When your 30A travel plans have you spending time around scenic Santa Rosa Beach, be sure to boost your itinerary to new levels of excellence with a stop at the Coffeen Nature Preserve. Access to the park via tour is available by request when you call 850-622-3700. The entrance is located off U.S. Highway 98 on the west end of Santa Rosa Beach and sits not from Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. In total, a visit to Coffeen Nature Preserve is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream come true, offering up 210 acres of lush landscape to explore filled with beauty and history alike. When you call to make a reservation, you’ll be set up with a tour guide who will lead you and your group along the preserve’s many trails. You’ll also get a chance to learn more about the World War II-era missile launch facility that still sits within the preserves’ boundaries.
Visit Coffeen Nature Preserve
The land that makes up the current-day Coffeen Nature Preserve originally belonged to John and Dorothy Coffeen in the 1940s. The land was used by the Army Air Force during World War II as a rocket test site, leading to massive landscape destruction and erosion by 1945. When the land was returned to the Coffeen family following the war, they began selling plots to locals in what would eventually be developed into Four Mile Village. Later, the unsold portion of land was transformed into a nature preserve, and in her will, Dorothy Coffeen left the property to the Sierra Club Foundation alongside a significant endowment. The Sierra Club Foundation is credited with the Coffeen Nature Preserve’s establishment and ability to thrive! In 2004, the preserve became part of the greater Coffeen Land Trust and is currently managed by the nine-member board of Directors.
What Visitors Can Enjoy Here
The Coffeen Nature Preserve is a great place to hike thanks to the Sand Pine Military Trail. This 1-mile route starts at the office and makes its way through pine forests and alongside bogs as well. Along the way, hikers can spot remaining military bunkers. The preserve also hosts a variety of animal species including opossums, armadillos, wild turkeys, grey foxes, coyotes, raccoons, white-tailed deer, rattlesnakes, river otters, and even alligators. It also provides ecosystems for endangered species like the Choctawhatchee beach mouse. Birdwatchers can make the most of spotting everything from terns and gulls to raptors and woodpeckers across the preserve too. The terrain lends itself to the growth of a variety of plants including live oak, crooked wood, magnolia, and myrtle just to name a few.
Book Your Getaway Today
A 30A vacation is always worth your while and when you partner with Dune Vacation Rentals, you’ll have the luxurious accommodations to match! Get in touch to learn more about our exciting property options and to start planning your trip with our Coffeen Nature Preserve guide!
