Free Admission to SoWal State Parks Summer 2025
Summer visitors to Walton County will once again be able to enjoy complimentary day-use admission to Grayton Beach State Park and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Summer visitors to Walton County will once again be able to enjoy complimentary day-use admission to Grayton Beach State Park and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
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.
There's not much better for your body and your mind than getting back to nature among the trees and flowers, dunes, wind, water and wildlife.
South Walton's natural beauty is astounding, and the main reason folks flock to our coast. The beach is the main draw, but just off the beach some of our favorite spots can feel like a world away.
The State Parks and State Forest Lands in South Walton are spectacular. Protected lands make up about 40% of the land south of the bay.
We are so blessed to have such treasure all around us. The lakes, bayous, creeks, forests, dunes and beaches in our parks make SoWal a very special place. Incredible landscapes with coastal dune lakes, lake outfalls kissing the Gulf, flowering dune magnolias, soaring pelicans, dancing dolphins, flower-covered dunes - the wonders of coastal nature are everywhere you turn.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on the western end of Scenic 30A should be at the top of your must do list. No visit to South Walton is complete without seeing our masterpiece of a park, where wild coastal forest and serene dune lakes meet the glorious Gulf.
The St. Joe Company has announced plans by the Berkowitz Contemporary Foundation, an arts-supporting non-profit organization, for the Longleaf Art Park at the Watersound Origins community.
The park, which is currently under development off Origins Parkway, is planned for 15.5 acres and will be open to the public once complete. Day-to-day operations will be managed by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County.
October’s crisp mornings and bright blue skies coupled with the arrival of Monarch butterflies and sprouting wild goldenrod make it an ideal time to get outside and explore one of SoWal’s most treasured and often-overlooked resources - Point Washington State Forest.
The forest preserve covers over 15,000 acres in Walton County and includes various opportunities for outdoor recreation including hiking, biking, horseback riding and even hunting.
April 9, 2023 by SoWal Staff
Eden Gardens State Park consists of 163 upland acres just north of Seagrove Beach, across highway 98 in Point Washington, along the shores of Tucker Bayou and the Choctawhatchee Bay.
Gracing Eden are gardens everywhere, the beautiful legacy of the many gardeners and master gardeners who belong to the Friends of Eden Gardens State Park, and give lovingly of their time and labor.
See all the details at http://SoWal.com/place/eden-gardens-state-park
April 9, 2023 by SoWal Staff
Camp Helen State Park is bordered on three sides by the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Powell, one of the largest coastal dune lakes in Florida.
Coastal dune lakes are extremely rare worldwide; in the United States they occur only along the Gulf Coast. Prehistoric middens and mounds indicate that humans lived in the area more than 4,000 years ago.
April 9, 2023 by SoWal Staff
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park offers a wide variety of natural resources including 3.2 miles of secluded, white sand beaches with majestic dunes over 25 feet tall. Three rare coastal dune lakes provide excellent freshwater fishing. Although boats are not allowed, fishing from the shoreline yields bass, bream, panfish, and catfish.
See more details at http://SoWal.com/place/topsail-hill-preserve-state-park