Yet again, Volusia County is faced with rebuilding a storm-damaged walkway that has long attracted fishermen, tourists and beach goers to Ponce Inlet, an area viewed as one of the “jewels” of the coastal county.
On Oct. 11, high tides and rough surf from a nor’easter that moved up the Atlantic coast destroyed a portion of the long wooden walkway near the famous Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, overturning beams and tossing wood into the water. The walkway led to a rocky jetty.
“It’s such an extremely popular place to enjoy beautiful sunrises and sunsets,” Lois Paritsky, the town’s mayor, said of the wooden path. “It is just terrible.”
It was the second time in as many months that strong weather mangled the walkway, which had been closed since September when Tropical Storm Imelda damaged part of the structure.
The latest destruction comes about a year after Hurricane Milton in October 2024 destroyed a large portion of the walkway. It was rebuilt and re-opened to the public in late May.
The county’s long-term solution is to construct a more durable concrete structure, but that plan is years away as it slogs through a morass of federal government approvals. If that plan gets the go ahead, the wooden walkway would be replaced with a concrete deck between the jetty and the county’s Lighthouse Point Park.
In the meantime, county officials say the short-term plan is to rebuild the wooden structure.
There is an existing concrete walkway along the jetty that was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — which owns the jetty — decades ago, and it has remained nearly unscathed through hurricanes and storms over the years.
Volusia currently has an application with the Corps to build the concrete extension. It needs the organization’s approval because a concrete walkway would be considered a permanent structure, according to federal regulations.
A concrete walkway “will provide a more durable and storm-resilient solution,” county spokesman Clayton Jackson said.
“The jetty is one of the most popular destinations along Volusia County’s coast, drawing both residents and visitors year-round,” he said in an email. “Maintaining safe access to this area is a priority.”
In the meantime, Volusia will wait until after the Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30 to begin work on a new and temporary walkway. Until it’s complete, county officials urge visitors not to climb the rocks to reach the concrete jetty walkway.
A closed sign on the boardwalk that used to connect to the jetty pier,at Ponce Inlet in Lighthouse Point Park, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. The boardwalk sustained heavy damage with a large portion washing out during high tides and rough surf conditions on Saturday. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Volusia Council member Jake Johansson called Lighthouse Point Park, at the mouth of the Ponce de Leon Inlet, “one of the jewels” of the county.
“That park, along with the entire 34 miles of our coast, are an integral part of our tourism,” he said. “But rebuilding the walkway, it can’t be done right away.”
County officials could not provide a cost estimate for a new wooden walkway, as the project would still have to be approved by the Volusia Council.
“We still have to look into it. But I’m not interested in throwing a lot of taxpayer money into it,” Johansson said.
The park and walkway sit about half a mile — easy walking distance — from the well-visited Ponce Lighthouse and Museum, designated a National Historic Landmark and built in the late 19th century. Visitors can climb 203 steps to reach the top of the 175-foot lighthouse and be rewarded with views of the Atlantic Ocean, the inlet, and the Intracoastal Waterway.
Justin Ford, owner of the 92 Tackle fishing store in DeLand, called it “disappointing” that the walkway leading to the jetty was destroyed and will likely stay closed for weeks.
It’s long been popular for ocean surf fishermen, who cast their lines from the jetty with hopes of hooking a redfish, snook, flounder or black drum.
“It’s not just for fishermen,” he added. “It’s people wanting to walk their dog or just going out there to enjoy the water.”
