Topsail Hill Sites Being Repaired??

[Dutch_Oven_Man]

I noticed April 15, 16 and 17th has quite a few sites "x'd" out and are unavailable to rent. They look to be all of the sites that have the broken up concrete, sites 57-90.

I wonder if they are blocking out those dates for repairs? I sure hope so, you just about break a leg on some of those sites, and the road is almost washed out.

[padredw]

Just to say "Thank You" for the Florida State Park system. Our first camping in a Florida state park was in 1962. We made our way all around the coastline beginning at Ft. Pickens which was then a state park and going all the way around via Everglades National Park and Miami up to Ormand Beach State Park. We were young and didn't know any better than to move every day--and that was in a borrowed tent.

Since then we've been back many times, mostly to Ft. Pickens (now in the National Seashore) and St. Andrews at Panama City, but have also stayed at Manatee Springs, Topsail Hill, and others.

Thank you, Florida State Parks.

BTW, we have some pretty good state parks here in Texas, and especially here in northeast Texas in the rolling hills and piney woods.

[Dog_Folks]

To brag a little more: The Florida State park system has won the best state park in the nation award, THREE times.

No other state park system has even won twice.

The system motto is "The Real Florida" and everyone works hard to meet that goal.

[magnusfide]

Dog Folks wrote:

W4RLR wrote:
Want the same amenities at other state park campgrounds? Be prepared to pay through the nose for them, as Florida won't invest the money into the state park system, they just buy more and more land they can't afford to maintain under the guise of "Florida Forever".

As I Floridian, I must take exception to the above statement.

Florida presently has a number of campgrounds with new or completely refurbished campgrounds.

Myakka River state park has a brand new section that competes with the best private campground. Water sewer, electric. Level gravel sites. New bathhouses. $ 26.00 per night.

Suwannee River campground has the same. $22.00 a night.

Collier Seminole is presently being revamped.

These are just a few that I can think of.

Sir, you statement is just not true.

Florida IS investing in the state park system.

Prices are most reasonable when compared to other states.

Agreed. $$ outlays are often on a rota and it's Topsail's turn at the cash. Florida has some fine state parks. Herself and I prefer to stay in state parks with their more natural settings instead of the parking lot style layouts of many private cgs.

[Dog_Folks]

W4RLR wrote:
Want the same amenities at other state park campgrounds? Be prepared to pay through the nose for them, as Florida won't invest the money into the state park system, they just buy more and more land they can't afford to maintain under the guise of "Florida Forever".

As I Floridian, I must take exception to the above statement.

Florida presently has a number of campgrounds with new or completely refurbished campgrounds.

Myakka River state park has a brand new section that competes with the best private campground. Water sewer, electric. Level gravel sites. New bathhouses. $ 26.00 per night.

Suwannee River campground has the same. $22.00 a night.

Collier Seminole is presently being revamped.

These are just a few that I can think of.

Sir, you statement is just not true.

Florida IS investing in the state park system.

Prices are most reasonable when compared to other states.

[W4RLR]

wbwood wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:

wbwood wrote:
They are probably putting the money where the money is being spent. Topsail is more than likely the most popular state park outside of the keys. Or at least in the upper peninsula region.

FYI. I checked and Topsail is not even in the top ten!!

Honeymoon Island State Park - 1,044,295 visitors

Cross Florida Greenway - 998,927 visitors

St. Andrews State Park - 893,102 visitors

Lovers Key State Park - 846,012 visitors

Gasparilla Island State Park - 799,811 visitors

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - 769,751 visitors

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park - 657,184 visitors

Sebastian Inlet State Park - 598,459 visitors

Bahia Honda State Park - 582,093 visitors

Although visitation is a factor, I would not believe the only factor when considering the allocation of repair funds.

Interesting figures.

I mentioned upper peninsula area...saw Bahia Honda mentioned which is in the keys...I've only heard of a few of these state parks...Do all of these have campgrounds?

Most of those parks are in south Florida or west central Florida, where most of the population is, therefore there would be more visitors there. In the panhandle, not as much population thus not as many visitors. Ever wonder why a section of the panhandle is referred to as "The Forgotten Coast"?

