Various habitats including coastal marshes, pine flatlands, oak thickets, and beaches along the Apalachee Bay can be found here. We entered the park on Alligator Drive and continued to the parking area at the end of Bald Point Road.
A boardwalk leads to an observation deck through the wetlands.
Black needlebush can be seen in the previous photo. This plant has been used for centuries to make baskets, mats, etc., by Native Americans who lived in the region.
Dead trees, called snags, provide homes for birds and other animals. I loved the bright color of these flowers.
Across from the coastal marsh is North Beach. An accessible surface enables wheelchairs, strollers, etc., to reach the beach. Picnic shelters are located near the beach as well.
Many pelicans were swimming in the bay. Willets could be seen along the shore.
These interesting mollusks were scooting around on the beach and in the shallow bay water.
There is also a pier where park visitors fish or enjoy the fabulous views of the bay.
A kiosk provided information about the Maritime Hammock Loop Trail. We walked along a portion of it, but our sweet doggie, Sadie, was not permitted on the beach portion of the trail.
Next we stopped at Sunrise Beach (also on Apalachee Bay).
Nearby is the Sun Dew Loop Trail that winds through the pine flatlands and past this lovely pond.
Sadie loved exploring this area of the park (and so did we!)
We have been so impressed with the beautiful state parks in Florida. Because we visited on a weekday, there were very few visitors when we were there. We were disappointed that dogs were not permitted on the beach, but we enjoyed our visit very much. Admission to the park is $4/vehicle. For additional information about Bald Point, check it out at https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Bald-Point.
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