STATE & NATION TRAVEL · news
Florida storm notice closes five Panhandle park destinations; Grayton Beach loses overnight stays
By Staff Writer · Published October 14, 2026
The October 14 state-park update distinguishes fully closed destinations from Grayton Beach, where the park remains open but overnight accommodations are closed.
Official announcement: Florida State Parks · October 14, 2026
Florida State Parks' storm notice, effective October 14, closes five Panhandle destinations, including their overnight accommodations. The list covers Blackwater Heritage State Trail and Blackwater River State Park in Santa Rosa County; Eden Gardens and Topsail Hill Preserve state parks in Walton County; and Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park in Okaloosa County.
Grayton Beach State Park, also in Walton County, has a different status: the park is open, but overnight accommodations are closed. The Hurricane Isaias update does not supply reopening dates for these destinations. Travelers should not treat the effective date as the end of the restrictions.
What Travelers Need to Know
Do not plan a visit to a destination listed as closed. Check the official storm page for changes before choosing an alternative; this report describes the October 14 list rather than every Florida park's status.
For Grayton Beach, separate a day visit from an overnight booking: an open park does not mean its accommodations are available. Contact your booked park or reservation provider about arrangements before traveling. The closure notice does not specify refund or rebooking terms.
Routine hours on individual park pages are not reopening announcements. Follow the storm notice and park-specific instructions, and wait for an explicit access update before resuming plans at a closed destination.
About the Location
These stops represent more than Gulf beach camping. Blackwater River State Park is near Milton, where visitors ordinarily paddle a tannin-colored river, walk forest trails and camp among pine habitats. Its river setting makes the closure relevant to inland recreation itineraries as well as coastal trips.
Eden Gardens, at Santa Rosa Beach, preserves part of the Wesley homestead around an 1897 house. Lois Maxon bought and renovated the property in 1963 and donated the house to the state in 1968. Its gardens, historic-house tours and Tucker Bayou waterfront make it a distinct cultural stop; the storm closure interrupts that visit too.