Our next stop in Florida was the St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, located on the Gulf of Mexico between Apalachicola and Port St. Joe.  We arrived after dark, having driven past sugar white sand beaches for miles and hours.

Spanish explorers named St. Joseph Bay in the early 1500s, but did not settle here until 1701 when they built a fort, Presidio San Jose, and a mission at the tip of the peninsula.  Some friendly camper folk helped us back into our spot in total darkness.  Then, we went inside and went to bed.

The next morning, my window opened onto a scene out of Jurassic Park.  Tall pines, grape vines, palm trees, palmettos and other huge trees and exotic bushes new to me.  The sounds of birds and critters in bushes and trees surrounded the campsite.  Then, on the way to the ranger’s office, I saw a male deer with a magnificent set of antlers standing quietly in the brush.  He looked at me and I looked at him, and then we both walked on.  He was not scared of humans.  I liked that.

The St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is located in the middle of the peninsula, bound by St. Joseph Bay on the landward side and the Gulf of Mexico to the west.  On the bay, there are great grass flats and marshes.  On the gulf side, there are huge sand dunes, 20-30 feet tall, and covered with sea oats.  Boardwalks provide access to the 9+ miles of snow-white sand beaches and clean Gulf waters.  When walking along this beach, I was alone with pieces of driftwood, seashells and some persistent plovers fishing for food.  The water was clear and devoid of any jellyfish, plastics, fishing lines and trash.  This beach was, as all beaches should be–pristine.

The park offers two campgrounds, the Gulf Breeze Camp and the Shady Pine Camp.  Each campsite provides water and electric hookups, picnic table and grill.  The sites are spacious and surrounded by pines and giant saw-tooth palms.  Boardwalks and the park road link the campgrounds.  The bathhouses were clean, heated and centrally located.

There is a youth camp as well as eight cabins with kitchens, fireplaces, bathrooms, heat and air.  These cabins face the mainland, across St. Joseph Bay.  Above the group camp and cabin area, lays a wildlife preserve that covers the seven miles to the tip of the peninsula.

You may explore the wilderness preserve by hiking, kayak or canoe.  There are three boat landings in the preserve area; one is for non-motorized boats only.  The park is an excellent birding area with sightings of 243 species recorded.

Day visitors enjoy picnicking, beach activities and boating.  Fishing and snorkeling are also popular ways to enjoy the abundant marine life in the gulf and bay.  There is a boat ramp for putting boats in the water within the park.  I believe they have canoe and kayak rentals in the summer.

St. Joseph Peninsula SP, Top Beach in 2002, according to Dr. Beach (Stephen P. Leatherman from University of Miami who writes America Best Beaches) has been called the most beautiful beach in the world.  I would agree.  If you enjoy wonderful sunsets over the beach, birding, hiking, privacy, nice campgrounds, clean facilities and the choice of ocean or bay view, then St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is for you.

We loved this campsite.  We camped in a trailer in a back-in site for three nights in our trailer in a pull-through site.