Santa Rosa Beach's Gulf Side Reopened Within Days of Isaias. Its Woods Have No Date Yet.
October 22, 2026
October 22, 2026
On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the steps at Santa Clara were open and debris crews were working the sand below them. At Ed Walline, the walkover was open and the restrooms were still closed. That same week, the gates at Eden Gardens on Tucker Bayou and Topsail Hill Preserve stayed shut under a storm notice from Florida State Parks with no reopening date.
That pattern held across the first week after Hurricane Isaias. Mid Bay News reported that the storm made landfall near Destin. The places Walton County runs along the Gulf came back first: regional beach accesses, the beach shuttle and the 30A bike path. The state-run land north of the highway, where a Santa Rosa Beach fall usually moves outdoors, was still closed as of the latest posted notices. For now, any outdoor plan in Santa Rosa Beach starts south of 30A.
At the Walton County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Oct. 13, Beach Operations Director Josh Irvin said that "10 of our 11 regional beach accesses" were open. He also said the beach shuttle was running and the 30A bike path had been cleared of debris from the West Connector to Watertown Parkway, according to Mid Bay News. Irvin also said the work was still underway. "There is a difference between 'recovery' and 'restoration,'" he told commissioners. "And we're certainly still in that recovery phase." He added that nearly every access point had some damage, "most of which is minimal for the most part." His count did not say which of the 11 accesses was still closed.
The best access-by-access picture so far comes from a beach access update posted by The Pearl in Rosemary Beach, current as of 8:30 a.m. CT on Oct. 14. It is a hotel's guest update, not a county notice, but it is specific about the Santa Rosa Beach accesses:
| Access | Way to the sand | Still limited, as of Oct. 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Ed Walline | Walkover and ADA route open | Restrooms closed, accessibility mat not reinstalled, sand removal at the base, debris crews working |
| Gulfview Heights | Walkover and restrooms open | Flagpole needs repair, debris removal ongoing |
| Santa Clara | Stairs open | ADA walkover closed, debris removal ongoing |
| Seagrove Regional | Steps open | ADA ramp closed, debris removal ongoing |
The table shows that "open" mostly means open by stairs. Anyone who needs a ramp, a mat or a restroom had fewer choices that week than the 10-of-11 figure suggests, and Ed Walline was the clearest step-free route among these four. On Oct. 13, county commissioners also amended the DRC Emergency Services debris contract to cover public beaches, so cleanup on the sand is still active. Check the beach flag on 30A.com before heading down.
The resort side of the coast reopened on a similar timeline. The St. Joe Company confirmed that all five of its 30A hotels, including WaterColor Inn & Resort and The Lodge 30A, were open and taking reservations as of Oct. 12. Some beach access points, beach club facilities and golf courses were still limited, 30A.com reported. The same report said most restaurants, cafés and stores along 30A had reopened, some with limited menus.
Inland, the picture changes. The Florida State Parks storm update, effective Oct. 15, lists two Santa Rosa Beach parks as closed and a third as partly open. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lists a fourth closure on its own notice page:
Deer Lake State Park, between Seagrove and Seacrest, does not appear on the statewide closure list. That makes it and Grayton the two state-run places on this stretch with day-use access as of Oct. 15.
The timing explains the split. The county cleared the bike path and walkovers with its own crews within four days. The forest and the state parks reopen only after field damage assessments and repairs, and the Walton County Sheriff's Office says those assessments were still underway on Oct. 14, including drone flights over affected areas. The state's notices on Eden Gardens and FWC's notices for the forest will show the change before anything else does.
The clearest example of the split falls on Thursday evening. The Friends of Eden Gardens State Park Fall Film Series lists "Frogs" for Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m. on the lawn near the pavilion. Admission is normally free with the $4 park entry fee. The film has a local connection. The AFI Catalog lists "Frogs" as a 1972 American International Pictures horror film starring Ray Milland and Sam Elliott, and quotes its end credit saying it was shot entirely on location at "Eden Park, Historical Museum, Florida, U.S.A." The Wesley House was already a museum by then. Lois Maxon bought the 1897 house in 1963, restored it and donated the property to the state on Christmas Eve 1968, according to Florida State Parks.
The Friends of Eden Gardens events page still listed the Oct. 22 screening as of Oct. 15, with no cancellation or new date posted. The park itself was listed as closed. Until the Friends post a change or the state lifts its notice, treat the screening as listed, not confirmed.
The next date on the Friends calendar gives the park more time. Christmas Luminaries is listed for Dec. 5 from 5 to 8 p.m., with a lit path, a holiday-decorated Wesley House, music, cookies and hot drinks. The Friends also say the park's camellias begin blooming in late November and continue through winter. When the park reopens, its normal schedule is 8 a.m. to sunset, $4 per vehicle, and hourly Wesley House tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Monday.
With the woods around Point Washington closed, the next confirmed dates near Santa Rosa Beach sit east along 30A, in the planned communities with their own paths and lawns. 30A.com's recovery roundup listed these as of Oct. 13, and told readers to check with organizers for storm-related changes:
Porchfest is the only event on that list with a posted reschedule. The others kept their dates as of the roundup. The paved route to the first two events is also the one the county cleared: the 30A bike path from the West Connector to Watertown Parkway.
The debris along Santa Rosa Beach streets is moving on the same county timeline that reopened the beaches. On Oct. 13, commissioners approved debris removal from all county roadways, public and private. Pickup began Oct. 14 in all eight county zones, in both incorporated and unincorporated areas, with DRC Emergency Services trucks, according to the Walton County Sheriff's Office. Emergency Management Director Jeff Goldberg gave commissioners a preliminary debris-removal estimate of about $4.5 million and stressed that the figures would change as assessments came in, the county reported. The Sheriff's Office called it "a very long process."
The county asks residents to sort storm debris by type, place it within 10 feet of the road and keep it clear of driveways, sidewalks, mailboxes and utility equipment, with household trash kept separate. Questions go to the Walton County Community Information Center at 850-892-8394.
Two Freeport and regional groups are collecting help for the recovery. Alaqua Animal Refuge reported that all of its animals are safe, while its 100-acre property lost trees, fencing, gates and shelters. Financial donations are its most immediate need. United Way Emerald Coast has opened its Disaster Relief Fund and is taking sign-ups for future volunteer shifts, though it is not sending volunteers out yet. For the inland parks, check the Florida State Parks storm page and FWC's notices for Point Washington State Forest. Until those notices change, outdoor time in Santa Rosa Beach is on the beach accesses and the cleared bike path.
If storm recovery has raised questions about a home here, such as timing repairs, reading a property's condition or deciding when to list, the team at Enslen Coastal Group can talk it through with you. We'll give you a clear, unhurried read based on what we're seeing on the ground. Get in Touch With Our Team.
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
Get In Touch With Our Team To Learn More