[W4RLR]

fla-gypsy wrote:
I wish they would quit wasting so much money on this make believe SP CG and spend a few dollars on the others that have been neglected so long.

The state of Florida bought Topsail Hill from a private developer and turned it into a state park. Thus the amenities at Topsail are not like other Florida state park campgrounds. Want the same amenities at other state park campgrounds? Be prepared to pay through the nose for them, as Florida won't invest the money into the state park system, they just buy more and more land they can't afford to maintain under the guise of "Florida Forever".

[Dog_Folks]

wbwood: Not all have campgrounds. Florida does not break them out, and these figures are from them.

Campgrounds or not, they are in the mix for available money and repair.

[wbwood]

Dog Folks wrote:

wbwood wrote:
They are probably putting the money where the money is being spent. Topsail is more than likely the most popular state park outside of the keys. Or at least in the upper peninsula region.

FYI. I checked and Topsail is not even in the top ten!!

Honeymoon Island State Park - 1,044,295 visitors

Cross Florida Greenway - 998,927 visitors

St. Andrews State Park - 893,102 visitors

Lovers Key State Park - 846,012 visitors

Gasparilla Island State Park - 799,811 visitors

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - 769,751 visitors

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park - 657,184 visitors

Sebastian Inlet State Park - 598,459 visitors

Bahia Honda State Park - 582,093 visitors

Although visitation is a factor, I would not believe the only factor when considering the allocation of repair funds.

Interesting figures.

I mentioned upper peninsula area...saw Bahia Honda mentioned which is in the keys...I've only heard of a few of these state parks...Do all of these have campgrounds?

[beachcomber_1]

Can use those numbers, some of those parks get high weekend local traffic.

[Dog_Folks]

wbwood wrote:
They are probably putting the money where the money is being spent. Topsail is more than likely the most popular state park outside of the keys. Or at least in the upper peninsula region.

FYI. I checked and Topsail is not even in the top ten!!

Honeymoon Island State Park - 1,044,295 visitors

Cross Florida Greenway - 998,927 visitors

St. Andrews State Park - 893,102 visitors

Lovers Key State Park - 846,012 visitors

Gasparilla Island State Park - 799,811 visitors

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - 769,751 visitors

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park - 657,184 visitors

Sebastian Inlet State Park - 598,459 visitors

Bahia Honda State Park - 582,093 visitors

Although visitation is a factor, I would not believe the only factor when considering the allocation of repair funds.

Interesting figures.

[wbwood]

fla-gypsy wrote:
I wish they would quit wasting so much money on this make believe SP CG and spend a few dollars on the others that have been neglected so long.

They are probably putting the money where the money is being spent. Topsail is more than likely the most popular state park outside of the keys. Or at least in the upper peninsula region. Makes no sense to put money in places that is not generating the same kind of money. The repairs are probably on the roads and sites that were there before it was a state park. When we were there last april/may, it was terrible. Our site was fine, but the road was really washed out and rutted. It wasn't like that 2 years before (last time we were there).

[magnusfide]

sch911 wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:
I wish they would quit wasting so much money on this make believe SP CG and spend a few dollars on the others that have been neglected so long.

I respect your opinion, but totally disagree. I think you'll find that every state has it's challenges when it comes to adequate funding for their SP's. I can't say for sure but Topsail is most likely getting only their share of the pie, and IMHO putting it to good use!

Agree with sch911.

[Dog_Folks]

Checking the reservation site shows ALL of the RV sites are reserved.

Just real busy?

Usually information about construction etc. is located in the "alerts" section of the website. None there for Topsail.

[edatlanta]

X2 fla-gypsy.

[sch911]

fla-gypsy wrote:
I wish they would quit wasting so much money on this make believe SP CG and spend a few dollars on the others that have been neglected so long.

I respect your opinion, but totally disagree. I think you'll find that every state has it's challenges when it comes to adequate funding for their SP's. I can't say for sure but Topsail is most likely getting only their share of the pie, and IMHO putting it to good use!