Discover Panama City Beach Conservation Park

Now that the weather is cooling off after a sizzling and unfortunately, wet summer, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, blue skies and perfect temperatures! Luckily for us, Panama City Beach provides an unlimited number of ways to do exactly that, one of the most recent being the opening of a new conservation park in October 2011. Encompassing over 2,900 acres previously owned by the St. Joe Company, the Panama City Beach Conservation Park was developed over many years and made a reality by Panama City Beach officials, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Corp of Engineers and the Florida Department of Fish & Wildlife.

The park has several objectives, the first being the need to protect and balance our natural resources, as well as rehydrating the land with the city’s reclaimed water. Before the Conservation Park, the City would send its reclaimed water from the wastewater treatment facility into West Bay. By designing a system of pumps to redirect the water, the Conservation Park will now actually protect the water quality and eco-system of the Bay while helping to restore the altered hydrology of the natural lands at the Park. It’s a win/win situation!

Of course the Panama City Beach Conservation Park is also a place where visitors and locals of all ages can get outdoors and have fun, whether biking or hiking the 24 miles of trails – 10 of which are color coded for guidance.  There are eight boardwalks, bridges, picnic areas and even an outdoor classroom for those wanting to be educated about the project and the environmental benefits it has and will achieve.  No other beach vacation destination in Florida offers anything like this, and to have such a magnificent natural area so close to the sugar-white sands is just another reason why Panama City Beach is fast becoming one of the nation’s most versatile vacation spots!

There are plenty of public restrooms and a pavilion located near the main parking lot. A trip to the Conservation Park is a great day out in the fresh air and a wonderful way to re-charge your batteries and get into tune with the natural surroundings.

The Panama City Beach Conservation Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and dogs are welcome to join you!

The Conservation Park is situated off US 98. Head west from the intersection of SR 79 and US 98 and right after the Museum of Man in the Sea on the right is a La Quinta Inn. Turn right immediately after the hotel onto Griffin Road. Follow the road through Beach Commerce Park, where it will end at the main parking lot.