Taylor County Gulf Coast · Florida
Keaton Beach
- State
- Florida
- County
- Taylor County
- City / community
- Keaton Beach
Florida Big Bend · Taylor County Gulf Coast
A small Gulf beach for a relaxed sunset and shoreline stop, with seagrass flats and boating nearby. Confirm Hodges Park’s present fixtures and repair restrictions before setting out.
Good fit: A small Gulf beach for a relaxed sunset and shoreline stop, with seagrass flats and boating nearby. Confirm Hodges Park’s present fixtures and repair restrictions before setting out.
Plan around: Confirm Hodges Park’s usable pier, toilets and any rehabilitation barriers before arrival; neighboring ramp fixtures are separate.
PLAN THE BASICS
At a glance
- Dogs
- Unknown · clarification pendingDetails & restrictions
- Restrooms
- Unknown · clarification pendingDetails & restrictions
- Lifeguards
- Unknown · clarification pendingDetails & restrictions
- Public access
- Public accessDetails & restrictions
- Beach driving
- NoDetails & restrictions
Choose an entrance
Keaton Beach Drive
South end of Keaton Beach Drive at Hodges Park; separate from Keaton Coastal Park and boat ramp.
Official route / restriction details ↗Parking, route & accessibility evidence
Parking & entry: Use Hodges Park’s signed beach approach, not the separately charged boat-ramp arrival. Current beach parking fees, capacity and repair restrictions require county confirmation.
Parking source ↗Accessibility: No verified continuous Hodges arrival-to-sand route, mat or beach-wheelchair service was found. Historical ramp/park amenities do not establish current accessibility after storm damage.
Accessibility source ↗Open the county entrance directory ↗
Use the directory to check each entrance’s identity and status. Guide map pins are approximate shoreline locations, not turn-by-turn entrance directions or proof of current opening.
Known for
A small county beach, Gulf sunsets, fishing and seasonal scalloping outings from nearby launches.
Sources & review dates
known for
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Confirm Hodges Park’s usable pier, toilets and any rehabilitation barriers before arrival; neighboring ramp fixtures are separate.
Rules & facilities
Check before you go
Confirm Hodges Park’s present access, pier and toilets with county Public Works. A rehabilitation bid or older amenity description does not show completion or an open fixture.
Sources & review dates
check before you go
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Admission, payment & passes
Current Hodges beach admission/payment rules were not established. Boat-ramp fees, annual launch decals and historical neighborhood parking charges are separate from beach admission.
Sources & review dates
admission payment passes
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
What to bring & supporting visit details
Plan your visit
Check county repair/fixture information before driving to the small beach. Arrange food and lodging separately and distinguish your beach stop from any booked boat/scalloping trip.
Sources & review dates
plan your visit
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Public or private?
Public access
Who can visit: Open to the general public, including visitors, during permitted hours and subject to posted rules.
Entry route, fees & access boundaries
- Manager / access authority
- Taylor County manages Hodges Park’s public beach. Public Works states responsibility for maintenance of six county parks; the Coastal Park and boat ramp remain separate references.
- Access basis
- This listing covers a publicly managed beach access or park, not a private guest-only beach.
- Where to enter
- FWC and DEP identify Keaton’s county public beach. Use Hodges Park’s signed access; separate ramp fees and private neighborhood routes do not apply automatically to beach arrival.
- Fees & reservations
- Current Hodges beach admission/payment rules were not established. Boat-ramp fees, annual launch decals and historical neighborhood parking charges are separate from beach admission.
- Restrictions & exceptions
- Stay within the signed public beach/park route and obey repair barriers and marked swimming-area instructions. Private community beach names nearby do not establish public pedestrian access.
- What this label covers
- Named shoreline and supported arrival only; public access is separate from temporary closure.
Beach ownership, the route across land, public shoreline-use rights and access to facilities are separate questions. Rules vary by state and location. Use the identified public entrance or documented permission; neither a nearby resort nor an admission fee by itself establishes that a beach is private. A mapped beach is not permission to cross private property.
