BIG LAGOON STATE PARK

By  Mike Miller July 24, 2025

Big Lagoon State Park in Pensacola, Florida spans 705 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway.

It sits on the northern shore of Big Lagoon, separating the mainland from Perdido Key.

The park offers hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing, and birdwatching. Visitors can explore trails, beaches, and marshes.

A three-story observation tower provides views of the lagoon and Gulf of Mexico.  

Observation Tower at Big Lagoon State Park

Acquired in 1977, Big Lagoon State Park opened in 1978.

Native Americans, likely of the Woodland period, used the area for foraging shellfish, leaving behind middens of shells.

Park development in the 1980s disturbed some archaeological sites. Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and others altered the park’s hydrology, killing many trees.

The park serves as the starting point for the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail, a 1,515-mile sea kayaking route. It is a Florida historical site. 

Big Lagoon State Park is at 12301 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola, FL 32507, 10 miles southwest of downtown Pensacola.

From I-10, take Exit 7, go south on Pine Forest Road, right on Blue Angel Parkway, right on Sorrento Road, then left on Bauer Road.

The park is open daily from 8 AM to sunset. The campground is closed for renovations until August 1, 2025.

Call (850) 492-1595 for updates. Kayak and paddleboard rentals are available at East Beach.

The 3.1-mile Sand Pine Trail and shorter Estuary Trail are open. Pets are allowed on leashes.

Check their website for event details, like stargazing with the Escambia Amateur Astronomers Association. 

• The park is a gateway for the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, hosting over 23 wood-warbler species during migrations.  

• A rare plant, large-leaf jointweed, grows here, found only in Northwest Florida.  

• Alligators inhabit Long Pond, a man-made freshwater pond within the park.  

• The park’s nine natural communities include tidal marshes, pine flatwoods, and scrubby flatwoods.  

• A kayak embedded in sand marks the launch site for the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail. 

BIG LAGOON STATE PARK WEBSITE