Hurricane Isaias: Two Weeks Later

Your Beach Buddy Guide  ·  Blog · Storm Update

Hurricane Isaias: Two Weeks Later

Where 30A beach access stands as of the county’s Oct. 22 update — plus what’s happening with the dunes and the state parks.

The News Is Mostly Good

About two weeks after Hurricane Isaias, Walton County Tourism’s Oct. 22 update lists an open route to the beach at every regional access on its list — with restrooms, power and water on at all ten. Cleanup and repairs are still under way, so some amenities are limited.

Here’s the latest from official sources, checked Oct. 22–23. For the full beach-by-beach breakdown, see our beach access status post.

Walton County Tourism — Updated Oct. 22, 9:15 a.m.

The Scorecard

The county’s list covers ten regional accesses: Inlet Beach, Ed Walline, Gulfview Heights, Santa Clara, Seagrove, Scenic Gulf Drive, Miramar Beach, Dune Allen, Fort Panic and Blue Mountain.

Open at all ten

  • An open route to the beach
  • Restrooms open
  • Power and water on
  • Crews still removing debris everywhere

ADA walkovers & ramps

  • Open: Inlet Beach (central), Ed Walline, Fort Panic, Scenic Gulf Drive
  • Closed: Santa Clara, Seagrove, Dune Allen — stairs only for now
  • Ed Walline’s beach accessibility mat hasn’t been reinstalled

Beach flagpoles

  • Working: Inlet Beach, Ed Walline, Santa Clara, Miramar Beach, Dune Allen, Fort Panic, Blue Mountain
  • Needs repair: Gulfview Heights, Scenic Gulf Drive
  • Not working: Seagrove

Good to know

  • Miramar Beach: only the east walkover is open — the middle and west walkovers are closed
  • Santa Clara, Scenic Gulf Drive and Miramar Beach: trash pickup is only on the upland side, so carry your beach trash out

Flags: an open access doesn’t mean safe swimming, and a missing flag doesn’t mean safe water. Check the live flag status on our Beach Safety page or text SAFETY to 31279 before you go in.

The Dunes

What’s Next for the Beach and Dunes

WJHG reported on Oct. 16 that Walton County’s coastline “took a big hit from storm surge” in Isaias. The county has met with FEMA and is looking at potential emergency repairs to the eroded dunes.

County Beach Operations Director Josh Ervin said plans are being drawn up for a federally funded beach renourishment project, with the design likely finished in October of next year. He said the county planned to bring the issue back to the county commissioners at their next meeting.

Separately, at their Oct. 13 meeting commissioners approved amending the county’s debris-removal contract to include public beaches, alongside public and private neighborhoods.

State Parks

The State Parks: A Mixed Picture

  • Grayton Beach State Park: the county lists it as open.
  • Topsail Hill Preserve State Park: the Florida State Parks page for the park currently shows a notice, effective Oct. 22, that the park and any overnight accommodations are closed due to Hurricane Isaias.
  • Deer Lake State Park: its state park page shows no storm notice, but we couldn’t confirm its status — check before you drive out.

The state parks are run by Florida State Parks, not the county, so check floridastateparks.org for the latest before you go.

Still Worth Knowing

  • Eastern Lake health advisory is still in effect. The Florida Department of Health in Walton County issued it for Eastern Lake near Lakewood Drive and 30A after a wastewater release. Drinking water is not affected, but avoid contact with the lake water and wash thoroughly if you touch it. The county says the advisory will be lifted through a press release once testing is satisfactory. Questions? Call DOH-Walton at 850-892-4021.
  • Multi-use paths are clear. The paths along Scenic Highway 30A and County Roads 393, 83, 283 and 395 have been cleared and are open, with a final sweep for sand and small debris under way.
  • Beach Park & Ride: the county said service would resume Tuesday, Oct. 13. Check the county’s schedule page for current routes.
  • Give crews room. Follow posted signs, stay clear of closed walkovers, and watch for county emergency-management drones doing damage assessments.
  • Coming up: county commissioners recognized Nov. 2–6, 2026 as Coastal Dune Lake Week.

Still Unconfirmed

The county’s update doesn’t mention the Bets “Beachmama” Haynes access, and we haven’t been able to confirm Deer Lake State Park.

If you’ve been out and seen either one firsthand — message us on Facebook or send a photo our way. We’ll update as soon as we know.

Sources

Have an Update to Share?

Every bit of firsthand info helps your neighbors plan their next beach day.

Message Us on Facebook → Beach Safety Guide →
Presented by Your Beach Buddy · Compiled from the official sources above, last checked Oct. 23 — conditions are changing quickly, always confirm before you go.