Access policy reviewed 2026-10-05. Not a live closure report or a property-boundary survey.
Allowed & prohibited activities
Alcohol: Alcohol rules are not confirmed for this beach.
What still needs confirmation
No current exact beach-specific alcohol rule was established in the reviewed manager pages. Restaurant bar service is separate from permission to bring alcohol onto this shore.
Fires and grills: Any permitted fire or grill areas still need confirmation. Follow the restrictions stated here.
What still needs confirmation
No current Hodges beach fire or designated grill rule was verified. A pavilion listing is not permission for a bonfire.
Overnight camping: Overnight beach camping permission is not confirmed.
What still needs confirmation
No county authorization to camp or stay overnight on Hodges Park sand was verified. Nearby paid lodging or campground advertising does not establish permission at the beach.
Shore fishing: Shore fishing rules are not confirmed for this beach.
What still needs confirmation
Keaton is an established angling destination, but current Hodges pier usability and shore-casting separation from the marked swimming area need county confirmation. Do not rely on a generic website’s no-license claim.
Sources & review dates
Alcohol · Fires and grills · Overnight camping
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Shore fishing
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
- Hours
- Current Hodges Park beach hours were not verified from a county operating notice. Use posted day-use instructions and confirm any repair restrictions; separate ramp hours are not beach hours.Keaton Beach · hours evidence ↗
- Dogs on the beach
- Exact Hodges beach dog permission remains unconfirmed. BringFido’s broad Keaton destination includes a dated visitor report saying it was not an approved dog beach; another secondary directory says dogs allowed. County rules must resolve the conflict.Keaton Beach · dogs evidence ↗
- Lifeguards
- No current guard program, season or tower-duty schedule was verified for this named shore. Do not treat a bathing area or shallow water as supervised coverage.Keaton Beach · lifeguards evidence ↗
- Restrooms
- FWC describes restrooms at Keaton’s small county beach, but their present usable condition after storm damage and rehabilitation has not been confirmed. Separate boat-ramp toilets are not transferred here; no shower is verified.Keaton Beach · restrooms showers evidence ↗
- Access & beach rules
- Stay within the signed public beach/park route and obey repair barriers and marked swimming-area instructions. Private community beach names nearby do not establish public pedestrian access.Keaton Beach · public access rules evidence ↗
- Beach driving
- Arrive by lawful roads and marked parking. Neither the public boat ramp nor neighborhood roads establish driving permission on Hodges sand.Keaton Beach · driving evidence ↗
Conditions & activities Surf, sand, wildlife and suitability
Conditions at the beach
Saved reports below are dated snapshots, not live conditions. JavaScript refreshes them from official sources when available. Source timestamps and tide times identify their time zone.
Weather observation
Saved report · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
80°F · Cloudy
- Perry-Foley Airport · 28.1 km from destination reference · nearby reporting station, not a beach sensor.
Observation: 2026-10-05T19:15:00+00:00.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T20:22:25.832Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-05T21:15:00.000Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
UV forecast
No current-hour UV estimate is shown in this saved page. Use sun protection; the live forecast loads when available.
Daily forecast
Saved report · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
Saved forecast for this beach’s NWS grid
- 2026-10-05T16:00:00-04:00–2026-10-05T18:00:00-04:00: This Afternoon · 78°F · Showers And Thunderstorms · wind 10 mph N
- 2026-10-05T18:00:00-04:00–2026-10-06T06:00:00-04:00: Tonight · 69°F · Showers And Thunderstorms · wind 5 to 10 mph ENE
Source issued/updated: 2026-10-05T20:15:26+00:00.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T20:22:25.970Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-05T22:00:00.000Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
High & low tides
Saved prediction · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
Hagens Cove. NOAA named Hagens Cove tide prediction reference about 2.6km straight-line away; at Bird Island Fishery, not recreation beach. Prediction registry and October 5-6 actual prediction probe verified. Sensor removed in 2022; predictions are not current local water observations, navigation or safe arrival advice. Predictions, not measured water levels or safe crossing times.
