Why are South Walton beaches so white?

At the end of the last Ice Age 20,000 years ago, as the world warmed and ice caps melted, rivers carried huge volumes of water to the world's oceans. Among these rivers was the Apalachicola, which flowed to the Gulf from its source in the Appalachians (and still does). With the water came a gift: Tons upon tons of tiny quartz particles washed from mountain rock, deposited just 100 miles east of what is now Santa Rosa Beach. Our sand.

As the sea level continued to rise, these quartz sands eventually formed a new shoreline. The sands today continually replenish and reach as far west as the Pensacola Pass, their final destination.

Literally white as snow, South Walton sand feels a bit like talcum powder and is so fine that it sometimes squeaks when walked on. It stays cool even on the hottest days -- it won't burn your feet like darker sand can! And it conforms to the body under a towel like a custom-fit beach lounge.

Evening is a special time along our beaches. As the setting sun's rays stretch long along the beach, they pick up the soft blue violet hues of the sand and the pinks and golds of the sky. This special light draws photographers from all over, many of whom make their living shooting family portraits against this backdrop of pastels.

So now you know the "secret" to our sand: It's not really sand at all... It's made up of the pure crystal beauty of quartz!