St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Port St. Joe, FL
St. Joseph Peninsula State Park stretches up a narrow spit of sand north of Port St. Joe, with St. Joseph Bay on one side and open Gulf on the other. The Wilderness Preserve at the peninsula's far end holds six miles of hiking trail through dunes that feel a lot more remote than anywhere else on Cape San Blas. Locals treat the walk out to the point as the destination.
Six miles of genuinely remote dune trail and a beach most of Florida can't match, the tradeoff is a long, shadeless hike if you want to see the far end of the peninsula.
How we score beachesStart the Wilderness Preserve hike early and bring more water than you think you need. There's no shade for long stretches and no facilities out there once you leave the main day use area.
The entrance fee is 6 dollars per vehicle, paid at the gate. The main day use lot near the entrance sees the most traffic, while the lot at the Wilderness Preserve trailhead further up the peninsula stays quieter.
The main beach is a short, mostly flat walk from the day use parking. The Wilderness Preserve trails are a different story, six miles of soft sand and dune terrain better suited to hikers than casual visitors.
Dogs aren't allowed on the beach, the natural shoreline, or in the Wilderness Preserve, though leashed dogs are welcome on the Bayview Scenic Trail along St. Joseph Bay.
Spring and fall bring cooler hiking weather for the Wilderness Preserve and thinner crowds on the main beach, while summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, make the shade-free trails a tougher call. Gulf water on the peninsula's west side warms into the 80s by midsummer.
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