- 2026-10-05 00:34 · High tide
- 2026-10-05 05:12 · Low tide
- 2026-10-05 09:54 · High tide
- 2026-10-05 17:47 · Low tide
- 2026-10-06 00:39 · High tide
- 2026-10-06 06:08 · Low tide
- 2026-10-06 11:24 · High tide
- 2026-10-06 18:34 · Low tide
Prediction dates: 2026-10-05–2026-10-06 · station local time.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T20:22:25.413Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-06T20:22:25.413Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
Hagens Cove. NOAA named Hagens Cove tide prediction reference about 2.6km straight-line away; at Bird Island Fishery, not recreation beach. Prediction registry and October 5-6 actual prediction probe verified. Sensor removed in 2022; predictions are not current local water observations, navigation or safe arrival advice. Predictions, not measured water levels or safe crossing times.
NOAA tide station ↗NOAA swim & rip-current forecast
No usable dated snapshot available. Follow the official source link for updated information.
Forecast risk is not the flag flying at this beach. Conditions can vary within the forecast area.
Official local flag & condition status
Flag color: not currently verified
Check the named beach, posted restrictions and storm-repair notices. No dated observed flag feed is connected. Forecasts do not establish swimming safety or current opening.
The Beach Database does not convert weather or a rip-current forecast into a colored flag. Check flags and signs on arrival and ask a lifeguard where available.
Weather warnings & alerts
Saved report · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
No active NWS area alerts returned at the recorded check. This is not a current all-clear or a beach-closure check.
Source issued/updated: 2026-10-05T20:21:37+00:00.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T20:22:25.476Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-05T22:21:37.000Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
Weather alerts do not confirm swimming safety, lifeguard staffing, water quality or beach closures. No alert does not mean safe water.
Water quality
Official beach bacteria testing · Florida Healthy Beaches
Exact named active DOH sampling point: KEATON BEACH. A laboratory result describes its own sampling point and sample date, not every entrance or current swimming safety. Sample and retrieval dates are separate.
Saved laboratory results · not a current advisory check
KEATON BEACH
Historical result · Good
Sample collected: 2026-09-08 · 27 days ago. Sample time of day was not supplied by this report.
Enterococci: 10 per 100 mL.
Advisory in this sample report: No. Current status is not established by this older report.
Official report retrieved 2026-10-05T20:22:28.881Z. Sample dates are shown separately. This saved copy may be out of date; check current advisories.
Official Taylor County results ↗ · About Florida Healthy Beaches ↗
What these results mean
Enterococci are bacteria used to indicate possible fecal contamination. Florida describes 0–35 per 100 mL as Good, 36–70 as Moderate, and 71 or more as Poor. These are periodic laboratory samples, not continuous monitoring.
The Beach Database checks the official report daily, but Florida’s sampling schedule is generally weekly or biweekly. The check time and laboratory sample date are different. Samples more than 14 days old are marked older; that reminder is not an official advisory threshold.
A nearby station is identified by name and distance. Its result is context, not a sample taken at this beach. Testing does not rule out all pathogens, harmful algae, sewage spills or other hazards. Follow current posted advisories and closures.
Crowd meter
Editorial fit: a small public beach beside a fishing community. Seasonal scalloping can draw visitors, but there is no measured crowd or parking-occupancy forecast.
Sources & review dates
crowds
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Sand & sandcastles
The named county beach is a short sandy stretch within a largely wetland Big Bend coast. DEP’s January 2025 storm report describes minor beach/dune erosion and landward scour at Keaton after Helene.
Sources & review dates
sand shoreline
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Surfing profile
No reliable local source establishes a consistent surfing break or designated surf entry here. Shallow flats, tidal access and boat activity are the useful planning context.
