Hurricane Isaias came ashore near Destin at about 9:30 p.m. on Friday, October 9, as a Category 2 storm with 105 mph sustained winds. In Walton County, three to five feet of storm surge washed out the bridge into Grayton Beach State Park. State crews worked through the night and rebuilt it in 16 hours, WJHG reported, and the park reopened within days of landfall.
That bridge shows how recovery along 30A is going. Work that gets people back onto the sand has moved quickly. The pine flatwoods, trail systems and coastal dune lake behind the beach have come back more slowly, and some of them were still closed going into this week. If you're planning a Saturday outside, start with the Gulf.
The beach came back first
By 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 15, Walton County's beach access update said every regional access on its list had an open route to the beach. Crews were still working, and some areas were temporarily closed. At most of them the walkover itself was fine. The extras were what was missing: ADA ramps, beach mats, flagpoles and trash service.
Here is where each access stood in that update, roughly west to east:
- Miramar Beach: Restrooms and the east walkover open. The middle and west walkovers stayed closed. Trash pickup was only on the street side, so carry your trash back with you.
- Dune Allen: Restrooms and walkover open. The ADA ramp was closed.
- Fort Panic: Restrooms, walkover and ADA ramp all open, flagpole working.
- Blue Mountain Beach: Restrooms and walkover open, flagpole working, trash service running both by the road and on the beach.
- Ed Walline: Walkover open, including the ADA route. Crews were still clearing sand at the bottom, and the beach accessibility mat had not been reinstalled, which can make it hard to get onto the sand.
- Gulfview Heights: Restrooms and walkover open. The flagpole needed repair.
- Santa Clara: Stairs open, ADA walkover closed, trash pickup by the road only.
- Seagrove Regional Beach Access: Walkover steps open, ADA ramp closed, flagpole not working.
- Scenic Gulf Drive: Restrooms, stairs and ADA walkover open. The stairs needed a minor repair, and the flagpole needed fixing.
- Inlet Beach: All three walkovers open, including the central ADA walkover. Debris was minimal and people were using the beach.
The list matters most for anyone who uses a wheelchair, pushes a stroller or pulls a loaded beach cart. In that update, Fort Panic, Scenic Gulf Drive and Inlet Beach had fully working ADA routes, and Ed Walline's ADA walkover was open but still had no mat at the bottom.
The county's own update repeats one warning for every access: an open walkover does not mean the water is safe for swimming. Where a flagpole is down, having no flag up says nothing about conditions. Erosion was reported across South Walton after the storm, so the shoreline at your usual spot may look different. Walton County Tourism's recovery page carries the latest version of this list. Its last update before this post was Friday, October 16, at 4:30 p.m., so check it before you load the car.
Resort beach clubs reopened unevenly
Private beach clubs are following the same pattern, with one or two routes open and the rest still being repaired. In the October 16 update for WaterColor, beach access normally ran through the Mid and West Boardwalks, and the ADA boardwalk was temporarily closed. That Friday, the Beach Club itself closed for a homeowner reception, and beach access shifted to the hotel's east-side walkover ramp. The main pool at the Beach Club was open, but the Infinity Pool and Zero-Entry Pool were not. WaterColor's Town Center shops, the BoatHouse and the Tennis Center were running regular hours, and the Marina, Dragonfly and Sandhill pools were open.
Farther east, the Watersound Beach Club boardwalk and beach access were closed until further notice. The 30°86° pool was open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, and the Beach Break Grill from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT. In Rosemary Beach, the main boardwalk was damaged, so The Pearl Hotel had paused beach services. People could still reach the beach through Rosemary Beach's other walkovers. For golfers, Shark's Tooth was closed until further notice, and Camp Creek planned to reopen October 17 as a nine-hole course using the front nine only.
