Gulf Islands National Seashore

United_States

Gulf Islands National Seashore is a National Seashore along the Gulf of Mexico in the United States of America.

This 12-unit National Park protects barrier islands along the Gulf Coast of the states of Mississippi and Florida; islands in Alabama are not included, and are part of state parks instead. The two state units are about a two hour drive apart. Gulf Islands National Seashore offers historical exploration, camping, recreational options and some of the finest white sand beaches. Many areas are closed with storm damage - the list changes frequently, so check right before you plan to visit.

  • Park Headquarters +1 850-934-2600

The Gulf Islands National Seashore includes many areas of historical interest. In Florida, Don Tristan de Luna founded the first attempt at a Spanish settlement in the mainland U.S. on Santa Rosa Island; this later became the city of Pensacola. Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas, and the ruins of Fort McRee are all part of the National Seashore, and all were important during the Civil War. The Naval Live Oaks Reservation on the mainland is a relic of the era of wooden ships. This forest of curvy live oaks was purchased in 1828 by the U.S. government during the Adams administration, in order to ensure a continuous supply of the wood for the navy who preferred the hard, curved wood for ship hulls. In the 1970s, the U.S. government reasserted its right to the forest in court after Florida attempted to sell the land to private citizens. This led to the authorization of the Gulf Islands National Seashore on January 8, 1971, in order to protect the forest and all the government-owned islands nearby for future generations. The Mississippi islands were added to the park later, in 1978, in order to protect the pristine natural habitats there from development.

With the exception of the Naval Live Oaks Preservation in Florida and Davis Bayou in Mississippi, which are on the mainland, the Gulf Islands National Seashore is located on barrier islands. These islands are famous for their natural, bright white sand, which is composed of quartz and washes down from the Appalachian Mountains. Sand dunes form naturally near the coast, and further inland, scraggly pine tree forests make a living among the sandy soil.

Of the seven species of sea turtles, four nest at Gulf Islands National Seashore. Human development on the islands scared away many of the sea turtles, but conservation efforts have increased the number of nests in the park almost tenfold. There are twenty endangered species that live in the park. The most well-known is the Perdido Key beach mouse, a tiny mouse that lives in the sand dunes, and which was the cause of arguments and lawsuits between developers, residents, environmentalists, and the park service. Today, the lack of condominiums on Perdido Key can be attributed to the beach mouse.

The islands host a unique dune habitat; wind and waves blow sand into large piles, which are held in place by the root systems of beach grass and sea oats. Before this relationship between grass and dunes was understood, the plants were treated as a weed and were removed, leaving the dunes vulnerable to hurricanes. Hurricanes Erin and Opal in 1995 destroyed most of the dune habitat on the islands in Florida, but replanting efforts of sea oats and grass have slowly started to bring the dunes back. It's now illegal to remove plant life from the sand dunes.

The Seashore is sunny and warm most of the year. June through September are the most humid months and afternoon thunderstorms are common. The Seashore has been hit by numerous hurricanes throughout the years. Hurricane season is June through November.

Entrance fees: Per Pedestrian/cyclist (7 days) $3; Per Vehicle (7 days) $8; GUIS Annual Pass $ 25.00. Fees also apply for camping. See Sleep section below.

  • Fort Pickens, Fort Pickens Road (closed to cars in 2006), western Santa Rosa Island, +1 850-934-2600. Daily 8AM-sunset. Built to defend Pensacola Bay in the 1830s. Self-guided tours open to hikers, bikers, and boaters. It saw heavy use in the Civil War and World War II.
  • Naval Live Oaks Center, +1 850-934-2600. Off Highway 98, Gulf Breeze, FL. Daily 8:30AM to 4:30PM. An indoor hands-on exhibit on shipbuilding with Live Oak wood. Beaches and trails.
  • Fort Barrancas Area Visitor Center, Taylor Road (about a half mile east from the Museum of Naval Aviation, +1 850-455-5167. March–October at 9:30AM-4:45PM and November–February at 8:30AM-3:45PM. This center shows a 15-minute slide presentation on the history of Pensacola during the Civil War and has exhibits related to the fort. Bookstore, restrooms.
    • Fort Barrancas. Tours daily at 2PM. Constructed 1839-1844, it was one of four forts built to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard.
    • Bateria de San Antonio. Stands at the base of the barranca, or bluff, just below. It retains some of the Spanish ornamentation, and includes a rifle gallery and rear wall added by U. S. Army engineers. An underground passage connects the Water Battery to Fort Barrancas.
    • Advanced Redoubt. Daily from November–February 8:30AM-3:45PM; March- October 9:30AM-4:45PM. One hour tours Sa 11AM. Reached by the half-mile "Trench Trail" from the visitor center. It was built from 1845 to 1870 to defend the northern side of the peninsula from land-based attack.
  • Fort Massachusetts. On West Ship Island twelve miles off the Mississippi coastline is reachable by boat or ferry from Gulfport, MS. Visitors must be prepared for sun and lack of water on the island. Bathrooms, a concession, and water are available on board the ferries. Visitors are required to pack out everything they bring to the island. A one-third mile trek is required to reach the Gulf beach on the island's south side. Large ice chests, wagons, bulky items, and glass containers are prohibited on the ferries. Ranger-guided tours are offered March–October.

