For decades, plenty of people got to New Topsail Inlet by driving down the beach strand with a permit and their fishing gear in the truck bed. The Town of Topsail Beach calls that drive to the inlet to fish and spend time with family "a treasured tradition." That tradition ended this fall.
The Point is now the Topsail Nature Preserve. About 150 acres of beach, dunes, wetlands and scrub forest are managed by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, and the only way onto the sand is on foot. So the one acre at the end of Shore Line Drive matters a lot more than it used to. The Town owns it, not the state, and it is now how every angler, dog walker and birder gets in.
The Acre the Town Paid For Separately
The conservation deal had two parts. On April 29, 2025, the N.C. Coastal Land Trust closed on the south end after raising nearly $8 million from almost 800 donors and several public grant programs. In the same transaction, a one-acre piece that included the existing parking area and the land around it was sold to the Town of Topsail Beach.
Port City Daily published how the money came together in January 2025:
| Funding source | Amount reported in January 2025 |
|---|---|
| North Carolina Land and Water Fund | $3.15 million |
| Two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant programs | $1.9 million |
| Individual donors | More than $1.5 million |
| Town of Topsail Beach purchase of the parking lot and adjacent land | $800,000 |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | $500,000 |
The Town's $800,000 share was more than the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's grant. According to the same report, the Town received a $350,000 CAMA Public Access grant toward the lot, and that grant required a match. "We would be responsible for an additional $450,000 to complete the acquisition," Town Manager Doug Shipley told Port City Daily. The donor total grew as the campaign wrapped up, and the Land Trust later reported more than $1.6 million from donors.
The state formally took over management of the rest of the Point at a ribbon cutting on May 19, 2026, according to the StarNews. The Land Trust says the Division of Coastal Management plans to seek dedication under the State Nature Preserves Act. It also says the division does not intend to add the site to the N.C. Coastal Reserve system, which includes Masonboro Island.
What Changed Past the Lot
The Town's September 11, 2026 notice laid out the new rules for the preserve's beach strand:
- Beach driving and horseback riding are no longer permitted.
- Driving and horseback permits will no longer be issued or renewed.
- Only emergency, municipal and coastal management vehicles may drive on the preserve.
- Dogs must be leashed at all times at the south end.
- Walkers and anglers are still welcome on the shoreline on foot.
The Town called the change "a difficult decision" and said it weighed protection of the dunes and nesting habitat against long-standing uses. The Division of Coastal Management's preserve page lists more prohibited activities. Visitors may not enter dunes, wetlands or posted nesting areas. Glass containers, litter, pet waste left behind, overnight camping and hunting are also off-limits. The state launched that online guide on September 15, 2026, and said it would add information over time. This is general information, not legal advice. The Town notice and the state page above are the official word on what is allowed.
The preserve also closed for a stretch this fall while crews treated invasive common reed, or Phragmites. The Town announced on October 7, 2026 that the beach and the parking lot had reopened.
Winter Is When the Lot Is Free
The Town lists the south end lot as Sound Access #1. Paid parking runs every day from March 1 through October 31, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Over the same months the oceanfront lots charge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Town says that parking revenue pays for regular beach maintenance and nourishment. That puts late November through February outside the paid season.
One rule applies all year. The Town says Sound Access #1 is the only lot that closes every night, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and overnight parking is not allowed. In the drive-on years, a vehicle could sit out at the inlet. Now an evening on the sand at the Point has to end with a walk back to a lot that closes at 10.
The state says parking and restrooms are available at the preserve entrance. It also says the Town "will be making additional restrooms and an ADA compliant ramp available soon."
Walking Out to Fish the Surf
The inlet is still open to anyone who walks there. Port City Daily has described the undisturbed stretch at the Point as 2.5 miles of sand, dune and ocean, so how far you walk depends on how far out you want to fish.
The Topsail.Fish weekly summary for November 4, 2026 covers the whole Topsail area rather than the Point specifically. It reported a surf bite for red drum, spot, Virginia mullet and the occasional speckled trout, and said wind was affecting the oceanfront. Inshore, it reported speckled trout in the New River and nearby waterways, red drum still active in the sounds and creeks, and black drum as another option. The October 28 report also named red drum and speckled trout as strong late-fall targets in the inlets and channels.
When everything has to be carried, packing light helps. For bait on the way down the island, East Coast Sports at 409 Roland Ave. in Surf City lists fresh shrimp and worms, frozen bait, and seasonal live fiddler crabs, bloodworms and mud minnows.
The Birds That Got the Strand Back
The new rules exist mainly to protect nesting habitat. Each spring the effort shows up as roped-off areas. In April 2026, volunteers worked with Audubon to set up a roped and signed bird nesting area at the south end, according to Conserve The Point. The same group reported 1,146 nesting pairs of least terns on nearby Lea-Hutaff Island in 2026, about a third of North Carolina's population.
The inlet also draws birds in the cold months. A 2012 Coastal Review account of Audubon North Carolina's Lea-Hutaff surveys found that Nelson's and seaside sparrows gather there in fall and winter. The same account counted 1,300 to 1,400 dunlin on the island the winter before it was published. The Land Trust says the south end also supports loggerhead sea turtles, Wilson's plovers, willets and more than 30 priority bird species, plus the rare seabeach amaranth on the open beach.
To help, the state's preserve page points people to the Coastal Land Trust's stewardship volunteer program. The South Topsail Steward program includes cleanup workdays, wildlife monitoring, setting up bird areas with Audubon, and guided walks. It requires no experience, and you can sign up by emailing [email protected]. For other cleanups and community events, Conserve The Point takes inquiries at [email protected].
Holiday Dates on the South Half of the Island
The holiday events on the south half of the island start Thanksgiving weekend and run into mid-December:
- November 27 to 29. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center runs guided tours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are required, but you can visit the gift shop during tour hours without a ticket. More tours follow on December 5 and 12.
- Saturday, November 28, 4:30 p.m. The Town of Topsail Beach holds its Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony, and residents can sign up to drive a decorated car or truck in the lineup.
- Saturday, December 5. The Greater Topsail Area Chamber's Christmas Market opens at 11 a.m. at Soundside Park in Surf City, with handmade gifts, food trucks and entertainment. That evening, the Topsail Christmas Flotilla leaves Bush Marina in Topsail Beach at 5 p.m. and reaches Soundside Park around 6 p.m., weather permitting. Watching is free.
At Chris Luther, we follow changes like the Point's new access rules because they affect how a Topsail Beach home is used day to day, and that matters when it's time to set a price. If you own near the south end and want to know how the walk-in preserve figures into your home's value, Request Your Free Coastal Home Valuation.
