Fort Desoto Park Beaches
GPS Coordinates: 27.623648, -82.714242 Cost: $5 per car daily rate beginning January 1, 2012. There are two tolls on the way to the park: a 50 cent toll on the Pinellas Bayway and a 35 cent toll just before entering the park. Directions: From I-4, take I-275 through St. Petersburg to the 54th Avenue South exit (Pinellas Bayway, exit #17). Follow the signs west to the beaches. After the toll booth, get in the left lane. After half a mile you’ll come to a traffic light at S.R. 679. Turn left and continue several miles to the park. Web site for reference: http://best-of-st-pete-beach.com/fort-desoto-park.html Official Park web site: http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_ft_desoto.htm
Above: North Beach, with a view of Shell Key in the distance. This island park is much more than just a beach. It also has the following amenities, including the finest picnic facilities of any beach park in Florida:
Beaches: Fort Desoto has very nice beaches, but swimming is not advisable at all of them. Some of the beaches have signs posted warning of strong currents, so you have to be sure you are swimming in the areas marked as safe. Fort Desoto is on an island that is in the shape of an arrowhead. The beaches are roughly divided into the following areas: East Beach – after entering the park and driving past the campground the road will end at the park administration building (you’ll see the American Flag flying high). Turn left to go to East Beach where you’ll find a huge picnic area with excellent covered pavilions, grills and restroom facilities. This beach is on Tampa Bay, so never gets big waves. People do swim at East Beach, but the main activities are picnicking and sunbathing. Go to north beach if swimming is your thing. There is a lifeguard stand, but lifeguard hours are limited and seasonal. The picnic area is grassy with lots of shade. To get to the rest of the beaches at Fort Desoto, after entering the park, turn right when you get to the park administration building.
Dog Beach – This beach shares a parking area with the Bay Pier. You’ll see the fenced area for the dogs, which can play either in the fenced enclosure or can be taken out onto the beach where they can swim in Tampa Bay, just west of the Bay Pier.
Gulf Pier Beach – North of the Gulf Pier is a long crescent-shaped beach that is very popular. Even though you will see people swimming here, it is not recommended because of possible strong water currents. You’ll see signs to that effect. Go to north beach if you want to swim.
North Beach – Follow the road past the Gulf pier as it curves north. Go almost all the way to the end and you’ll see the huge paved parking areas for North Beach. There you’ll find large picnic areas with both covered and uncovered picnic tables, covered picnic pavilion for groups, a concession, lifeguards, and a great beach with soft white sand. Because of the very shallow water, North Beach does not have big waves, though it can get rough and choppy in a strong wind. North beach is a bird nesting sanctuary, so between April and September please respect the signs and string barriers that protect the nesting areas.
Rules:
ADA access North beach has special beach wheelchairs available. See the lifeguard.
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