The woods behind 30A are reopening more slowly
North of the dunes, more remains closed. Most of the area's walking, running and biking terrain is still recovering, and it has fewer quick fixes than a damaged walkover.
| Place | Status | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Grayton Beach State Park | Open for day use; all overnight accommodations closed | Oct. 16 |
| Topsail Hill Preserve State Park | Closed, including overnight accommodations | Oct. 16 |
| Camp Helen State Park | Beach trail closed | Oct. 14 |
| Point Washington State Forest | All campgrounds and recreation areas closed | Oct. 12, 5 p.m. |
The Point Washington closure takes out a lot of everyday mileage. The forest's Eastern Lake trail system has 3.5-, 6- and 11-mile loops, and the Florida Forest Service closure notice keeps all of the forest's recreation areas closed, with no trail-by-trail reopening dates. Eastern Lake also had a water problem. On October 12, the Florida Department of Health in Walton County issued a health advisory for Eastern Lake after a wastewater release near Lakewood Drive and County Road 30A. The department said it would announce the lifting of the advisory in a later press release once test results came back satisfactory. Check that page before paddling or letting a dog swim there.
For now, Grayton Beach State Park is the nearest large natural area that's fully open for day use. Admission is $5 per vehicle, and the park is open 8 a.m. to sunset. The park has a standing policy, in place since June 2024, of temporarily closing to day visitors when it reaches capacity. That includes people arriving on foot or by bike, and the closures can last several hours. With Topsail Hill and the forest trails closed, a mid-morning arrival is the safer plan. Florida State Parks' storm updates page will show when the other parks reopen.
The bridge repair drew praise from people who live here. One Walton County resident told WJHG:
"I couldn't believe it. I couldn't even tell that anything happened to it, that there was any damage to it at all. It looked perfect."
Coffee shops and the fall calendar are mostly back
Shops and restaurants along the road have recovered faster than the trails. 30A.com reported on October 13 that most restaurants, cafés and stores along 30A had reopened, though some had limited menus or services. Calling ahead is still a good idea. Black Bear Bread Co. reopened all its cafés on Tuesday, October 13, with a limited menu.
Most of the fall calendar has held. One event has been rescheduled because of the storm. Here is what's coming, in order:
- Saturday, October 24: RUN WATERSOUND. The 10K starts at 8 a.m. and the 5K at 8:10 a.m. at Watersound Town Center. Registration is $50 for the 10K and $40 for the 5K.
- Sunday, October 25: Watersound Origins Porchfest. Moved because of the storm. Free and open to the public, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, October 31: Seaside Farmers Market. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Seaside Amphitheater, according to the Seaside calendar.
- Friday, November 6: 30A BBQ Festival. 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the North Lawn at Grand Boulevard. Tickets are $70 general admission, $150 VIP and $20 for children 12 and under, plus fees.
- Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7: Mountainfilm on Tour at WaterColor. At WaterColor Marina Park Amphitheater. Gates open at 5:45 p.m. and films start at 7. Single nights are $50 plus a fee, weekend passes $90 plus a fee, and children 8 and under get in free. The festival's own tour calendar lists slightly different dates, so confirm with WaterColor's event page before you go.
- November 11 through 15: Alys Beach Crafted. Separately timed events throughout the week, listed on the Crafted site.
30A.com also suggests checking with organizers for any storm-related changes before you head out.
Debris pickup and helping out
Cleanup is still underway. The Walton County Sheriff's Office said county debris trucks started passes on October 14 across all eight zones, on both public and private roads. Sort storm debris by type and place it within 10 feet of the road, clear of driveways, sidewalks, mailboxes and utility equipment. Keep regular household trash separate. Questions go to the Walton County Community Information Center at 850-892-8394.
If you'd like to help, 30A.com's recovery report points to a few local organizations asking for support:
- Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport says all of its animals are safe, but fencing, gates, shelters and pasture enclosures were damaged. Financial donations are its most immediate need, and you can give through its Hurricane Isaias fund.
- United Way Emerald Coast has opened its Disaster Relief Fund for families in Okaloosa and Walton counties. It isn't sending out volunteers yet, but you can sign up to hear about volunteer opportunities later.
- 211 Northwest Florida is a free, confidential service available 24 hours a day that connects neighbors with food, shelter, transportation and other help. Dial 211 or call 855-420-8689.
If you own a vacation rental, guests will be asking which beach access works with a wagon and whether the dune lake is safe to paddle, and that changes every few days. At Kismet Properties of 30A, we're keeping track of these updates for our owners and guests. If you'd like to talk about how your property is doing after the storm, or how to update your guest information this fall, reach out to Nancy S Abraham. Let's Connect.
