Henderson Beach State Park

Henderson Beach State Park is a coastal area in Destin with wide sandy beaches and tall dunes that stretch for miles along the shoreline. The park protects a rare natural environment with native vegetation and serves as a preservation zone for the local ecosystem.

The park was established to preserve one of the last remaining coastal scrub habitats in the Destin region and protect natural resources from development. This effort to conserve the land was a key decision to safeguard the natural character of the Gulf coast.

The park is a place where visitors experience the natural coastal environment directly, walking through sand dunes that reveal how plants and animals have adapted to this particular setting. The landscape shows how the Gulf of Mexico shapes the local ecosystem and the way people interact with this sandy terrain.

The park has camping areas with water and electrical hookups as well as picnic tables within walking distance of the beach. Visitors should plan to explore on foot, and sturdy shoes are recommended for hiking through the dunes.

A trail of about a mile and a half winds through the dunes and offers chances to watch wildlife in their natural habitat. This well-marked path is a unique way to experience coastal ecology up close.