Welcome to Perdido Key

Perdido Key State Park:
Perdido Key State Park is a stunning coastal retreat offering visitors a chance to experience the natural beauty of Florida’s Gulf Coast. With miles of pristine beaches, scenic hiking trails, and diverse wildlife, the park is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're swimming, fishing, birdwatching, or simply relaxing along the shore, the park provides a peaceful escape surrounded by breathtaking views and protected ecosystems.

Big Lagoon State Park:
Big Lagoon State Park is a hidden gem nestled along the shores of Perdido Key, offering visitors a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure. With its expansive lagoon, saltwater marshes, and scenic trails, the park is perfect for kayaking, fishing, birdwatching, and hiking. The park’s diverse ecosystems, including coastal dunes and wetlands, provide habitats for a variety of wildlife, making it a peaceful escape for nature lovers.

Johnson Beach:
Johnson Beach, located within Gulf Islands National Seashore, offers a serene and unspoiled coastal experience on Perdido Key. This beautiful stretch of white sand beaches is perfect for swimming, picnicking, and wildlife watching, with expansive views of the Gulf of Mexico and nearby dunes. It is protected from development, ensuring its natural beauty remains intact. Visitors can enjoy peaceful walks along the shoreline, explore nature trails, or simply relax in this tranquil environment.

Sea Oats:
Sea oats are a vital and iconic part of Perdido Key’s coastal ecosystem, known for their tall, graceful stalks and golden seed heads swaying in the Gulf breeze. These hardy plants play a critical role in stabilizing sand dunes, protecting the shoreline from erosion, and providing a habitat for local wildlife, making them a treasured symbol of our area’s natural beauty and resilience.

Coastal Panicgrass:
Robust native grass found along Perdido Key's shores, thriving in sandy, saline environments. Its dense root system helps stabilize dunes and prevent erosion, working alongside sea oats to protect the coastline while supporting the delicate balance of the local ecosystem.

Salt Marsh Cordgrass:
A foundational plant in Perdido Key's salt marshes, thriving in the brackish waters of tidal areas. Its tall, vibrant stalks provide essential habitat for fish, crabs, and birds while also filtering pollutants and stabilizing the marsh soil, making it a cornerstone of the coastal ecosystem.

Perdido Key Beach Mouse:
A federally endangered species found only in the dunes of Perdido Key, Florida. These tiny, nocturnal rodents play a critical role in the ecosystem by spreading seeds and maintaining healthy dune vegetation, which helps stabilize the fragile coastal habitat. Conservation efforts focus on protecting their habitat from development and erosion to ensure the survival of this unique and vital species.

Migratory Birds:
Perdido Key is a vital stopover for migratory birds, offering a sanctuary for species traveling along the Gulf Coast flyway. During migration seasons, the island's diverse habitats (beaches, dunes, and salt marshes) provide essential resting, feeding, and nesting grounds for a variety of birds, including shorebirds, songbirds, and waterfowl. These migratory routes support both local biodiversity and the global avian population, making Perdido Key an important destination for birdwatchers and conservationists alike.

Sea Turtles:
Perdido Key is an important nesting site for endangered sea turtles, including loggerhead, green, and Kemp's ridley species. Each year, these remarkable creatures return to the island’s sandy shores to lay their eggs, with hatchlings making their way to the Gulf of Mexico. Conservation efforts are in place to protect nesting sites from human impact, ensuring that these ancient mariners have the opportunity to thrive in their natural habitat. The presence of sea turtles is a testament to the health of Perdido Key’s coastal ecosystem.