Sources & review dates
surf
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Beachcombing
DEP identifies beachcombing at Keaton, but no detailed shelling rating or collecting rule for Hodges Park was verified. Scallop harvesting follows a separate seasonal program.
No reliable exact-location source establishes this shore as a shark-tooth or fossil destination. Do not infer collecting potential from a Gulf location.
Sources & review dates
shelling
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
shark teeth
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Snorkeling & scuba diving
FWC describes seasonal snorkeling for scallops off Keaton’s shallow flats. Offshore boating/snorkeling is distinct from the Hodges swimming area; check current harvest dates, boat access and dive-flag rules.
No verified scuba entry, depth assessment or shore-diving route was found for this beach. Sea Hag’s Steinhatchee dive shop advertises air fills and tank rentals for separate outings; that does not make this shoreline a shore dive.
Sources & review dates
snorkeling
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
scuba
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Shore & sky wildlife
FWC identifies shorebirds and seabirds at Keaton’s county beach and marine life in adjacent seagrass habitat. Watch from a distance without disturbing feeding birds.
Sources & review dates
wildlife
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
History & interesting facts
Keaton’s fishing-community history is widely described, but no exact primary foundation date or verified Hodges Park naming account was established in this review. Keep unconfirmed names and construction chronology out of the guide.
Sources & review dates
history
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
A closer look
Photos of this beach and its surroundings. Select a photo to view it larger. These are recorded views, not live conditions.
View larger ↗Keaton Beach at Hodges Park · DiscoverTaylor · CC BY-SA 4.0 · captured 2017-02-25; archival, not current access or conditions.
Taken: 2017-02-25Keaton Beach at Hodges Park · DiscoverTaylor · CC BY-SA 4.0
Resized/cropped for display; original colors retained. Adaptations retain the stated license.
View larger ↗Keaton Beach at Hodges Park · The Bushranger · CC BY-SA 4.0 · captured 2020-12-14; archival, not current access or conditions.
Taken: 2020-12-14Keaton Beach at Hodges Park · The Bushranger · CC BY-SA 4.0
Resized/cropped for display; original colors retained. Adaptations retain the stated license.
Food, stays & rentals
EXTEND YOUR BEACH DAY
Food & drink nearby
Local dining recommendations
Local dining recommendations: Roy’s Restaurant lists 100 1st Avenue SW in Steinhatchee for a separate meal stop. It requires a road transfer from this beach; confirm the current menu and service before setting out. No on-site food concession was verified.
Sources & review dates
dining
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Accommodations by the beach
Sea Hag’s Shacks advertises updated bungalows and motel lodging in Steinhatchee. This requires a road transfer from this shore and is not on-beach accommodation. Confirm the booked property and present service.
Sources & review dates
accommodations
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Activities & rentals
Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee advertises 24-foot rental boats, bait/tackle and scalloping equipment. This is a separate marina service, not a concession or guaranteed meeting point at this beach; obtain the operator’s exact departure instructions.
Sources & review dates
commercial activities rentals
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Explore nearby beaches
Sources & review date
Guide desk research reviewed 2026-10-05; this is not a field-by-field current verification or an on-site inspection. Official facts, dated agency evidence and editorial assessments retain their own scope. Unknowns and conflicts remain open. Methodology · Rating explanations · Correction history
- Keaton Beach managing authority ↗
- Keaton Beach · hours evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · dogs evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · lifeguards evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · restrooms showers evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · public access rules evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · driving evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · parking entry evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · accessibility evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · sand shoreline evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · surf evidence ↗
- Keaton Beach · water quality evidence ↗
Photo: Keaton Beach at Hodges Park by DiscoverTaylor · CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped for display; adaptations retain this license.
Visitor experiences
Original, moderated reviews and photographs. Visit dates and entrances provide context; visitor ratings and reports do not replace official facts or current conditions.
Read approved visitor experiences here when available.