Experiences
Bring your fishing pole for wade fishing on St. Joseph Bay.
- All fishing within the park must conform to regulations concerning size, number, method of capture and season. A fishing license may be required. More information is available at the Florida Wildlife Commission’s Fishing in Florida.
The Gulf of Mexico provides an excellent place to swim. The waters are clear and relatively shallow.
- There are no lifeguards on-duty and you should be familiar with the risk associated with swimming in open water.
- Rip tides and marine hazards can cause harm and at times be deadly.
- Be sure to take a friend and let others know your plans, and it is always best to wear a lifejacket or carry flotation when swimming in open waters.
When weather permits, the Olympic-size swimming pool with a wheelchair ramp will open for swimming.
Amenities
William J. “Billy Joe” Rish Recreation Area is committed to providing a variety of accessible amenities for visitors:
- Event hall.
- Boardwalk to the one-mile sugar sand beach.
- Beach wheelchairs. No charge. First-come, first served. Ask at the event hall.
- Outdoor shower/rinse stations.
- Olympic-size swimming pool with wheelchair ramp (opening soon).
- Changing rooms.
- Picnic facilities.
Service animals are welcome in all areas of the park.
The park offers white sandy beaches. Swimming, shelling, snorkeling and just relaxing on the beach are the most popular activities. Sea turtle and shorebirds nest on the beach in summer months.
- Please stay off the dunes, and do not disturb sea turtle nests or enter shore bird nesting areas.
- Pets are not permitted on the beach at the state park. Review our pet policy
- Visitors to coastal parks are reminded to pay close attention to the Warning Flag Signs posted at welcome stations and on the beaches. These flags indicate the swimming conditions at the beach:
- Double red flags mean absolutely no swimming because of high winds and undertow currents
- Red flag means high hazards, such as high surf and/or strong currents, swim at your own risk. Knee deep is too deep.
- Yellow flag means swim with caution and stay close to shore
- Green flag means that the waters are safe
- Purple flag means that marine pests are present.
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The park has a boardwalk to the beach and also offers two beach wheelchairs. These amenities are offered first-come, first-served. Arrangements for use of these devices can be made at the visitor center.
- Please use caution as lifeguards are not provided.
Pets are not allowed on beaches, along the natural shoreline, in the pool area or on the boardwalks. In the areas where pets are allowed, they must be on a six-foot, hand-held leash and be well behaved at all times.
For more information, see the official Pet Policy.
Service animals are welcome in all areas of the park.
William J. “Billy Joe” Rish Recreation Area is committed to providing a variety of accessible amenities for visitors:
- Visitor center / event hall.
- Boardwalk to the one-mile sugar sand beach.
- Outdoor shower/rinse stations.
- Olympic-size swimming pool with wheelchair ramp (coming soon).
- Changing rooms.
- Picnic facilities.
- Beach wheelchairs. No charge. To use them, visitors can ask at the visitor center/event hall. Two non-motorized and two motorized chairs are available. If one is available, you will receive a short tutorial and be asked to sign a form. Each chair can be used for up to four hours. First-come, first-served. There are also two non-motorized chairs available.
Service animals are welcome in all areas of Florida State Parks.