Nearby state parks get busy during autumn

SANTA ROSA BEACH — Fall is a good time of the year to take advantage of the recreational opportunities at your local Florida state park.
  
Whether it is for a two-week vacation or a one-day trip, Florida state parks are wonderful, affordable destinations to enjoy with friends and family.
  
Camping, fishing, biking, hiking, bird watching, butterfly watching, sunbathing, and swimming are some of fun things you can do at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. However, there are other local state parks that offer some different opportunities.
  
For instance, Eden Gardens State Park offers educational tours in the Wesley Mansion with hourly guided tours of the house available Thursday through Monday.
  
Located on the Bay County and Walton County line, Camp Helen State Park provides a peaceful spot for a picnic on Lake Powell. Henderson Beach State Park in Destin is a wonderful park to camp and enjoy the beach.
  
Another park nearby is Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park in Niceville, where visitors can camp, rent kayaks and picnic.
  
While these parks are wonderful to vacation at, some are nice to go to for a special event. Most state parks offer yearly special events that focus on family fun, music, and food.
  
One such event is Nature’s Gallery at St. Andrews State Park. The Friends of State Andrews host this annual event on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 27-28. This event offers something for the whole family with artist’s exhibits, historical reenactments, living history, children’s activities, and several different food vendors.
  
Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park will be hosting an Archaeology Day on Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a lecture at 6:30 p.m. The Friends of Emerald Coast State Parks and the Florida Public Archaeology Network are partnering to host this event where archaeologists from the network will come chat with visitors. Archaeologists will be on hand to identify artifacts, answer questions and let you know how you can become involved with archaeology in your area. Mary Furlong, Outreach Coordinator of the Northwest Regional Center of the Florida Public Archaeology Network, will deliver a lecture at 6:30 p.m. “From Prehistory to Preservation: the Archaeology of Northwest Florida.” These two events show that a day at a state park can not only be entertaining, but also educational.
  
Another event that is popular is the Stephen Foster State Park Florida Folk Festival. This year will be the 55th Annual three-day celebration of music, dance, stories, crafts and food. This year’s theme is cattle ranching, which began in the United States in the 16th century. The festival will take place on Nov. 9-11 and will host The Tony Rice Unit as one of this year’s featured performers.
  
The Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park will also have a special event this fall. The 2nd Annual Halloween Hayride and Fantasyland at Topsail Hill Preserve will take place on Oct. 26 and 27.. Enjoy a spooky hayride through the haunted tram path of Topsail Hill. Many types of goblins, spooks, and other denizens of the dark are said to roam the woods. Young children will be able to go through a “scare-free” walking loop, with treats, fun games with prizes, and facepainting. The profits from the hayride will go to the Friends and to the students of the South Walton Drama Department, who are volunteering at the hayride.
  
Another spooky event nearby is Camp Helen State Park’s Ghost and History Halloween Tour on Oct. 20 from 6-9 p.m. For the event, people will be shuttled from the Winn-Dixie parking lot on Front Beach and Back Beach roads. Be prepared for a treat. If you need more information, call Camp Helen State Park at (850) 233-5059.
  
Along with the Haunted Hayride, the Friends of Topsail Hill are also sponsoring monthly Breakfast with a Ranger programs. Join us for these scheduled events that usually occur on the first Saturday of the month. Come and join the rangers of Topsail Hill and ask them all of the questions you can think about park wildlife. To cover the cost of the food, please bring $3 which goes to the Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park to enhance the park.
  
To learn more about these and other park programs, visit http://www.floridastateparks. 

Contact Leda Suydan at (850) 267-0299 or e-mail Leda.Suydan@dep.state.fl.us. Suydan is a Park Services specialist at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach.