Rocky Bayou State Park began as a bombing range for the Air Force. After WWII, development in the area precluded continued use of land as a bombing range. Colonel Frank Gannon, Director of Civil Engineering at Eglin AFB, was the driving force behind converting a tool of warfare into a state park, state recreation area and an aquatic preserve. When completed, the park became part of the Florida parks system.

Rocky Bayou State Park sits on the shore of Choctawhatchee Bay, which is 27 miles long, with a surface area of approximately 129 square miles. They bayou varies from one to six miles wide.  The bay is an estuary, a semi-enclosed body of water where freshwater and saltwater mix. Estuaries function as nurseries for fish and invertebrates. Wetlands, oyster bars, mud flats and sea grasses provide a diverse environment that shelters and feeds the nursery residents.

Rocky Bayou State Park spreads over 357 acres.  The park has 42 campsites, complete with water, 30 or 50 amp electrical service, picnic table and ground fire grills.  Most sites have shade and there are several ADA sites with concrete pads and sidewalks to the bathhouses.

There are three hiking/biking trails: Sand Pine Trail, Rocky Bayou Trail, and Red Cedar Trail.  Sand Pine Trail is the longest and roughest trail.  It follows the shoreline of Puddin Head Lake (I am not kidding), Rocky Bayou Trail is well marked and easy to walk, and Red Cedar trail is a short loop to and from the playground.

There is also an exercise trail, with exercise bars, workout benches and stair stations.  In the same area is a large playground, picnic tables, a pavilion, boat ramp and a kayak/canoe rental kiosk.

When you stay at Rocky Bayou State Park, you also receive day use of Henderson State Park on the Gulf of Mexico for free.  At Henderson State Park, you may sunbathe, swim, fish, hike, picnic or just enjoy the beautiful water of the Emerald Coast.  If you visit Henderson SP, check out the camping area, accessed by the boardwalks through the dunes.

When we left St. George Island, we took a leisurely drive to St. Andrews State Park.  We drove Hwy. 98 to Port St. Joe and then turned inland on Hwy. 71.  When we reached Hwy. 22, we turned left and traveled through to Hwy. 98/30 in Panama City.  We  crossed the Hathaway Bridge to Hwy. 3031 to St. Andrews State Park.

When we arrived at our site in the Pine Grove Campground, the sand of the site had been raked–like a Zen garden. There are a total of 176 sites on the Grand Lagoon with electricity, water, picnic tables and grills.  The sites vary in size and accessibility, so check with the park before booking a site.

Campsite on Grand Lagoon

We had one full day of rain, so we did not explore this park as usual. We did walk through the Lagoon Campground, down to the boat ramp and around to the Buttonwood Marsh Overlook. There were several Great Blue Herons nesting in the marsh, tucking their heads under their wings in the rain.

Buttonwood Marsh Overlook

This would be a great beach for summertime fun. I talked with other campers who had swam, snorkeled, scuba dived and surfed here later in the year. They did warn me that the jellyfish come with the sunshine!

George Island is on the Forgotten Coast of Florida off the Big Bend Scenic Byway, Hwy. 98.  When you reach the town of Eastpoint, look for the 4-mile bridge to St. George Island.  St. George Island is a 28-mile long barrier island with little development.

There is a small town in the middle of the island, with beach homes, some small inns, a few restaurants, and canoe, kayak, bicycle and golf cart rentals.  Mostly there are white sand dunes and beautiful beaches on both coasts of the island, the coast on the Apalachicola Bay and the coast on the Gulf of Mexico.

The park covers 1,962 acres on the east end of St. George Island.  Here you will find sandy coves, salt marshes, slash pines, wild rosemary and windblown oaks.  There are tall dunes, covered with scrub, rosemary, sea oats, tree roots and tiny creeping and blooming flowers.

There is primitive camping at the end of the East Slough Nature Trail, which ends at Gap Point.  The RV sites in Sugar Hill Camping Area are easily accessed from the Park Road.  They are all sandy, spacious back-in sites with table, fire ring and two poles for stringing a drying line.

The first day, we parked and then rode our bikes on the East Slough Nature Trail and explored the beach on the Gulf coast.  There are nine miles of beaches, four that are in the main park and include boat ramps, parking, shaded picnic tables, swimming areas and restroom facilities.

The next day we decided we would explore the sensitive protected area eastern portion of the island.  There was a rough road in place, so we decided to bike it.  We had no idea how long the road was, but it did not look that long on the map of the park.

After about two miles, the road worsened, so we decided to leave our bikes and walk the rest of the way.  It was a beautiful sunny day and we enjoyed the walk that went on for three more miles.  When we reached the end of the Island, where the bay met the gulf, we decided to visit the Gulf beach.

It was a beautiful white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico.  Our footprints were the only ones on the beach.  As we explored, we found seashells, dead horseshoe crabs, driftwood and empty turtle eggs.  We sat in lee of a dune and ate our picnic lunch.  We could have easily taken a nap after our lunch, but the sun was going down and the wind was turning cold.

We walked most of the way back on the beach, finally cutting across the dunes to find the road.  Luckily, we had plenty of drinking water or we would not have made it back to our bikes.  When I was about ready to drop, we found our bikes.  We peddled with all we had, but it was cold and dark by the time we reached the campground.

We were freezing, with windburns on our faces and hands.  We hurt–bad.  After loading up on anti-inflammatory drugs, we fell into our bed and slept for ten hours.  So, we survived the ten-mile-round trip walk/bike marathon, with no lasting damage.