Deer Lake State Park

This very small park, located along the south coast of Walton County in Seagrove Beach, is a slice of pure Florida heaven. Sandwiched in between major resort developments and busy Highway 30A, this lovely and quiet preserve offers the visitor a multitude of natural wonders to experience within its eleven documented life zones. The park is named for the large coastal dune lake that is located within its boundaries but also has a gorgeous beach, a large area of crystal white sand dunes and a thick forested hammock of hardwood and pine.

Deer Lake is one of seventeen dune lakes located along the Gulf of Mexico in this vicinity that are extremely rare worldwide. For more information about these interesting and fragile lakes please refer to my earlier blog posting on Topsail Hill Preserve.

The forest here includes southern magnolia, scrub oak, long leaf pine and palmetto. Rare plants such as gulf coast lupine, spoonflower, pitcher plants, and Curtiss' sand grass form some of the largest populations found in Florida.

There are many species of resident or migratory birds and butterflies that utilize this fast disappearing mixed dune and coastal forest habitat, including the endangered least tern and loggerhead turtle. Other animals include bobcat, coyote, fox, raccoon, skunk, and a large assortment of reptiles and amphibians including alligators that inhabit Deer Lake. Park visitors can picnic, swim, and fish, but there is no camping as this is a day use area that closes at sundown.

I am very lucky, because I live right next door to this beautiful preserve and can visit it whenever I want. So by all means come on down and enjoy this perfect slice of the Florida panhandle. It is rarely crowded and always offers beauty, solitude and inspiration.

Park woodland


Walkway across the dunes


Tracks in the dunes


Deer Lake


Stairs to the beach


A pristine beach awaits the visitor


A half-hour of beachcombing


Dunes


Dusk on the Gulf


Palmetto & sea oats silhouetted at sunset

For more information: http://www.floridastateparks.org/deerlake/default.cfm