Two miles of loop trails are available at this park. The main trail starts at the Rainbow Cottages, runs south across a footbridge, then loops through a coastal live oak hammock and dune system. A path from the loop's south end leads to beachfront where Black Terns are possible in summer, Black-bellied and Piping Plovers in winter.
Chipley Park surrounds Lake DeFuniak, a 40-acre, circular spring-fed lake (purported to be one of only two in the world) which attracts waterfowl, wading birds, raptors and a whole lot more. The 80-acre park has a paved 1-mile walkway around the entire lake and two fishing piers complete with covered gazebos—ideal observation posts for any type of weather.
The 4.2-mile Grayton Beach Hike and Bike Trail runs through pine flatwoods and along the north end of Western Lake (a brackish, coastal dune lake), which can be good for wading birds, Bald Eagle, Barred Owl, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pied-billed Grebe and more.
This small wayside park has a brief boardwalk along a creek lined with hardwoods. The area is worth checking in migration only, for songbirds like waterthrushes and Worm-eating and Hooded Warblers.
Point Washington State Forest offers 3-, 5- and 10-mile hiking loops through longleaf pine flatwoods, coastal scrub and sandhills. Bachman's Sparrows are very likely to be heard singing in spring in areas of wiregrass and palmetto in the southern half of the 3-mile loop.
This site's real strength is wintering birds, especially those at the southernmost limit of their range. Birds like Winter Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper and Golden-crowned Kinglet are recorded during most winters.
Snowy Plovers nest here, and shorebirds ply the shoals near the outfall for Morris Lake at the Gulf. Scope the surf for Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Northern Gannets winter through spring.
Two miles of loop trails are available at this park. The main trail starts at the Rainbow Cottages, runs south across a footbridge, then loops through a coastal live oak hammock and dune system. A path from the loop’s south end leads to beachfront where Black Terns are possible in summer, Black-bellied and Piping Plovers in winter.
Chipley Park surrounds Lake DeFuniak, a 40-acre, circular spring-fed lake (purported to be one of only two in the world) which attracts waterfowl, wading birds, raptors and a whole lot more. The 80-acre park has a paved 1-mile walkway around the entire lake and two fishing piers complete with covered gazebos—ideal observation posts for any type of weather.
The 4.2-mile Grayton Beach Hike and Bike Trail runs through pine flatwoods and along the north end of Western Lake (a brackish, coastal dune lake), which can be good for wading birds, Bald Eagle, Barred Owl, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pied-billed Grebe and more.
This small wayside park has a brief boardwalk along a creek lined with hardwoods. The area is worth checking in migration only, for songbirds like waterthrushes and Worm-eating and Hooded Warblers.
Point Washington State Forest offers 3-, 5- and 10-mile hiking loops through longleaf pine flatwoods, coastal scrub and sandhills. Bachman’s Sparrows are very likely to be heard singing in spring in areas of wiregrass and palmetto in the southern half of the 3-mile loop.
This site’s real strength is wintering birds, especially those at the southernmost limit of their range. Birds like Winter Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper and Golden-crowned Kinglet are recorded during most winters.
Snowy Plovers nest here, and shorebirds ply the shoals near the outfall for Morris Lake at the Gulf. Scope the surf for Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Northern Gannets winter through spring.
The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail is a network of more than 500 premier wildlife viewing sites across the state. When you want to know where to go in Florida to see native birds, butterflies and more, head for the Trail.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Russell Office Park
1875 Orange Ave. East
Tallahassee, FL 32311