Discover Roads Less Traveled - Summer Ecotourism in South Walton

The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), in partnership with Visit South Walton and Northwest Florida State College, invites you to a great program of outdoor education and adventure this summer in the next round of its new ecotourism initiative.

Discover Roads Less Traveled offers varied opportunities to explore and discover the natural resources that make Walton County unique. Descriptions are available online - prices vary, starting at $15. Registration is by phone at 850-200-4160.

The summer schedule expands the list of ecotours that kicked off the program this Spring. In addition to various hiking excursions and historical tours, CBA is excited to offer a bayside fishing clinic, outdoor yoga, and even more canoe/kayak tours.  There are new opportunities to explore beyond the beach, including paddle tours of Morrison Springs, Lake Powell, and Chain of Lakes.

South Walton Summer Eco-Tourism Schedule, Discover Roads Less Traveled

• Sunrise Yoga in the Park - $15 - 6am, Wednesdays in May at Kellogg Park
• Morning Yoga in the Park - $15 - 10:30am, Wednesdays in May at Kellogg Park
• Getting to Know the Natives – Garden & Trail Tour - $15 - Every Wednesday at 3pm
• Sunset/Night Hike - $15 + park entry - 5/13, 6/19
• Historical Tour: Coffeen Nature Preserve - $20 - 5/14, 5/28, 6/11, 6/25, 7/16, 7/30
• Explore Morrison Springs Paddle in Northeast Walton County - $35 - 5/16, 6/6, 7/11
• Wet Prairies of Grayton Beach State Park - $15 + park entry - 5/17
• Canoe/Kayak Tour of Campbell Lake - $30 + park entry - 5/23, 7/15
• Peach Creek Kayak Tour - $60 including kayak rental ($45 w/o rental) + park entry - 5/28
• Dune Walk - $15 + park entry - 6/3, 7/3
• The Bayside Fishing Clinic - $35 - Thursdays in June & July at Kellogg Park
• The Jewels of 30A – Coastal Dune Lakes Tour - $50 - 6/18
• Lake Powell Canoe Tour - $30 including canoe rental ($20 w/o rental) - 6/19
• Western Lake Kayak Tour - $60 including kayak rental ($45 w/o rental) - 7/10
• Chain of Lakes Tour - Fee: $60 including canoe/kayak rental ($45 w/o rental) + $3 parking - 7/25

Ecotours are led by local experts, so participants will gain a better understanding of the local environment. The Florida Pandhandle is one of the five richest biodiversity hotspots in North America, and Walton County is home to numerous and unusual native plants and animals. Participants can learn about our incredible environment as they stroll the grounds of the Native Plant Demonstration Garden or travel to a series of rare coastal dune lakes. Several tours incorporate the area’s rich history as well, from the logging and turpentine industries along Peach Creek to the secret WWII missile test site at the Coffeen Nature Preserve.

Coffeen’s Resident Manager, Susan Paladini, who led several historical tours this Spring, says, “I am having such a great time sharing in-depth, behind-the-scenes history and subsequent preservation of this awesome sanctuary. Folks have been amazed.”

Get outside this Summer and go ecosploring! For more information about Discover Roads Less Traveled, please contact Sarah Schindele at 850-200-4175.