New Visitor and Nature Center at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Underway

Representatives for the Walton County Board of County Commissioners and Walton County Tourism participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Visitor & Nature Center at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on December 20th.

The $4.2 million project will provide education, host events and connect visitors to the park's natural wonders. Walton County provided $285,000 in Tourist Development Tax funds to support the project, which is expected to be completed in late 2025.

The Florida State Parks Foundation, Florida State Parks, the Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and a wide variety of community partners were also present for the event.

The center was also funded through the Florida Park Service, the Friends of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, the J.W. Couch Foundation, Florida Power & Light, the St. Joe Community Foundation, Crawford Sandefur and Jerry Lancaster, Tom and Ann Earley, and Samantha and Procter McInnis. 

“Interpreting Florida’s natural resources is a key aspect of our mission, and this new center will be a great asset for Topsail Hill and our dedicated park rangers who interact with the public every day,” Florida State Parks Director Chuck Hatcher said. “We are committed to enhancing visitor experiences at parks all over the state, and we are excited to see this project come to fruition.”

The new center will accommodate 100 guests and will serve as a hub for events, workshops and volunteering opportunities.

New educational and interpretive exhibits will highlight points of interest and the unique natural communities found within the park, including rare coastal dune lakes and the endangered Choctawhatchee beach mouse.

“The beach here at Topsail is amazing, but there is so much more to see, explore and learn about,” Florida State Parks Foundation board president Kathleen Brennan said. “The new visitor and nature center will transform the experience of visiting this park and help visitors create meaningful connections with the unique ecosystems found here.”

Located on 3.2 miles of beachfront along the Gulf of Mexico, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is named for its dunes that stand as tall as 25 feet over its white-sand beaches. Its 1,640 acres are home to 13 imperiled wildlife species and 16 distinct natural communities.

The park last year hosted more than 250,000 visitors and supported more than 450 local jobs.

“Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is a jewel of Florida’s gulf coast, and having this new visitor and nature center in place will help share everything that makes this park special with the public in a fresh, new and innovative way,” said Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Florida State Parks Foundation. “We are so thankful to our partners and donors who helped make this happen, and we can’t wait to visit the center when construction is complete.”

“This particular park is a preserve, and that’s the reason it was acquired, to preserve all these coastal dune lakes and protect the shoreline,” said Chuck Hatcher, Director of the Florida Park Service.

“Whenever you can learn more about a place, I think it means more. We’re here all about letting people enjoy the natural wonders of Florida, as well as learn and protect them for the future,” said Kathleen Brennan, President of the Florida State Parks Foundation Board.

“We have 175 state parks throughout the system, and Topsail is always #1 or #2 in revenue generated in parks,” said Hatcher.

Over 261,000 people visited Topsail in 2023, and it the same calendar year, Topsail had an economic impact of $32,626,215.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park supports 457 local jobs in the area.