Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park
St. George Island, Florida
Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park, named after a prominent Apalachicola dentist and long-time Franklin County Commissioner, offers something special for every beach lover, bird watcher, and outdoor enthusiast.
Stretching over 2,000 acres at the eastern end of the barrier island, the park has nine miles of white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and 12 miles of estuary shoreline on Apalachicola Bay. Named the “#1 Beach in America for 2023” by nationally known geoscientist and coastal ecologist Dr. Stephen Leatherman, St. George Island prevailed over other spectacular beaches in Hawaii, California, South Carolina, the Hamptons in New York, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Cape Cod in Massachusetts. “It has the finest white sand in the world, made of crystal – there’s nothing like it,” said Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.
Beach combing, swimming, fishing, picnicking, hiking, birding, canoeing, kayaking, and camping are among visitors’ favorite recreational activities. The Friends helped build 20 campsites in hardwood hammock areas behind the park’s spectacular primary dunes, and provided interpretive signage for nature trails. Stargazing programs are offered around fall and winter new moons, with the help of an 8-inch Dobsonian Telescope purchased by the Friends.
The park’s mosaic of uplands and wetlands provides exceptional habitat for a range of bird species. The park has the most diverse shorebird nesting of all state parks along the northwest Florida Gulf Coast, and is an important stop during the spring and fall bird migrations.
Loggerhead, Leatherback, and Green Sea Turtles nest on the park’s beaches in summer. The park has one of the highest densities of sea turtle nests along the Florida Panhandle.
“Beautiful state park. Hiking trails take you off the beaten path, very scenic. Highly recommend visiting.”
Lucretia P.
March 2024
“Incredible opportunity to be in the water and stroll the beach. Very nice facilities that are well equipped and maintained. Park employees were friendly and helpful to us and everyone we saw them interact with. Beautiful and very nice. We will definitely be back!”
James B.
December 2023
“Great place to spend the day hiking or walking the beach. Can view the bay and the gulf. Perfect area for nature photos without structures & people in them.
Nice restrooms and lots of parking.”
dkchilders
December 2023
“We decided to vacation to St. George Island this year and we were not disappointed. We made two separate trips to the state park. The first was just for the beach. Definitely a great area to hunt seashells and there were multiple areas designated for swimming so it was not too crowded. There were public restrooms and showers out front to get the sand off before getting in the car. It was absolutely beautiful. The second trip we went strictly for the walking trails. It was gorgeous and not a difficult journey. Definitely a must do if you’re here!”
Christy C.
June 2023
“Great kayaking in lagoon. No crowds. Peaceful time spent on the water. Highly recommended for those who love unspoiled beaches.”
HRHorch
September 2022
“One of the most beautiful places on earth! I love visiting and enjoying the untouched nature! What a gem that I hope NEVER changes!!!!”
Rockstar89
July 2022
“Beautiful and clean beach with fishing on one side and swimming/recreation on the other. They also had a great gazebo to sit under for some really good shade and a great rinsing station for washing off the sand. Bathrooms were clean. There were plenty of dolphin sightings in the water while we were there. It was $6 dollars per day for one car and they gave us sea shell scavenger hunt maps for our kids and also provided a map when we asked for one and gave recommendations of places to stop. We will definitely be coming back to this State park if we come back to St. George Island again!”
Sarah E.
June 2022
Activities
Ways we support and enhance the visitors’ experience
Examples of how Friends of Franklin County State Parks helps Dr. Julian Bruce St. George Island State Park
- 5 beach cruisers (Electric wheelchairs) and maintenance of
- 8” dobsonian telescope
- Interpretive supplies including food for campfire cooking, geocaching, Coffee with a Ranger
- Ford Ranger
- Kayaks and canoes for rent; materials to rebuild kayak rack
- Resale merchandise including t-shirts, hats, magnets, stickers, turtle friendly flashlights, firewood and ice
- Supplies for volunteers for work projects-Water and such
- Volunteer t-shirts
