T. H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park Campground

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park includes 119 campsites and seven fully furnished cabins snuggled between the Gulf of Mexico on one side and St. Joseph’s Bay on the other. Sitting beneath swaying pine trees and bordered by saw palmettos and live oaks, the two campground areas offer sandy campsites include electric, water, a fire ring, and picnic table. In addition, seven designated primitive camping sites are available, and they are open for up to five people each. These are carry-in, carry-out areas with no facilities. Finally, a youth group camping option can be reserved in advance for up to 30 people.

The park offers a host of outdoor activities for campers. A boat launch provides access to the bay, while the sugar-sand Gulf of Mexico beach stretches for miles. It is easily accessible from the campground through a network of wooden boardwalks. Hiking trails weave through the pine forest, including the 7-mile Wilderness Preserve Trail. For scuba divers, artificial reefs have been placed in the Gulf of Mexico just north of the park boundary, and local captains can ferry people out and back.

Because the park is located far from any major city, the stargazing from the campgrounds and the beach are particularly spectacular. Bring firewood or purchase logs at the ranger station and snuggle in for a beautiful night.