Covering over 2,500 acres and stretching along 9.5 miles of beaches, T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park requires multiple days of exploration. Two campgrounds with 119 sites and seven fully furnished cabins are available throughout the year. Youth and group camping opportunities are also available.
Much of the peninsula where the state park is located was purchased by the Stone family in the 19th century and sold to the U.S. military in 1940. While the military retains a presence today, the land within today's park was sold to the state and opened in 1967 for visitors.
Fishing is incredibly popular in the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the shallows of St. Joseph Bay. A boat launch is available for watercraft, but anglers also try their luck surf fishing or wading into the bay. In addition to whiting, flounder, pompano, sea trout, and redfish, snorkelers can gather scallops during open summer seasons while blue crab offer an equally delicious seafood option.
Hiking trails weave through the forest toward the shorelines, while the 7-mile Wilderness Preserve Trail provide serious walkers beautiful views of shoreline woods and quiet beaches. Birding abounds here, and almost 250 species have been recorded, from the songbirds within the pine forest to the pelicans and osprey haunting the sandy coastline looking for fishy prey.
For those just hoping to relax, the beaches themselves have been consistently ranked as the most beautiful in the United States. You'll find aquamarine and emerald hues when the tides and weather are right in addition to comfortable shallows for wading and swimming.
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