MANASOTA KEY, Fla. — For the first time in nearly a year, visitors are once again walking the shoreline at Stump Pass Beach State Park on Manasota Key.
The popular park had been closed since last year’s hurricanes while crews cleared debris and made repairs along the shoreline. Now the gates are open, and beachgoers say they’re relieved to return.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on the park reopening:
“Oh we were very excited when we saw the signs were gone,” said Jane Moore, who walked the reopened beach with her husband, Jim.
The scenery, however, has shifted. Hurricane Milton carved a wide new channel through the beach, now known as Milton Pass, linking the Gulf with Lemon Bay.
A Charlotte County spokesperson said the state has not yet decided whether to fill the pass, and that decision will depend on future state funding.
For longtime visitor Debbie Cook, the changes don’t take away from the park’s appeal.
“Oh yeah, it’s totally different,” she said. “I love it — I love it here, it’s just beautiful.”
The park is now open daily from sunrise to sunset. Temporary bathrooms are in place while permanent facilities undergo repairs, and parking remains $3.
