Camp Helen State Park — Attraction in Alys Beach

Adventure is earned, not given.. seeing folks complain about the beautiful nature hike is laughable and pathetic at the same time. If you want something handed to you in the form of an experience, then please go to Disney World for $1000 and stop making this place out to be bad. It is beautiful and if anything; making it more difficult to get out would be even better and deserving of 5 stars! I was disappointed that the park felt the need to lay out a plastic mat for people to hike out on. It completely destroyed the natural aesthetic. I pray that they don’t ever extend it or add more plastic in this delicate ecosystem that we are so blessed to have! Adding these plastic mat accommodations will only attract a larger crowd that is likely out of shape/ obese and doesn’t care about the environment to begin with since all they care about is how “easy” it should be for them. If you fall into that category of “obese” “out of shape” please stay away from my St. Helens state park. It is better off without you. Also don’t give the excuse of the “elderly” need the plastic mat! My grandfather is 89 and did the hike out no problem 3 years ago before that disgusting chunk of plastic was ever there. Also, dog owners stay away. This park doesn’t allow dogs past the beach and yet I always see people breaking this rule. It’s against the law and you should be ashamed to think your pet is deserving of this ecosystem that they impact negatively. Selfish,...

Lovely park with trails & amazing native flora. Camp Helen has several areas that are protected (for turtles, dunes, etc), but also has a few miles of trails. As you can see from the Google map lines, the trials are basically divided by US Hwy 98 and range from walking alongside Lake Powell to meandering deep within Camp Helen's fantastic native jungles. I couldn't believe now many different plants were present! The northern trail has a plant self-guided tour. Near where the loop (it looks like a Y-shaped trail from Google's view, but is actually ∆__ since the trail continues parallel to the backyards of houses on the Grande Pointe roads) starts, take a pamphlet from the mini-shelter there and go slight left/straight following along with the number markers. Southern trails include the beach and also forested areas. Generally speaking, the trails start out as paved (north) or rocks transitioning to a vinyl beach carpet (south) that extend for a while, but they eventually become sand/dirt. Along with the trails, there is also a beach (note, the walk to the beach is ~1mile) and several of the "Camp" building have been restored. Based on the kids and camp counselors running around playing archery & tag, etc, there are summer camps held here too. Cost is just $4 per vehicle payable via cash or QR code. Visitor center has friendly staff, restrooms, and water, and there is a place to rent water equipment...

Camp Helen State Park is one of northwest Florida's hidden gems. It's made up of more than 163 acres and is located on the boarder of Panama City Beach and Inlet Beach.

The eastern portion of Camp Helen State Park is on Lake Powell which is one of the largest Coastal Dune Lakes in the World. Camp Helen has an awesome Kayak Rental Program that makes it easy for the public to explore Lake Powell.

The southern part of the part is on the Gulf of Mexico and has a fantastic beach with remnants of an old pier. It's a great spot to take photos or hang out for the day and fish.

Camp Helen State Park has a 3.5 mile trail system throughout the entire park. Much of the trail system is paved making it easy for people of all ages to explore.

Camp Helen is also a popular wedding venue because of it's natural beauty and affordability. You can rent the historic lodge for just over $400 which is pretty cool for those looking to get married without breaking the bank.

There is a small fee to enter the park so please keep that in mind. I forget the exact amount but it's no more than a few bucks per passenger.

I highly recommend checking out Camp Helen State Park next time you're in Panama City...