Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is AMAZING
The weather has really been doing a number on outdoor adventures this year. In February, a long-planned adventure had to be called off due to heat, in March it was so cold tender plants had to be protected, and an April panhandle trip saw weather much cooler than we like and much rainier than we hoped. But Judy and I are tough, so we didn’t cancel our trip to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.
Features of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
We left early enough in the morning that we arrived before check-in time, but had no problem checking in early. The brochure the Ranger provided gave us great information about this park, which has features I’ve never seen at a State Park before. There’s a pool, shuffleboard, a clubhouse and laundry room, and even a coffeehouse attached to the camp store! This park has bungalows in addition to the cabins, and is home to two of the very rare dune lakes that this part of the Panhandle is known for. Like other State Park campgrounds, there were bathhouses and central trash areas, and all campsites had both electricity and water on-site.
We got to the campsite and got through our set up quickly, since rain was threatening. We were camped at the walk-in tent sites. This is kind of the best (or worst, depending on your perspective) of both worlds of car camping and hike-in camping. Campsites are located very near parking, but you still have to haul your gear farther than at traditional car camping sites. However, it’s not quite like carrying your house, bedding and food all day long.
The weather reports predicted rain every day, so we set up the canopy and moved the picnic table under it. The picnic table was tiny; probably only 4 feet long, so I was very happy I had packed the roll-up table Judy gave me. We had just enough table space! Then we situated our tents so that each door was at least partially covered by the canopy. It made for a cramped campsite, but it worked well and our shoes stayed dry.
The Beach
With the campsite situated, we decided to check out the beach. Judy had been here before, and she was impressed even though the beach is not her favorite place. One of the things that makes this site so special is that the dunes are very highly protected. The parking area for day users is over mile from the beach, and so a tram is provided. Many campers bring bicycles and carts to transport their gear to the beach from the campground. The tram thoughtfully stops outside the campground to pick up campers who prefer to ride rather than walk.
I walked down to the beach and Judy rode the tram. The trail is paved, making it an easy walk to the tram stop at the dune line. At that point, the dunes are protected by lovely wide boardwalks to control foot traffic. I have not seen dunes so beautiful since I was a child! Wide and white, they are held by the roots of shrubs, grasses and wildflowers. Windblown footprints testified to the wildlife that roams here, but none of the tracks were identifiable. I assume the animals are most active at dawn and dusk, and I was there so late in the day the wind had nearly completely wiped the sand slate clean.
Dune protection works! And protecting dunes on barrier islands (and on the mainland coast) protects the mainland. If you spend time in the Florida panhandle, you’ll see the importance of dunes when it comes to protecting the shore from the full brunt of storm-driven water. There’s more information about that here.
Relax!
It is not often that I get pictures of myself, but here’s one in all my glory. I was so happy sitting on the beach just enjoying the gentle surf of the Gulf that Judy took my picture and I actually like this one. It was a very moody sky, but not as dark as it looks here. It had just finished sprinkling and this thoughtful tree had washed onto the shore so I could lean on it. If there’s not a storm blowing in, this is about as much surf as there ever is in this part of Florida. Topsail is a peaceful beach and this was a great spot for a few deep grounding breaths.
No Name Lake
Along the Beach Tram Path, there are beautiful plants to enjoy, and a short spur trail to No Name Lake (a very small dune lake). At No Name Lake, we saw a very healthy population of sundew, one of my favorite native plants. Judy got great pictures of a Bald Eagle! Only a short section of the shoreline is open for walking, but it was enough to convince me that I want to learn more about dune lakes.
You can learn more about the dune lakes of Florida’s panhandle here, but for now, just know that they are very rare and occur. They only exist in three states (Florida, South Carolina, and Oregon), and only four countries! Walton County is home to many of Florida’s dune lakes, and they provide interesting habitat for a variety of flora and fauna.
We spend the next several days enjoying hiking around this park and visiting other panhandle delights. There’s so much to see and do in north Florida! Even when it is cooler than expected. . .even when it’s raining. . .it’s just a delightful area for adventuring.
