Moonlight Paddle on Lake Powell at Camp Helen State Park

Come and join Park Rangers at Camp Helen State Park for a moonlight paddle on Lake Powell, Florida’s largest coastal dune lake. The experience will be a mostly quiet excursion led by Rangers and will give visitors a unique opportunity to view one of the rarest lakes in the world, while under a nearly full moon.

The trip is approximately 2 hours and will begin with a brief safety review and interpretation on Lake Powell and why coastal dune lakes are such a rare natural phenomenon. Participants must be experienced paddlers and 12 years of age or older.

Friday, October 2nd - 7:00pm to 9:00pm CDT
Saturday, October 3rd – 7:00pm to 9:00pm CDT

Program is $30 per person, cash only. Fee includes watercraft rental, life jacket, paddle, glow sticks, park admission fee, and a donation to the Friends of Camp Helen State Park. Watercraft and gear from outside the park are not permitted. Space is limited.

Advanced reservations are required to participate and can be done by calling Camp Helen State Park at (850) 233-5059. Located in the Northwest region at: Camp Helen State Park 23937 Panama City Beach Parkway, just over the Lake Powell bridge.

Camp Helen State Park is bordered on three sides by the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Powell, one of the largest coastal dune lakes in Florida. Coastal dune lakes are extremely rare worldwide; in the United States they occur only along the Gulf Coast. Prehistoric middens and mounds indicate that humans lived in the area more than 4,000 years ago. From 1945 until 1987, Camp Helen was a company resort for employees of an Alabama textile mill and some of the buildings are now being restored. Natural areas range from coastal dunes and salt marshes along the Gulf to freshwater wetlands and sand pine scrub along the lake. Activities include swimming, beachcombing, nature study, hiking, and both freshwater and saltwater fishing. 

Camp Helen State Park is located at 23937 Panama City Beach Parkway, just west of the Phillips Inlet Bridge on the Bay County and Walton County line. 

Follow Friends of Camp Helen State Park on Facebook for park updates and events.

Read more about Camp Helen State Park and see photo gallery at SoWal Parks | Camp Helen State Park.

Florida State Parks await your discovery! Read about parks located in and around South Walton in our feature story.