Safely Enjoy South Walton's Beaches

Current Conditions:

For Gulf conditions and flag updates, text "SAFETY" to 31279

Beach Flag Warnings

*Entering the Gulf during double red flag conditions can result in a $500 fine and criminal charges.
View our Beach Safety Toolkit – Giveaway Items and Downloads

Follow the Walton County Beach Rules

Stay Safe - Obey all beach flag warnings
Leave No Trace - Items left on the beach overnight will be discarded
- To keep our beaches clean and safe for both marine life and beachgoers, Walton County enforces Municipal Code 22-54 (g). This code prohibits beach chairs, umbrellas, tents and other personal items from being left unattended. Items left on the beach overnight (from one hour after dusk to one hour after sunrise) will be discarded unless otherwise permitted.
Permits Required - Vehicles, dogs and bonfires require permits
- To learn about vehicle or dog permits, click here.
- Learn more about beach bonfires here. To obtain a beach bonfire permit, click here.
Sea Turtle Season - Follow rules, ordinances and laws. To learn more, click here.
Know Before You Go
- No glass containers are permitted on the beach
- To prevent crowding, no tents larger than 10x10 are permitted on county-owned or maintained beaches and must be set up on the top 1/3 of the beach.
- Please allow a 15’ setback from dunes and water’s edge for emergency vehicles
- No charcoal grills are permitted on the beach, propane grills may be permitted if 225 sq inches (approximately 16" x 20") or smaller.
- Removal of sand, water or vegetation is strictly prohibited
- Keep off the dunes

To view our official Beach Guide for information and safety, click here.

Rip Current Information

Identify a Rip Current

Darker color surf, indicating deeper water
Murky brown water caused by sand stirred up on the bottom
Smaller unorganized waves, alongside more evenly breaking waves over a sand bar
Waves breaking further out to sea on both sides of the rip current

How to Help Someone Caught in a Rip Current

Notify a lifeguard
Have someone call 911, give accurate landmarks
Do not enter the water, you too will be caught in the current
Throw them a flotation device
Try not to lose sight of the victim

What To Do If You Are Caught in a Rip Current

Don’t panic or swim against the current
Relax, float with the current until it dissipates
Swim parallel to shore and back in
Of course, the best way to avoid a rip current is to know the surf conditions before entering the water!
Know the conditions and watch the flags!

Lifeguard Information

"Lifeguards are available at Regional Beach Accesses March 1 - October 31 with limited roving coverage year-round. Lifeguards are provided by South Walton Fire District and funded as a part of the Visit South Walton Beach Safety Program. Regional Beach Accesses include Miramar Beach, Dune Allen, Fort Panic, Ed Walline, Gulfview Heights, Blue Mountain, Van Ness Butler Jr., Santa Clara and Inlet Beach."

Beach Wheelchairs

The South Walton Fire District (SWFD) offers beach wheelchairs at the following beach accesses: Miramar Beach Regional Beach Access (Pompano Joe's), Ed Walline Regional Beach Access (Gulf Place), the Santa Clara Regional Beach Access (Seagrove), and Inlet Beach Regional Beach Access from 10 a.m. until 5.30 p.m. daily, through the lifeguard season. An interactive map of lifeguard towers and beach wheelchair locations is available here.

Each chair must be operated by an on-duty lifeguard and a beach wheelchair waiver must be signed by the beach wheelchair patron or their caregiver. It is requested that the beach patron limit the usage of the beach wheelchair to the beach area in the immediate area of the public beach access. In order to facilitate the possible need for multiple patrons, it is recommended that the beach patron's personal chair be used once the patron has reached their beach location.

Drone Information

What are the rules you need to know before flying your drone in South Walton? From FAA rules, regulations and guidelines to ordinances specific to Walton County, you can find a round-up of pertinent drone regulations by clicking here.

Other Services

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office can provide assistance through Project Lifesaver which makes it possible to locate lost Alzheimer's patients. Parties considering the service should call (850) 478-7790.