State Park

Camp Helen State Park

Bay County, FloridaAbout 190 acresEstablished 1996
Status
Open (per official listing)
Entrance fee
Statewide rule — see below
Day-use reservations
None mentioned
Dogs
Not stated — check with park
Camping
None listedAlso lodge or inn rooms
Official site
floridastateparks.org(850) 231-2194

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

Camp Helen State Park is a 190-acre park in Bay County, about 7 miles northwest of Panama City Beach.

Things to do include beachcombing, historic sites, swimming, wildlife watching, and fishing. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach. If you'd rather not camp, the park offers lodge rooms.

Fees and passes

Varies by park (mostly per vehicle; some per person/pedestrian/cyclist; some free).

Statewide fee rule from Florida's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.

Reservations

Day use
No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
Booking system
Florida State Parks Reservation System (UseDirect / Tyler 'RDR' platform)

Check availability and book

We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.

Things to do

Wildlife viewing and birdingFishingHistoric sites and toursHikingPicnickingBeachcombingSwimming

Trails

TrailLengthDifficultyNotes
Lakeshore Trail0.22 mi—HikingBikingNatural surface
Beach Trail0.29 mi—NatureNatural surface
Oak Canopy Loop0.68 mi—HikingBikingNatural surface
North Trail1.34 mi—HikingBikingNatural surface
Oak Canopy Trail0.11 mi—HikingBikingNatural surface
Trail descriptions from the park

Lakeshore Trail (Hiking, Biking) — 0.22 mi, Natural Beach Trail (Nature) — 0.29 mi, Natural Oak Canopy Loop (Hiking, Biking) — 0.68 mi, Natural North Trail (Hiking, Biking) — 1.34 mi, Natural Oak Canopy Trail (Hiking, Biking) — 0.11 mi, Natural

Swimming

Swimming; Beach Area

Fishing

Fishing

A state fishing license is usually required.

Amenities

Facilities

  • Restrooms
  • Picnic shelters
  • Nature center or museum
  • Parking

Water

  • Swimming beach

Lodging

  • Lodge or inn rooms

✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.

Getting there

Address
23937 Panama City Beach Pkwy.
Panama City Beach, FL 32413
Nearest town
Panama City Beach — about 7 mi northwest (straight line)
Coordinates
30.2754, -85.9905
Phone
(850) 231-2194

Entrances

  • Main Entrance

Google Maps directionsApple Maps

Nearby state parks

Deer Lake State Park
5.5 mi northwest (straight line)
Eden Gardens State Park
9.9 mi northwest (straight line)
Grayton Beach State Park
10.7 mi west (straight line)
St. Andrews State Park
17.6 mi southeast (straight line)
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
18.1 mi west (straight line)
Henderson Beach State Park
28.3 mi west (straight line)
Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park
30.4 mi northwest (straight line)
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park
31.1 mi north (straight line)

Sources and freshness

“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology

Report a correction for this park