Deer Lake State Park [update - not closing]

[DuneLaker]

My photo is taken from before the 2005 hurricane season. They didn't rebuild the handicapped access.

Correct. I was talking about the county park area being a good place for a few handicap parking spots. It is pretty flat there. A handicap buggy or other systems might work quite well with the proper planning.

 

[Matt J]

Yes. You turn off 30A onto Lakewood. Continue straight on Lakewood after the stopsign. Then you take a right after the curve toward the beach. That entire open beach area is a county park. Lots of possibilities, but still keep it toned down. There is only public parking along the right of way of the road now. I do believe the large area to the north of the road there is also part of the county park. It could handle a bathroom and a little parking.

The land to the North of the road is actually owned by Beach Front Townhomes Association. There's actually a massive chunk of land a developer could get their hands on if they knew what they were doing.

 

[AAbsolute]

Yes. You turn off 30A onto Lakewood. Continue straight on Lakewood after the stopsign. Then you take a right after the curve toward the beach. That entire open beach area is a county park. Lots of possibilities, but still keep it toned down. There is only public parking along the right of way of the road now. I do believe the large area to the north of the road there is also part of the county park. It could handle a bathroom and a little parking.

I think I know the area you are talking about. Isn't there some private residential between that park and Deer Lake Park?

 

[Matt J]

I think I know the area you are talking about. Isn't there some private residential between that park and Deer Lake Park?

Yes, Walton Dunes Townhomes and some private residences.

 

[scooterbug44]

Seems pretty ridiculous to close the park, even though a full time caretaker will be there.

The Sheriff patrols the beaches and provides emergency services, the TDC picks up trash, and we can't afford to keep it open?

 

[Natural Clean]

I love that park!
I took this photo there last summer. I hope to take many more.

 

[DuneLaker]

The land to the North of the road is actually owned by Beach Front Townhomes Association. There's actually a massive chunk of land a developer could get their hands on if they knew what they were doing.

Thanks for clarification. Would be interested in seeing what boundaries actually are. Like most roads around there, it probably isn't exactly in the right place.

 

[DuneLaker]

I think I know the area you are talking about. Isn't there some private residential between that park and Deer Lake Park?

Yes, but that doesn't stop a number of people who now park along the road at the county park and then walk a very short distance down to the state park beach. They could just use the county park, but some choose to walk the little distance to enjoy the quieter atmosphere of Deer Lake State Park beach. I often walk down from Eastern Lake to Deer Lake myself - about a 20 minute walk. A number of visitors don't walk that far, they just set up as close to an access, etc. as they can.

 

[AAbsolute]

Yes, but that doesn't stop a number of people who now park along the road at the county park and then walk a very short distance down to the state park beach. They could just use the county park, but some choose to walk the little distance to enjoy the quieter atmosphere of Deer Lake State Park beach. I often walk down from Eastern Lake to Deer Lake myself - about a 20 minute walk. A number of visitors don't walk that far, they just set up as close to an access, etc. as they can.

The very first lot I cotracted to purchase in Sowal was down there and to the left in a little cul-de-sac overlooking that park. Bill Smith set Dr. Rhodes and I up with that lot for 165,000, 1 off the gulf. I wish I had it now.

 

[AAbsolute]

Seems pretty ridiculous to close the park, even though a full time caretaker will be there.

The Sheriff patrols the beaches and provides emergency services, the TDC picks up trash, and we can't afford to keep it open?

There must be more going on with this than meets the public eye. You have to pull some pretty big strings to get a gulf front State Park closed.