the majestic sand dunes here rise out of the gulf of mexico like the tall white sails
of passing ships the park's namesake topsail hill towers some 25 feet above the emerald sea
now that's a sand castle
when the powerful gulf winds blow grains of sand are swept across the shore until they become
trapped by the sea oats and other indigenous plants here over time dunes form as more and more
sand piles up ever wonder what these wooden fences are for they help the windswept sand
build up to form new dunes but here in topsail hill preserve well these dunes are the result
of mother nature's hard and persistent work over the millennia nice job mother nature
of course it's no secret that the sugary beaches along florida's scenic highway 30a
are among the very best in the world but among 30 a's beaches the 3.2 mile
long beach in topsail hill preserve state park must certainly be the best of the best
as they're virtually inaccessible except through the park yes i said 3.2 miles
of stunningly undeveloped and permanently protected beachfront it's truly extraordinary
if you love to snorkel be sure to explore the seahorse reef just offshore
with thriving marine habitats that have been carefully deployed into the shape of a seahorse
this 1 640 acre park is also home to two of 30a's 15 rare coastal dune lakes including morris lake
and campbell lake there's also nonami lake oh wait a minute i think that's no name lake
i guess no name lake is so small no one's ever bothered to name it
what exactly is a coastal dune lake well basically they're fresh water lakes that sometimes fill up
with so much rain that they actually burst through the neighboring sand dunes out into
the gulf of mexico and eventually the gulf reseals those sand dunes with her lapping tides
coastal dune lakes can only be found in a handful of places around the world
but the coastal dune lakes at topsail hill preserve are especially special
as they're completely insulated from the over-developed outside world
this is why we have state and national parks this is the reason you come
topsail hill preserve is also home to one of the ranked rv parks in the nation topsail is
home to 150 shaded rv sites big rigs are welcome there's also quaint cabins tents
and glamping sites a swimming pool and a stocked pond for fishing there's also
kith and ken cafe a gourmet coffee shop where early risers get their caffeine and pastry fix
i think the uniqueness of this park is the fact that it is a preserve
you know the preservation side of the park was what was pre-existing that state
land owned that they really nurtured and said how can we bring this back to the closest
state of historically what it used to be the ultimate goal is to build advocates that will
in turn bring their kids which will in turn come back to protect those natural resources again
the wildlife here is abundant every may october loggerhead and green sea
turtles return to the same beach where they were born to build nests and lay their eggs
a revolving and miraculous circle of life topsail hill preserve is a fisherman's
dream with both the gulf of mexico and her numerous lakes on the daily menu
from the sand lucky casters might reel in redfish pompano spanish mackerel king mackerel while the
freshwater lakes serve up panfish bass and catfish bird watchers following the great florida birding
trail also flock here to glimpse topsail's many avian residents including red shouldered hawks
osprey bald eagles red cardinals easter bluebirds snowy plovers and piping plovers who dart back and
forth with the lapping tides addition to all of the birds there are 13 imperiled species that take
refuge here such as the choctawhatchee beach mouse who works tirelessly through the night to spread
seeds that ultimately help keep these dune systems intact nice work choctawhatchee beach mouse
like the hike you're in the right place there are nearly 15 miles of tranquil trails here
that meander through old growth pine forests wetlands sandy scrub lands and of course
the majestic dunes if your knees aren't what they used to be the beech tram trail and campbell lake
bird trail are paved making for a pleasant stroll or bike ride through longleaf pines
so i've been here for six years i've lived in this area all my life and every time i walk
through our trails out to our beach it feels like a new experience every time from the different
plants in our ecosystem right um every time you walk out there you'll experience something new
florida means flowering and so there's going to be different different times of the season
you're going to see different plants flowering more adventurous trekkers can take the deer
track trail to soak in epic views of the 100 acre campbell lake where you'll discover water lilies
bald cypress trees and these alien-looking pitcher plants did i mention that these are carnivorous
hey nobody said this trek was going to be without its pitfalls and perils
the nonami lake trail i'm i'm sorry the the no name lake trail will lead you to the edge of one
of 30a's smallest lakes this isn't a coastal dune lake as it doesn't breach into the gulf
but it's still a wonderful spot to sample the real florida
the turpentine trail is named after the prized resin that was once squeezed from these trees and
if you're vigilant you might even see what they call catface pines named after the distinctive
cuts once made by turpentine harvesters who toiled here in these woods more than 100 years ago
on the far west end of the park the deep sand
morris lake trail that weaves through ancient dunes and scrub communities can be
a bit more challenging but the prize for your efforts is the magnificent solitude of morris lake
history buffs will also love the remnants of a world war ii missile testing program including
an old track that was used for moving missiles and other military vehicles across this soft sand
hey let's admit it most state parks have nature trails right
they've got birds and assorted critters i mean that's kind of why they're state parks
and many state parks offer camping a few might even offer a swimming pool or a really
hip coffee shop but only a precious handful have three miles of private undeveloped beach
and i haven't researched it but i'm fairly certain that only one has an artificial reef shaped like a
sea horse for snorkeling but in all of my many camping adventures from the boy scouts up to
present day i have yet to find a place that puts all of these things into one glorious location
this is topsail hill preserve state park this is the real florida
you