The present 90 foot, pyamidal skeleton tower was completed in 1885 and fitted with a third-order lens.
Within a few years it too was threatened by water, and Congress authorized funds to move it.
The move to a new location to Black's Island was begun,
but the Lighthouse Board changed its mind and relit the tower back in the original location.
While the authorities fumbled along with new plans, the erosion reversed and the water receded.
The story ends in 1919 when the waters returned and the tower was moved a quarter-mile to its present location.
Ranked #1 in the Continental United States by
"Dr. Beach",
Cape San Blas Florida is truly a vacationer's paradise.
Unspoiled and uncrowded, Cape San Blas has 17 miles of sugar
white-sand beaches nestled between the turquoise waters of
the Gulf of Mexico and St Joseph Bay.
The St Joseph Peninsula State Park Trail
piney woods
on an island refuge wedged between the Gulf and
St Joseph's Bay, near Port St. Joe, Florida.
8899 Cape San Blas Rd, Phone: 850.227.1327
An 18-mile loop combines beach and
The Maritime Hammock Trail and Bayview Nature Trail offer other peninsula
explorations.
With miles of white sugar sand, this park has one of the top?rated beaches in the United States.
Sunbathing, snorkeling, and swimming are popular activities along the Gulf of Mexico and St. Joseph Bay.
From offshore, canoeists and kayakers can take in a superb view of the high dunes and sand pine scrub.
Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, and bicycling.
As a coastal barrier peninsula, St. Joseph provides excellent opportunities for bird?watching;
over 240 species have been sighted in the park.
A boat ramp is located at Eagle Harbor on the bay side. Campers can stay in a full
facility campground, a short walk from the beach, or at primitive campsites in the wilderness preserve.
Eight cabins on the bay side offer alternative overnight accommodations.
Hours of Operation
Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.
Driving Directions
St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is located near Port St. Joe.
On US 98 (heading East) turn onto SR30?A, travel to SR30E, turn and travel to the park.
Nature & History
Bird Watching
Nature Viewing
Historic Sites
St. Josephs Bay is ecologically unusual, since it's one of the few
large bays in Florida that is not drained by a freshwater river.
The mouth of the bay is relatively narrow, meaning the bay can
be relatively smooth even when the Gulf of Mexico is too
choppy for enjoyment in smaller boats.
Sea turtles and other wildlife can be seen more easily
than on the Gulf side of Cape San Blas.
BIRD WATCHING
Cape San Blas has a well earned reputation forrewarding bird watching.
Your property owner can direct you tochoice viewing areas.
Birding seasons are fall through spring.
ENJOY
Northern Gannet,
White and Brown Pelicans,
Cormorants, Herons, Egrets, Geese,
Blue Winged Teal, Bald Eagle,
Northern Harrier, American Kestral,
Black Bellied Plover, Snowy Plover,
Wilson´s Plover, Semiplated Plover,
Sanderling, Dunlin, Sandpipers,
assorted gulls, Royal Tern, Forster´s
Tern, Caspian Tern.
CYCLING
New bicycle path along Cape San Blas Road.
An 8 mile bay side bicycle trail, from St Joseph Peninsula State Park to Salinas Park.
The path is complete on the peninsula.