As travelers, we work hard to limit our expectations. We try to arrive in a new place, and experience as it is rather than how we want it to be.
All that being said, it’s sometimes hard to arrive to a place you’ve been before without expectation and if we’re being honest our expectations for Panama City Beach were low. As the first stop on our trip West, we were really craving some nature, and while the beaches are beautiful there, we were searching for more.
We found exactly what we were looking for at Conservation Park!
Would you believe that there is amazing mountain biking to be had in Florida? A few weeks ago we wouldn’t have either until we came here! Encompassing a total acreage of 2,192 acres Conservation Park is biking and hiking paradise!
With over 24 miles of trail, you could easily spend all day riding and exploring the marshlands, pine stands, and coastal grasslands that make up this beautiful park.
Critters To Keep An Eye Out For
The varying terrain of the park makes an excellent habitat for critters big and small! While you wander keep and eye out for all the amazing animals that call this park home you never know you just might spot one of these
- Wild Boar
- Alligators
- White Tail Deer
- Bald Eagles
- Armadillos
- Snakes
- Hawks
- Raccoons
Where We Biked:
We only had a half day to explore the Park so we opted to connect a few trails together to see as much variety as possible in the short amount of time we had.
From the parking area we rode out on the Osprey Trail and connected to the Diamond Back Trail (yellow) to the John Muir Loop and then back out on the Long Leaf Trail (blue) back to the parking area.
This route took us past low lying swamp areas home to the local community of alligators, along well-graveled trails and into some less maintained areas and all in all, gave us great scenery, and made for a perfect morning of riding!
Getting Here:
Conservation Park is managed by Panama City Beach Parks and Recreation. The park’s acreage is large but the parking is small. Restrooms, water and park maps are available adjacent to the parking area.
Conservation Park is located at:
100 Conservation Drive