Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Camping

Camp at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and you’ll have access to 1,649 acres set along Florida’s remarkable Emerald Coast. You’ll love the park’s expansive beaches, pine forests, rare dune lakes, and diverse wetlands. Birders will appreciate that Topsail Hill Preserve is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail.

Camping at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park contains just one campground with six loops. This campground includes 156 RV campsites with water and sewer hookups, and 30/50-amp service is available at most sites. The park also offers 22 tent campsites. Each site has an elevated tent pad, fire ring, water, and electric hookups. Those who prefer more creature comforts can rent one of Topsail’s 32 cabins/bungalows. Reservations are recommended.

The park also has laundry facilities on-site, shuffleboard courts, and heated and cooled bathrooms with showers throughout the campground. There’s a camp store if you need supplies, a playground for your kids, picnic pavilions (near Campbell Lake), and an amphitheater. A tram service helps campers move between the beach and designated stops. You’ll also find a ranger station at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.

Campers with disabilities will benefit from campsites with concrete pads. The campground has accessible bungalows and cabins, two large ADA bathhouses, and an accessible clubhouse. Visitors can borrow beach wheelchairs for free from the ranger station and use the elevated boardwalks to access the beach. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park welcomes service animals.

Location and history of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

At 4.7 miles away, Santa Rosa Beach is the closest city to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. You can make your way from the community to the park in under 10 minutes. The park is pretty big at 1,600 acres and rests at an elevation of up to 50 feet. The Gulf of Mexico is south of the park. To the north, you’ll find coastal dune lakes, forests, and wetlands.

The region’s first inhabitants were the indigenous Timucuan people. Later, the Creek people lived in the area. Ancient shell middens and a large burial mound near the park showcase these groups’ fishing, hunting, and cultural practices. Small groups of Spanish explorers arrived in Florida in the 16th century, followed by larger groups in the 19th century.

In the late 1800s and into the 1900s, workers extracted resin from longleaf pines in the area. This resin was then used to produce turpentine for various products. Scars on the trees are reminders of this time. The western section of the Topsail Hill Preserve was used as a secret military testing range during the Second World War. Iron tracks from this time are still in the dunes.

Ecosystems, wildlife, and vegetation

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is notable for its white quartz sand dunes, diverse coastal ecosystems, and mix of fresh and saltwater habitats. The park’s dune lakes are only found in a few places worldwide. These water bodies are quite shallow, so their salt content varies based on the tides and rainfall. The beaches are also unique in how the waves and currents from the Gulf of Mexico influence them. Scrub pine flatwoods shelter various wildlife, and the freshwater wetlands teem with life.

The park is home to grazing white-tailed deer, gopher tortoises whose burrows create habitats for other animals, and bobcats that help maintain ecosystem balance. The monarch butterfly works as a pollinator and participates in incredible migrations. Redfish, flounder, and sea turtles can be found in the park’s waters, while brown pelicans, snowy plovers, and painted buntings are at home in the park’s skies.

The park’s foliage is notable for adapting to the area’s harsh sun, salty air, and sandy soil. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is strikingly biodiverse. Some of the plants found in the dune lake and pine flatwoods are unique to just a few places worldwide. Keep an eye out for carnivorous pitcher plants and their vase-shaped traps and the visually striking prickly pear cactus. Aromatic rosemary shrubs lend a coastal Mediterranean feel to the park.

Sporting, recreational, and cultural activities at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is a great place to take a hike. The park’s 15+ miles of trails allow you to see dunes, wetlands, and pine forests firsthand. The park’s sprawling beaches and clear water make for great swimming. Anglers will enjoy saltwater fishing from the shores of the Gulf of Mexico or the rare opportunity to freshwater fish at a coastal dune lake.

You can observe a wide variety of wildlife at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. Just do so from a reasonable distance and avoid feeding animals. There are plenty of shorebirds and wading birds in the park. In the summer, you can see turtles hatch here. You can observe fish, alligators, and birds in Campbell Lake. Ghost crabs scurry around the dunes and beaches. A pair of binoculars and a few guidebooks can make your wildlife viewing more fun. You can photograph beautiful dunes, sunsets, and wildlife if you have a good camera. Stargazing at night is excellent, given the park’s dark skies.

Beach time is family time. Younger kids will enjoy the tram ride to the beach, as well as the playground and ranger-led interpretive programs. Admittedly, one of the best parts of beach camping is sitting around a campfire and swapping stories under the stars. You might also consider a day trip to the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center to learn about biodiversity and conservation or the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida for some history. You’ll also find galleries, art shows, festivals, markets, and events in the small towns nearby.

Risks, tips, and notes for Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Alligators, venomous snakes, stinging marine life, and ticks are present in Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. So, learn about these risks before visiting the park and prepare accordingly. As you know, Florida gets pretty darn hot. So, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat are all good ideas—and stay hydrated! Please pay close attention to your kids when they’re in the water. All visitors should be wary of rip currents that can be overpowering. Lightning storms are common in the summer.

Check the Topsail Hill Preserve State Park website before visiting for park advisories. If you have an aversion to crowds, you might plan your camping trip for spring or fall when the park is quieter—and the weather is ideal. Winter can be pleasant as fewer people tend to be around the park. When booking a campsite, opt for sites with adequate shade from the sun.

Campers tell us that Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is gorgeous (beaches, dunes, sunsets) and that it is clean and well maintained. Some say that this park feels wilder than other Florida beach parks. The main criticisms campers speak of are mosquitoes and sand fleas at certain times of year, some noisy campsites near the road, and that the park fans feel “packed in” at peak times.