Beach Trail

Camp Helen is a 180-acre state park and historic site located in Panama City Beach, Florida. From 1945 until 1987, it served as a resort for employees of an Alabama textile mill. The main lodge and many of the colored guest cabins are still present on the property but are no longer in use. The park is south of U.S. 98, and bounded by the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Powell (one of the largest coastal dune lakes in the state). The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 24, 2012.

Hiking enthusiasts can pick up a complimentary trail guide at the Visitor Center. The trail is well marked with trail signs as well as botanical signs and winds through a dense canopy of maritime hammock overlooking the salt marsh and the Duck Pond with ADA accessible benches along the trail at various points to give the hiker a place to pause and enjoy their surroundings. There is also a trail at the bottom of the bluff that follows the shoreline of Lake Powell to the north side of Camp Helen for those that wish to explore further.

To explore Camp Helen’s history and historic structures, a complimentary Walking Tour Guide is available in the Visitor Center to start your adventure after you take in the displays of early Camp Helen history that show Camp Helen’s part in the history of the Panhandle. There is both a nature trail and a beach trail at the park – the latter a 0.6 mile hike to a pristine beach that is available for day use only.