It comes as no surprise that the South Walton area has an abundance of stunning landscapes. Between the Choctawhatchee Bay, the sandy dunes, and of course the Gulf of Mexico, there is no shortage of coastal views along the stretch of Scenic Highway 30A. What may come as a surprise to you though, is that the 15 lakes dotted along the coast are extremely rare and are only found in a few other locations around the world. Formed nearly 10,000 years ago, these shallow lakes were dug out naturally by wind and are filled with fresh water separated from the gulf only by sand. It is common for this sand wall to be breached after heavy rain causing an occurrence where both fresh and saltwater coexist fostering the possibility for a unique ecosystem. While we would highly recommend checking out all 15 of these distinctive dune lakes, below are the top 3 to spend a day at.
Lake Powell
The largest coastal dune lake in the area is technically located in Bay County. Lake Powell is among the most popular of the dune lakes due to its size and ease of accessibility. A variety of activities are permitted at Lake Powell including, kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, fishing, and boating. Lake Powell is also the only of the dune lakes that allows jet skis. Park at Camp Helen State Park and you can rent a canoe or kayak for the day. You can either paddle your way to the gulf, or take a walk through the sand for a secluded beach day.
Western Lake
Located in between Watercolor and Grayton Beach, Western Lake is home to the most photographed pine trees in all of South Walton. Western Lake has two public boat accesses, one off of Hotz Ave in Old Grayton near the Red Bar, and one out of Grayton Beach State Park. The State Park is a wonderful place to spend the day as it has various nature trails for biking and walking, great beach walkovers and accesses, canoe rentals, and picnic pagodas.
Camp Creek Lake
Camp Creek Lake is located toward the Eastern side of Highway 30A in between Watersound and Deer Lake State Park. Sitting at about 70 acres, Camp Creek Lake is ideal for kayaking, paddle boarding, and bird watching. It is also ideally located near the Hub, an outdoor gathering spot which is a great place for you to grab a cold beer and some fresh food after you spend a day on the water.
Unless you think you may be in Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand or Oregon any time soon, South Walton is the only other place you can view these rare coastal dune lakes with relative ease. Lucky for you we have an array of properties up and down Highway 30A for you to stay at, including a handful of homes that are lakefront. Book your next South Walton vacation with us and discover which dune lake is your favorite!