Fort Pickens, Fort Pickens Road (closed to cars in 2006), western Santa Rosa Island, +1 850-934-2600. Daily 8AM-sunset. Built to defend Pensacola Bay in the 1830s. Self-guided tours open to hikers, bikers, and boaters. It saw heavy use in the Civil War and World War II.

Naval Live Oaks Center, +1 850-934-2600. Off Highway 98, Gulf Breeze, FL. Daily 8:30AM to 4:30PM. An indoor hands-on exhibit on shipbuilding with Live Oak wood. Beaches and trails.

Fort Barrancas Area Visitor Center, Taylor Road (about a half mile east from the Museum of Naval Aviation, +1 850-455-5167. March–October at 9:30AM-4:45PM and November–February at 8:30AM-3:45PM. This center shows a 15-minute slide presentation on the history of Pensacola during the Civil War and has exhibits related to the fort. Bookstore, restrooms.

  • Fort Barrancas. Tours daily at 2PM. Constructed 1839-1844, it was one of four forts built to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard.
  • Bateria de San Antonio. Stands at the base of the barranca, or bluff, just below. It retains some of the Spanish ornamentation, and includes a rifle gallery and rear wall added by U. S. Army engineers. An underground passage connects the Water Battery to Fort Barrancas.
  • Advanced Redoubt. Daily from November–February 8:30AM-3:45PM; March- October 9:30AM-4:45PM. One hour tours Sa 11AM. Reached by the half-mile "Trench Trail" from the visitor center. It was built from 1845 to 1870 to defend the northern side of the peninsula from land-based attack.

Fort Barrancas Area Visitor Center, Taylor Road (about a half mile east from the Museum of Naval Aviation, +1 850-455-5167. March–October at 9:30AM-4:45PM and November–February at 8:30AM-3:45PM. This center shows a 15-minute slide presentation on the history of Pensacola during the Civil War and has exhibits related to the fort. Bookstore, restrooms.

  • Fort Barrancas. Tours daily at 2PM. Constructed 1839-1844, it was one of four forts built to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard.
  • Bateria de San Antonio. Stands at the base of the barranca, or bluff, just below. It retains some of the Spanish ornamentation, and includes a rifle gallery and rear wall added by U. S. Army engineers. An underground passage connects the Water Battery to Fort Barrancas.
  • Advanced Redoubt. Daily from November–February 8:30AM-3:45PM; March- October 9:30AM-4:45PM. One hour tours Sa 11AM. Reached by the half-mile "Trench Trail" from the visitor center. It was built from 1845 to 1870 to defend the northern side of the peninsula from land-based attack.

Fort Barrancas Area Visitor Center, Taylor Road (about a half mile east from the Museum of Naval Aviation, +1 850-455-5167. March–October at 9:30AM-4:45PM and November–February at 8:30AM-3:45PM. This center shows a 15-minute slide presentation on the history of Pensacola during the Civil War and has exhibits related to the fort. Bookstore, restrooms.

  • Fort Barrancas. Tours daily at 2PM. Constructed 1839-1844, it was one of four forts built to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard.
  • Bateria de San Antonio. Stands at the base of the barranca, or bluff, just below. It retains some of the Spanish ornamentation, and includes a rifle gallery and rear wall added by U. S. Army engineers. An underground passage connects the Water Battery to Fort Barrancas.
  • Advanced Redoubt. Daily from November–February 8:30AM-3:45PM; March- October 9:30AM-4:45PM. One hour tours Sa 11AM. Reached by the half-mile "Trench Trail" from the visitor center. It was built from 1845 to 1870 to defend the northern side of the peninsula from land-based attack.

