Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is a 1,640-acre park with 3 miles of white quartz-sand beach in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, a few miles from Destin on the Emerald Coast. This guide covers current opening hours, admission, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for a first-time visit.
This guide was updated in August 2026.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Daily, 8am to sunset, 365 days a year |
| Admission | $6 per vehicle (2–8 people); $4 single-occupant vehicle; $2 per pedestrian or bicyclist |
| Address | 7525 W. County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 |
| Nearest transport | No public transit; a car is needed |
| Typical visit length | Half a day to a full day |
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park opening hours
The park is open daily, from 8am until sunset. Campers arriving after the gate closes should call the park at 850-267-8330 beforehand for the gate combination.
Five great things to do in Destin
- 🍹 Take the tiki boat – out to the Crab Island sandbar for snorkelling, drinks and good times.
- 🐬 Meet the local dolphins – on one of Destin’s legendary dolphin cruises.
- 🤿 Combine a dolphin-watching cruise – with a snorkelling adventure.
- 🪂 See Destin from 400ft above the water – on a parasailing experience.
- 🌅 Watch the sun go down – and spot dolphins – on a sunset cruise.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park ticket prices
Day-use admission costs $6 per vehicle carrying two to eight people, $4 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle, and $2 per pedestrian, bicyclist or extra passenger.
Opening hours and admission fees were checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026. Camping costs $24 per night for a tent site or $42 per night for an RV site, plus tax, a $6.70 reservation fee and, for RVs, a $7 nightly utility fee. Bungalows and cabins run from $100 to $145 per night depending on season, plus tax and fees. Florida residents aged 65 and over, or with a qualifying disability certificate, receive a 50% discount on base campsite fees.
How to get to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Topsail Hill Preserve is reachable only by car, with its main entrance on County Highway 30A near its junction with U.S. Highway 98, a few miles west of Santa Rosa Beach and a short drive from Destin.
Parking at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Free parking is available in the day-use lot near the park entrance, which is also the starting point for the tram to the beach and for all hiking trails.
How long to spend at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Most day visitors spend half a day to a full day, combining beach time with a walk or bike ride to Campbell Lake. With more than 15 miles of trails and 3 miles of beach, campers and overnight guests often stay several days.
Accessibility at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
A tram and an elevated boardwalk connect the day-use parking area to the beach, and two all-terrain beach wheelchairs are available free of charge at the ranger station. Several campsites have concrete pads close to accessible restrooms, and the campground clubhouse can also be rented.
Inside Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
The park’s namesake Topsail Hill dune rises 25 feet above sea level, its sail-like shape overlooking 3.2 miles of pristine white quartz-sand beach and the emerald Gulf.
Campbell Lake, one of three rare coastal dune lakes in the preserve, offers freshwater paddling and fishing, though personal kayaks, canoes and paddleboards cannot be launched here to avoid introducing non-native plants; rentals are available instead through the park concessionaire.
Named trails include the Turpentine Trail, which passes remnants of the turpentine industry active here from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, and the Gopher Tortoise Trail, where saw palmettos and longleaf pines shelter its namesake reptile. The Deer Track Trail passes Campbell Lake and carnivorous pitcher plants, while the Morris Lake Trail runs past remnants of the WWII-era JB-2 rocket development program.
More than 13 imperiled species find refuge in the park, including the Choctawhatchee beach mouse and several types of pitcher plant, alongside more common wildlife such as red-shouldered hawks and Eastern bluebirds. The park is a stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, and threatened snowy and piping plovers nest along the beach.
Midden mounds found on the property show that Native Americans used the area for fishing, hunting and camping long before workers from the nearby Quarters Turpentine Village arrived in the late 1800s.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Campers arriving after sunset should call ahead for the gate code, since the entrance locks at closing. |
| Crowds | The beach tram can have a wait around midday in peak season, so an early start usually means a shorter queue. |
| Layout | Personal watercraft are not allowed on Campbell Lake, but kayaks, canoes and paddleboards can be rented on site instead. |
| Entry process | Pets are welcome on the trails on a 6-foot leash, but are not permitted on the beach, tram, boardwalks or in the lakes. |
| On-site logistics | Bring a hat, sunscreen, bug spray and water for trail walks, since much of the park has limited shade beyond the pine canopy. |
Frequently asked questions about Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Topsail Hill Preserve State Park suitable for children? | Yes, with a gentle beach, a tram ride and easy trails that suit a range of ages. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Topsail Hill Preserve State Park? | No for day admission, though camping, cabins and bungalows require advance reservations. |
| Can you bring your own kayak to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park? | No, personal watercraft are banned on Campbell Lake to protect the dune lake; rentals are available through the park concessionaire. |
| Is there camping at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park? | Yes, with 156 RV sites, 22 tent sites, 16 bungalows, 16 cabins and glamping tents available. |
| Is Topsail Hill Preserve State Park wheelchair accessible? | Partially. A tram and boardwalk reach the beach, and free all-terrain beach wheelchairs are available at the ranger station. |
Things to do near Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Grayton Beach State Park and Deer Lake State Park, both a short drive east along 30A, offer their own coastal dune lakes and beaches. Eden Gardens State Park, a short drive further east, pairs a historic house with formal gardens.
The town of Seaside, a short drive away, is a planned coastal community known for its pastel cottages and boutique shops. Henderson Beach State Park, in Destin, is a short drive west and protects more than a mile of undeveloped Gulf beach.
What to visit tomorrow
Camp Helen State Park, in Panama City Beach, is about 45 minutes to an hour’s drive and borders Lake Powell, one of the Panhandle’s other coastal dune lakes.
St. Andrews State Park, also in Panama City Beach, is a similar distance and includes a jetty, a historic turpentine still and Gulf-front dunes. The ferry to Shell Island leaves from here.
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, near Port St. Joe, is about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half’s drive and protects 20 miles of barrier-island coastline.
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, near DeFuniak Springs, is about an hour’s drive inland and centers on a 68-degree freshwater spring rather than the coast.
Falling Waters State Park, near Chipley, is around an hour and a half’s drive and is home to Florida’s tallest waterfall, a 73-foot drop into a sinkhole.
More Florida travel
Other Florida travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- First time visitor’s guide to Gator Beach in Destin, Florida’s Emerald Coast.
- Take a cave tour at Florida Caverns State Park near Marianna, Florida.
- Key information for visiting Big Lagoon State Park near Pensacola.
- Florida state park guides: Manatees and water sports at Blue Spring State Park between Orlando and Daytona Beach and Investigating the giant sinkhole while visiting Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park in Gainesville.
- The best places to see manatees in Florida.
