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Camp Helen State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,568 Google reviews · Running trail in Panama City Beach, Florida · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Distance
- 4 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Camp Helen State Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Featuring a large coastal dune lake, this vast park offers swimming, hiking & fishing for all ages.
What runners say about Camp Helen State Park
“Enjoyed reading the historical information on the signs placed around the well maintained buildings.”
“An amazing fairytale like place with incredibly white sugary sand, stunning dunes, rare birds, and animals, live beehive, and the clear turquoise waters mixed with lakes waters.”
“Love the trails, and the beach is absolutely serene, peaceful and breathtaking, but most of all.”
“It’s an easy walk and absolutely worth it.”
Amazing park. Rangers are very nice and knowledgeable. History tours and nature tours are given on certain days. Some of the best bird watching you could find around. Clean bathrooms, fishing dock on a lake that is half fresh water and half salt water. Is a short 3/4 mile walk to the beach but it’s a nice walk.
An amazing fairytale like place with incredibly white sugary sand, stunning dunes, rare birds, and animals, live beehive, and the clear turquoise waters mixed with lakes waters. Ah, just magical … We had a walk through the greenery and swamps-like trails, over the dunes that lead to the beach.
This park is a hidden gem! Love the trails, and the beach is absolutely serene, peaceful and breathtaking, but most of all...never crowded! The beach is a little bit of a walk from the parking lot, may be an inconvenience to families with small children, but definitely worth it to check it out.
Camp Helen State Park is a beautiful coastal gem that many people simply drive past without realizing what they’re missing. I loved learning about the park’s history and its unique natural setting. It’s a relatively small state park, but incredibly meaningful. Don’t miss the coastal lakes section!
Trail conditions & character
“An amazing fairytale like place with incredibly white sugary sand, stunning dunes, rare birds, and animals, live beehive, and the clear turquoise waters mixed with lakes waters.”
“Clean bathrooms, fishing dock on a lake that is half fresh water and half salt water.”
“The beach is a little bit of a walk from the parking lot, may be an inconvenience to families with small children, but definitely worth it to check it out.”
“Love the trails, and the beach is absolutely serene, peaceful and breathtaking, but most of all.”
“The walkway out to the gulf was easy and beautifully kept, some "boardwalk", some sand.”
Plan your run at Camp Helen State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- Distance4 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websitefloridastateparks.org
- Phone+1 850-233-5059
Hours
| Monday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Friday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am–6:30 pm |
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