Fort Barrancas Area Visitor Center, Taylor Road (about a half mile east from the Museum of Naval Aviation, +1 850-455-5167. March–October at 9:30AM-4:45PM and November–February at 8:30AM-3:45PM. This center shows a 15-minute slide presentation on the history of Pensacola during the Civil War and has exhibits related to the fort. Bookstore, restrooms.

  • Fort Barrancas. Tours daily at 2PM. Constructed 1839-1844, it was one of four forts built to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard.
  • Bateria de San Antonio. Stands at the base of the barranca, or bluff, just below. It retains some of the Spanish ornamentation, and includes a rifle gallery and rear wall added by U. S. Army engineers. An underground passage connects the Water Battery to Fort Barrancas.
  • Advanced Redoubt. Daily from November–February 8:30AM-3:45PM; March- October 9:30AM-4:45PM. One hour tours Sa 11AM. Reached by the half-mile "Trench Trail" from the visitor center. It was built from 1845 to 1870 to defend the northern side of the peninsula from land-based attack.

Fort Massachusetts. On West Ship Island twelve miles off the Mississippi coastline is reachable by boat or ferry from [[Gulfport]], MS. Visitors must be prepared for sun and lack of water on the island. Bathrooms, a concession, and water are available on board the ferries. Visitors are required to pack out everything they bring to the island. A one-third mile trek is required to reach the Gulf beach on the island's south side. Large ice chests, wagons, bulky items, and glass containers are prohibited on the ferries. Ranger-guided tours are offered March–October.

  • Naval Live Oaks has nine hiking trails including the Andrew Jackson Trail which, like numerous other trails in Northwest Florida, claims to be a trail that Andrew Jackson used during his military campaign here.
  • Florida Trail. Also runs between Santa Rosa Island and Big Cypress National Preserve.

Florida Trail. Also runs between Santa Rosa Island and [[Big Cypress National Preserve]].

  • Naval Live Oaks - A paved 2.5-mile section of the 40-mile bike loop that runs alongside US Highway 98.
  • Fort Pickens - The Fort Pickens Road, extends from the entrance gate to the west end of the island - a 14-mile round-trip. There is a well-marked bike trail on both sides of the road, extending about 4 miles in from the entrance of the park.
  • Perdido Key - A 5-mile route runs from the entrance gate to the end of the Perdido Key Road.
  • Davis Bayou Area - Mississippi's 15.5-mile round-trip Live Oaks Bicycle Route connects to the town of Ocean Springs at the Old Louisville and Nashville Train Depot. Green and white bike-route signs on the right side of the city streets mark the route. Maps are available at the Gulf Islands Visitor Contact Station and the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Davis Bayou Area - Mississippi's 15.5-mile round-trip Live Oaks Bicycle Route connects to the town of Ocean Springs at the Old Louisville and Nashville Train Depot. Green and white bike-route signs on the right side of the city streets mark the route. Maps are available at the Gulf Islands Visitor Contact Station and the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce.

There is no food or drinks available inside park boundaries, so you'll need to find other options. In Florida, all parts of Gulf Islands National Seashore are near coastal beach communities, which will have restaurants, if you don't feel like bringing your own food. This option isn't available at the Alabama islands, which aren't accessible by car, so be sure to bring your own food, and lots of water! At all Gulf Islands parks, picnickers are welcome, but alcohol and glass containers are prohibited.

  • Sharks are present in the Gulf of Mexico. Do not swim at dawn, dusk or night when sharks are active or feeding. Do not swim in murky waters. Beware of jellyfish and stingrays. If stung by a jellyfish apply vinegar and meat tenderizer. Do not touch irritated skin or wash with fresh water. Shuffle feet lightly while wading to scare stingrays away.
  • It is not safe to climb on fortifications.
  • Beware of fire ants and be sure to bring insect repellent, especially during the warmer months (May-Sept).

Sharks are present in the Gulf of Mexico. Do not swim at dawn, dusk or night when sharks are active or feeding. Do not swim in murky waters. Beware of jellyfish and stingrays. If stung by a jellyfish apply vinegar and meat tenderizer. Do not touch irritated skin or wash with fresh water. Shuffle feet lightly while wading to scare stingrays away.

Beware of fire ants and be sure to bring insect repellent, especially during the warmer months (May-Sept).