Grayton Beach State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Nestled between Panama City Beach and Destin in the Florida Panhandle, Grayton Beach State Park is one of the state's most popular and unique natural areas. The 2,200-acre park consists of winding nature trails, breathtaking dunes, salt marshes, and beautiful Western Lake. That said, the park's main feature is its namesake beach, which is revered as one of Florida's most pristine beaches. Visitors to Grayton Beach State Park frequently enjoy activities like sunbathing, swimming, and surf fishing.
Spring 57-85 F
Summer 76-90 F
Fall 51-84 F
Winter 46-68 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Grayton Beach State Park
Grayton Beach State Park is home to Grayton Beach State Park Campground, which has 59 campsites. All of these sites are meant to accommodate RVs and come equipped with electrical and water hookups. Additionally, several of the sites feature sewer hookups. The campground is pet-friendly but does not offer Wi-Fi connectivity. Guests have access to numerous amenities, including an RV dump station, drinking water, hot showers, and flush toilets. The large campground also boasts BBQ grills, a fire pit, campsite tables, vending machines, a pay phone, and even a recycling center. The maximum RV length that the park's campsites can accommodate is 50 feet.
Santa Rosa RV Resort
This campground is just minutes away from the pristine sugar-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Make it your base camp for exploring various beaches including Grayton.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wi-Fi: yes
Pet friendly: yes
Other amenities: pool, laundry, showers, fishing pier
Live Oak Landing
Just off the Choctawhatchee Bay is this campground, with world-class fishing, oak-lined hiking trails, and spectacular scenery.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wi-Fi: yes
Pet friendly: yes
Other amenities: pool, laundry, showers, playground, bike rental, fire pits
What to Do at
Grayton Beach State Park
With its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and Western Lake, Grayton Beach State Park is a superb destination for water-based recreation. Some of the most popular activities at the park include surf fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and boating. Spend the afternoon sunbathing on the beach, or have a picnic while enjoying the park's picturesque scenery and peaceful atmosphere. There is also plenty of land-based recreation to enjoy at Grayton Beach State Park, such as hiking or biking along the scenic network of nature trails. Other common activities include wildlife viewing, camping, birdwatching, and geocaching.
Inside Grayton Beach State Park
There are a number of things to do at Grayton Beach State Park.
Bicycling: There is a 4.5 mile hiking and biking trail that takes you through the forest, and just outside the park is the Walton County paved bike path that runs through all of the seaside villages of South Walton.
Birding: Grayton Beach State Park is one of the locations along the Great Florida Birding Trail. Shorebirds can be spotted all along the beach, and you may see bald eagles, osprey, and many other species.
Paddling: Explore the backwaters of Western Lake, a 100-acre coastal dune lake in the park. You can bring your own canoe or kayak, or rent one from the ranger station.
Fishing: Surf fishing and fishing on Western Lake are both permitted, with the proper license.
Hiking: The park has a one-mile nature trail that takes visitors through the dune ecosystem, along the salt marsh, and back through the pine flatwoods. There is also a 4.5-mile trail through the forest and backwaters of Western Lake.
Swimming: There is swimming at the beach, although there are no lifeguards on duty.
Geocaching: Find coordinates and hints at geocaching.com, then search the park for hidden caches. Geocaching is the perfect activity for the whole family and gets everyone out running around searching for treasures.
Cave tours: Guided flashlight cave tour tickets can be purchased at the gift shop and are sold on a first come, first serve basis.
Fishing
You're welcome to enjoy both surf fishing and regular fishing at Grayton Beach State Park. Visitors who try their luck angling in Western Lake regularly catch speckled trout, bass, catfish, bream, and redfish.
Geocaching
Grayton Beach and the surrounding park are some of the most beautiful places in all of Florida to search for hidden geocaches. With its diverse and gorgeous environment, the park is a very popular spot for geocaching enthusiasts.
Nature Watching
There are many interesting wildlife species regularly spotted throughout Grayton Beach State Park. Keep an eye out for gray foxes, deer, squirrels, and other small mammals. The park is also an excellent birdwatching destination, inhabited by bald eagles, great blue herons, and many other avian species.
Stargazing
On clear nights, many breathtaking constellations are regularly visible from Grayton Beach State Park, which provides one of Florida's most beautiful stargazing environments.
Flora and Fauna
The beaches and coastal dunes of Grayton Beach State Park are home to many unique plant species, including bluestem, sea oats, and many others. The park also contains pine flatwoods and scrub communities.
Hiking
Grayton Beach State Park is home to a couple of popular nature trails that hikers can explore. There is a short trail that starts at the beach parking lot and travels through the park's dunes, salt marsh, and pine flatwoods. Additionally, there's a longer, slightly more challenging route that takes hikers through the park's woodlands and around the shore of Western Lake.
Boating
The beautiful Western Lake within Grayton Beach State Park is a wonderful body of water for a day of kayaking or canoeing during the sunny Florida summer.
Swimming
If you're looking to cool off on a hot summer day, you can take a refreshing dip in the cool blue-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico during your visit to Grayton Beach State Park.
Biking
Grayton Beach State Park features a four-mile off-road trail that's perfect for biking and provides spectacular views of the Gulf Coast.
How to Get to
Grayton Beach State Park
Grayton Beach State Park is located near the town of Santa Rosa Beach. To reach the park from Panama City, FL, travel west on US-98 for about 28 miles, then take a left onto County Rd 283 S. Next, turn left onto E County Hwy 30A, then take a right onto Main Park Rd. This will take you to Grayton Beach State Park.
Entering Grayton Beach State Park
Grayton Beach State Park is open every day, all year long, from 8 a.m. until sundown. There are several parking lots available for guests, and visitors can enter either in a vehicle, on foot, or on a bike.
Grayton Beach State Park Entry Fee (per vehicle) : $5.0
Grayton Beach State Park Entry Fee (single-occupant vehicle) : $4.0
Grayton Beach State Park Entry Fee (pedestrians and bicyclists) : $2.0
Frequently Asked Questions About Grayton Beach State Park
The climate of Grayton Beach State Park is very warm and humid. During the summer, the area can regularly reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but the weather is significantly milder during the other seasons. For some visitors, the balmy heat in the area is too much to handle in July and August. For visitors who don't mind the balmy heat, summer is a fine time to head to Grayton Beach State Park for a day of water-based recreation. However, if you prefer slightly milder temperatures, the spring and fall are excellent seasons to enjoy various outdoor activities in comfort.
On land, some of the species most commonly spotted in the park include Florida black bears, white-tailed deer, gray foxes, and small mammals. If you watch the skies above the area, you may see a snowy white egret, great blue heron, or bald eagle.
Yes, all 59 of the campsites at Grayton Beach State Park Campground are designated RV campsites. All of these sites offer water and electrical hookups, and some are equipped with full RV hookups.
You can reserve a campsite up to 11 months in advance at Grayton Beach State Park Campground. Reservations may require a small fee and can be made either online or over the phone.
Yes, pets are allowed but they're only permitted in designated areas, and they must always be on a leash of no more than six feet in length.