Exploring the Nature of Florida: Camp Helen State Park

Camp Helen State Park is a 184-acre preserve located at the far western end of Bay County along U.S. 98, just east of the Walton County line near Inlet Beach. Surrounded on three sides by picturesque bodies of water it is a forested peninsula filled with natural beauty and surprising diversity given its relatively small size. In one visit you can easily take in the beauty of white sand beaches fronting on the Gulf of Mexico, the marsh and bay environment of Phillips Inlet and the scenic shores of Lake Powell, one of Florida's largest freshwater dune lakes.

Salt marsh connected to Phillips Inlet

Rising above these lovely bodies of water is a beautifully forested maritime hammock that is chock full of live oak, long leaf pine and palmetto. The sugary white dunes encountered between this dense woodland and the Gulf shore are covered in the characteristic sand pine scrub community commonly found in this part of coastal Florida.

The primary forest cover consists of palmetto, live oak and longleaf pines.

Prehistoric middens and mounds indicate that humans lived on this neck of land more than 4,000 years ago. In the 1920's a wealthy family purchased the property that is presently the park and built a summer home overlooking Phillips Inlet. In 1945 the Avondale Mills of Alabama bought the property and operated it as resort for their employees until 1987. This "camp" was named Helen in honor of the CEO's daughter-in-law.

Original camp cottage built by Avondale Mills.

Activities include swimming, beachcombing, nature study, hiking, and both freshwater and saltwater fishing. This is one of my favorite Florida state parks because it is compact, scenic and diverse enough to keep me coming back to visit again and again. That I happen to live only a few miles down the road from this lovely preserve doesn't hurt either.