Seaside Camping at its Finest Can be Found at St. George Island State Park

Florida has precious few places where hikers can camp in primitive settings beside the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico or beside stretches of intracoastal waterways unblemished by buildings on the opposite shore. But a gem of a seaside primitive campsite can be found beside a wide expanse of Apalachicola Bay at St. George Island State Park, far from the hustle and bustle of hotels, condos, or more developed campgrounds. And it’s easily accessible both by a short hike or by kayak or canoe.

St. George Island State Park occupies the eastern 2,000 acres of St. George Island, the narrow barrier island along the Gulf of Mexico 75 miles southwest of Tallahassee that encloses Apalachicola Bay, the wide intracoastal waterway at the mouth of the Apalachicola River. A hub of Florida’s “Forgotten Coast,” St. George Island is famous for its white sand beaches, old Florida charm devoid of mega resorts, and local oysters that are making a comeback after rising salinity levels nearly ruined the bay’s oyster beds. The state park itself has been inhabited at least seasonally for thousands of years, as reflected by midden mounds of discarded oyster shells piled up long ago by pre-Columbian natives, and the island was used during World War II to train soldiers for Pacific shore landings.  It’s been a state park since 1980 and can be reached from the quaint town of Apalachicola by a long causeway.

St. George Island State Park is popular with the RV set for its quaint campground nestled among sand dunes and piney flatwoods between pristine natural beaches and the bay, and it’s also popular with both locals and visitors who like to cycle on its miles of unshaded beachside roads. But the Gap Point primitive campsite is the park’s hidden gem, nestled on the southwestern shore of a pine covered bayside peninsula at the end of the 2.5 mile Gap Point Trail. During my family’s spring break trip to a rental home at St. George Island last March, I was cheated out of camping there by weather (or perhaps a hangover), but my girls and I were able to do a morning hike on the Gap Point Trail.

The attraction here is the tranquility by day and the stargazing at night. The Gap Point campsite sits at the edge of a scrubby dune covered with slash pines that lean away from coastal winds. Comprised of two campsites that can hold up to 12 campers each, Gap Point feels much more quaint and faces west for spectacular sunsets. It also lies across the East Cove from two different boat ramps from which you can launch canoes or kayaks that can be easily beached beside your tent. Or, if you prefer, you can hike in, and you have two options.  The shorter route is to park at the trailhead for the Gap Point Trail at the RV camping area and hike in 2.5 miles. Or for a slightly longer route, you can park at East Slough near the boardwalk that begins the 1-mile East Slough Overlook Trail, then connects with the Gap Point Trail about ½ mile from its trailhead at the main campground.

The Gap Point campsite also offers prime stargazing. Even the inhabited end of St. George Island has minimal light pollution, and the island is located miles from the inland towns and hours from any major cities. Although I missed out on the chance to watch the stars from my tent, I was able to see hundreds of stars before 11:00 at our Vrbo simply by stepping ten feet back from the fire pit. I can only imagine how much better it would have been at Gap Point.

Due to its relatively small size, St. George Island State Park is not exactly a backpacking destination. The wide trails are more like sand roads and are aptly labeled nature trails, and with their popularity with the RV campers and their pets, they are not exactly trails to go for isolation. But the nearby beaches are as natural and majestic as any you’ll find anywhere in Florida, and the tranquil waters of Apalachicola Bay are a treat for kayakers and paddleboarders. It’s also easy to reach with more than minimal camping gear if you’d prefer to pull it all in on a beach wagon. I can’t wait until I get the chance to return there to camp.