL 32413
Read more: Florida State Parks: Camp Helen

FRIENDS OF CAMP HELEN STATE PARK
The Friends of Camp Helen State Park is a Citizens Support Organization dedicated to preserving, maintaining, and improving this park through volunteer projects, community events and fundraising. Some of our most recent projects include: The Americana Concert series, Movies & More, Fall Festival, Pumpkin Patch, International Coastal Clean-up, and park improvements. As our community grows it becomes more and more important to protect this treasure. Please consider joining the Friends, volunteering, or making a donation. 
friendsofcamphelen.org