Marsh grasses at Deer Lake State Park
The natural beauty of Rosemary Beach, Fl extends beyond the community’s borders to the nearby town of Santa Rosa and the Deer Lake State Park. It’s small for a state park but it offers big opportunities to witness rarely seen coastal dune lakes and unusual flora and fauna. After a relaxed Rosemary Beach stay, an active excursion hiking or biking to Deer Lake State Park provides a scenic method for getting some exercise in.
The journey is about eight miles round trip so be sure to take along lots of water and sunscreen to guard against the intense Florida sun. I suggest taking lots of breaks because it’s easy to get dehydrated while taking in the scenery and not realize it. If you bike, there’s a panoramic bike path along highway 30-A or you can hike along nature trails. Not only is the park gorgeous but it boasts a coastal dune lake found only in remote regions of Africa and Australia. The beach along the stunning dune field is great for picnics and watching for sea turtles. Deer Lake State Park is 1,995-acres and hosts 11 natural communities including beach dune, mesic Flatwoods, domeswamp, black water stream and depression marsh. You’ll also see lots of birds, blooming azaleas and if you’re lucky, the endangered Choctawhatchee beach mouse, which make nests within the sand dune system, helping to spread sea oats and grasses. If you venture into the forest from one of the trails, you can view magnolia, palmetto, scrub oak and long leaf pine trees. You may even spot a bobcat or coyote. Cool off with a swim in the Gulf of Mexico and then head back to Rosemary Beach to sample blackened Mahi Mahi or wild mushroom ravioli at Summer Kitchen Cafe. Don’t skip the key lime pie, after that hike, you’ve earned it.
Photo courtesy of Florida state parks
