Topsail Nature Preserve South End Rules: Why They Changed

The Point at the south end of Topsail Beach is open this fall, and it is not going anywhere. You'll have to walk to it, though. On September 11, 2026, the Town of Topsail Beach announced that beach driving, horseback riding and off-leash dogs are no longer allowed on the beach strand of the Topsail Nature Preserve. Beach driving and horseback riding permits will not be issued or renewed.

These rules are not a policy experiment that a town council could reverse next spring. They were built into the money that bought the land. If you fish the inlet, walk a dog out past the last houses, or remember loading the truck for a family day at the Point, the new South End is permanent. It took three years of effort to get here, and this fall is the first season it runs on its own terms.

What changed on September 11

The town's notice comes down to four points:

• Foot traffic stays. Anglers, walkers and anyone else can still reach the shoreline on foot.
• Permits end. No beach driving or horseback riding permits will be issued or renewed. The only motorized vehicles allowed are emergency, municipal and coastal management vehicles.
• Leashes, always. Dogs must be leashed at all times at the South End.
• Stay on the paths. Visitors are asked to use designated walkways, stay off the dunes and give nesting wildlife space.

The town didn't play down the cost. Its notice says that for decades, driving down to the inlet to fish and spend time with family has been "a treasured tradition," and calls balancing that with protecting the preserve "a difficult decision."

The state's list of prohibited activities on the preserve goes further than the town notice. It also bans glass containers, overnight camping, open fires, fireworks, leaving personal items overnight, and walking into the dunes and wetlands.

Why the town can't simply vote it back

The state's explanation is on the preserve page run by the NC Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Coastal Management, the agency that now manages the land:

"Each grant comes with its own stipulations for the management of the property, and the grantor has the right to recover their financial interest in the project if their stipulations are not followed. If even one grant prohibits an activity, that prohibition must be implemented on the site. In this case, three of the four grants do not consider beach driving an allowable use on properties purchased using their funds according to their grant agreement."

The size of those grants shows why. The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust closed on the property for $7.5 million, as reported by WilmingtonBiz. Public grants covered most of it: $3.15 million from the NC Land and Water Fund, $500,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and $1.9 million from two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grants. About 800 private donors added roughly $1.6 million more. The three USFWS and NFWF grants alone come to $2.4 million, and those are the kinds of grants that carry use restrictions. A grant that size can be pulled back if its terms are broken.

That makes the driving ban the condition that let the Point stay public. The state's page says the purchase could not have happened without every one of those grants.

How the Point got here

The road from private land to state preserve took about three years:

1. Late 2023. A plan to turn 20 acres of the Point into a family compound depended on a rezoning, and Port City Daily reported that the town planning board denied the request. Port City Daily tied the plan to an unnamed individual. StarNews reported that public reaction was swift and largely negative, and that the rezoning request was pulled in late 2023.
2. March 2024. The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust launched its campaign to save the South End.
3. April 29, 2025. The land trust closed on roughly 150 acres, which it described as 149-plus. The sellers were families who had owned the property since the 1960s. In the same deal, the Town of Topsail Beach bought a separate 1-acre parking parcel for $800,000, using a $350,000 CAMA public-access grant.
4. May 19, 2026. The state took over management, and the land became the Topsail Nature Preserve.
5. September 11, 2026. The town posted the new rules on driving, horses and dogs.
6. September 15, 2026. WECT reported that the state had launched an informational webpage for the preserve.

The September 15 date matters for another reason. It is the end of the waterbird nesting season, which the NC Wildlife Resources Commission protects from March 1 through September 15. In past years, fall was when the posted areas came down and the Point opened back up. The ropes still come down in fall, but the trucks are not coming back.

Getting to the inlet on foot this fall

The preserve entrance is at the end of Shore Line Drive, with parking and restrooms. The town describes the South End lot as being on the sound side by Serenity Point Townhomes, at the end of Shore Line Drive and Inlet Drive. That is the 1-acre parcel the town bought in 2025, so the closest parking to the Point is now public property.

Paid parking at the South End lot runs through October 31, with enforcement from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. After that, the season's paid-parking schedule ends. The town also plans to add more restrooms and an ADA-compliant ramp. The state's page says only that they are coming "soon" and gives no completion date.

The preserve, its beaches and the parking lot are scheduled to close for a few hours on Wednesday, October 7, while crews treat invasive common reed with herbicide. Port City Daily and WWAY both reported that it should reopen the same day. If you planned a walk that Wednesday, check that the preserve has reopened before you head out.

Sea turtles nest on Topsail Island from May through September, so a late nest could still be flagged in early fall. If you find a new one, call the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hotline at 910-329-0222. If you'd like to help, the state says management includes volunteer support through the Coastal Land Trust's stewardship volunteer program.

The rest of the south end's fall, by date

The preserve is the biggest change at the south end of the island, but plenty else is going on nearby. The fall calendar puts surf fishing, local history and a festival within a few miles of the Point:

1. Monday, October 5, 8 p.m. This is the registration deadline for the Historical Society of Topsail Island's October 8 luncheon lecture at 11 a.m. Historian David Cecelski will talk about North Carolina coastal oysters and oystering.
2. Friday, October 9. The Missiles and More Museum closes for the season. Until then it is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
3. October 16 to 18. The 37th Autumn with Topsail Festival takes over the Historic Assembly Building at 720 Channel Blvd., with free shuttles from Topsail Beach parking areas. Friday runs 5 to 7:30 p.m. with food, the beer and wine garden, and The Notorious Clam Slammers. The craft vendors are closed on Friday. Saturday opens with the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by more than 110 artists, The Carolina Band from noon to 3 p.m., and North Tower Band from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday has a second pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m., Band of Oz from 1 to 4 p.m., and silent auction winners announced at 2 p.m. Proceeds support the Historical Society of Topsail Island.
4. Saturday, October 31. The museum opens from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Halloween. The historical society and the museum are also running a free walking tour of about one mile, leaving the museum at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon. The route is paved and works for wheelchairs and strollers. It is also the last day of paid parking at the South End lot.
5. November 6 to 8. The Topsail Fall Surf and Pier Fishing Challenge covers Surf City, Topsail Beach and North Topsail Beach. The surf division is open to anglers fishing Topsail Island beaches. Headquarters and awards are at the tent in the East Coast Sports parking lot, and weigh-ins happen at Surf City Pier, East Coast Sports, Jolly Roger Pier and Seaview Pier.

For South End anglers, that November weekend will be the first big surf tournament under the new rules. Any fish caught at the inlet will have to be carried back out on foot.

If you're wondering how the preserve affects the value of a home near Shore Line Drive, or you'd like to talk through what owning on the south end looks like now that the Point is protected for good, Ariana Blevins knows this stretch of the island firsthand. Schedule a free consultation and bring your questions about the South End.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.