Gulf Islands National Seashore

Comment On This Article

Add to My Favorites

Gulf Islands National Seashore is a place of myriad riches. There are sparkling blue waters, magnificent snow-white beaches, and fertile coastal marshes. There are nineteenth century forts, shaded picnic areas, winding nature trails, and comfortable campgrounds. Diverse and abounding with wildlife, the park is not a single block of land but a mosaic. It includes 11 separate units stretching eastward 150 miles from West Ship Island, Mississippi, to the eastern tip of Santa Rosa Island, Florida.

Barrier islands constitute much of the park's acreage and are the glue that holds it together. Composed of brilliant white sand carried seaward by rivers draining the Appalachian Mountains, the islands are long and narrow. They are called barrier islands because they serve as blockades to ocean waves and violent storms that would otherwise strike the mainland coast with greater force.

Besides islands, Gulf Islands National Seashore includes parcels of land on the Florida and Mississippi mainlands. Here you can find fortifications built by Spaniards and Americans, the site of the first federal tree farm established in 1829, archaeological traces of Native Americans, and forest and marshes teeming with wildlife.

When Europeans first visited the northern Gulf of Mexico in the early 1500's, they found Native American settlements that were populous and thriving. At the Naval Live Oaks Area in Florida, middens (rubbish piles) and other remains help archaeologists to understand and chronicle the long period of Indian settlement. All the park's archaeological sites, historic sites, and artifacts are protected by law and must not be disturbed.

Along the Gulf, discovery by Europeans was followed by a lengthy struggle for the region's control. Spain, in 1559, established a settlement in Florida on Pensacola Bay, but the place was abandoned soon afterward. Spaniards revived the settlement in 1698, surrendered it to the French in 1719, regained it by treaty in 1722, ceded it to the English in 1763, and repossessed it by force in 1781. Meanwhile in Mississippi, sovereignty shifted from France to England and from England to Spain. Eventually, Florida and Mississippi joined the United States. In 1825, the U.S. Government began to develop Pensacola as a major naval base guarded by fortifications, and in 1859 work began on a fort on Ship Island, Mississippi. The forts saw brief action during the Civil War. In later years, fortifications and weapons systems along the coast were updated and expanded. They remained active until the end of World War II, when modern weapons made traditional coastal defense obsolete.

How the barrier islands were formed is something of a mystery. All theories involve the work of waves, winds, and fluctuating sea levels. Whatever their origin, the barrier islands are ever changing. Along shore, currents wear away their eastern ends and build up the islands on the west. As a result, the islands shift steadily westward. Further alterations are made by violent storms that overwash the islands and rearrange the sand, and by winds that shift and sculpt the island dunes. Such changes are constant. They are slowed only by the protective covering of grasses and other plants that grow on the dunes and in the island interiors. In particular, the sea oat, which has an elaborate stem and root system, plays a vital role in holding the islands together. Long stretches of beach ring the barrier islands and provide visitors with wonderful places to swim, relax, and reflect.

Barrier islands are special places. Continually changing, they provide habitat for wildlife and buffer the mainland from storms. Storms, however, may cause an island to change shape or disappear. In 1969 Hurricane Camille split Ship Island in two. Ten years later, Hurricane Frederic pushed dunes clear across parts of Santa Rosa Island. Despite the changes, life clings tenaciously to the islands. Near the water, plants such as sea oats and cordgrass, which are tolerant of high salt levels, flourish. Behind the primary dunes, shrubs and some trees grow, but they stand little higher than the dunes that protect them from ocean spray. In the island interiors, marshes collect fresh rainwater and support diverse communities of plants and animals. Behind the islands, the waters of the sounds, bays, and bayous are less salty than the waters of the Gulf. Nutrients washed down from the mainland give rise to a wealth of marine life. Here, shrimp and fish valuable to commercial fishing pass portions of their lives, and creatures such as herons, egrets, alligators, and fiddler crabs reproduce and flourish. Without the protection afforded by the barrier islands, the plant and animal communities of the mainland coasts would be not as rich.

Visiting the Mississippi District

Contact Details
3500 Park Road
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Phone: (601) 875-9057

Getting There
To reach Davis Bayou on the mainland in Ocean Springs, follow the signs for Gulf Islands National Seashore along I-10 and U.S. 90. The islands in the Mississippi district are about ten miles offshore and can be reached only by boat. During the spring, summer, and fall, excursion boat trips from Gulfport to West Ship Island are offered by a concessioner. The schedules change with the seasons: Consult the concessionaire's printed schedule for frequency and times. Private boats may dock near Fort Massachusetts on West Ship Island in the daytime all year. Information about boats licensed to carry passengers to the wilderness islands (East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois) is available at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center at Davis Bayou.

The Mainland
Davis Bayou has many year-round facilities, including a first-come, first-served campground with 51 sites, electric and water hookups, and a sewage dump station. The area also has a group tent area, picnic shelters, ball field, self-guiding nature trail, and boat launch. There is no beach. The Colmer Visitor Center features an information desk, a bookstore, exhibits, and an auditorium in which orientation films are shown daily. Pamphlets for a self-guiding nature trail are also available.

The Islands
The islands offer dramatic scenery but limited facilities. On East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois islands, primitive camping is permitted but food and drinking water must be packed in and all trash removed. On West Ship Island, limited food service and water are available at the concession stand. Park rangers can answer questions or give help in an emergency at the ranger station. Guided tours of Fort Massachusetts on West Ship Island are given in summer. Visitors to the fort will also find exhibits, informational publications, and a small bookstore. A boardwalk goes from the boat dock across to the south side of the island where a swimming beach with a bathhouse, a snack bar, restrooms, indoor and outdoor showers, and picnic pavilion are to be found. The sun on the islands is strong; visitors are advised to wear protective clothing, drink plenty of fluids, and use sunscreen. Watch changing weather and surf conditions. Fishing is permitted except in the swimming area. Check state laws for license requirements. Boaters should consult NOAA charts 11372 and 11374.

Visiting the Florida District

Contact Details
1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
(904) 934-2600

Getting There
To reach the historic mainland forts and the National Museum of Naval Aviation, use the main entrance of Pensacola Naval Air Station about one mile south of Barrancas Avenue (Fla. 292) on Navy Boulevard (Fla. 295). Fla. 292 leads southwest from Pensacola to the Perdido Key Area. On the island turn left onto Johnson Beach Road. The Perdido Key Area has an entrance fee. To get to the Naval Live Oaks, Fort Pickens, and Santa Rosa areas take U.S. 98 east from Pensacola. The Naval Live Oaks Area is just east of Gulf Breeze on U.S. 98. To reach Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa, take Fla. 399 from Gulf Breeze to Pensacola Beach. From there, Fort Pickens is nine miles west, while the Santa Rosa Area is ten miles east. The Fort Pickens Area has an entrance fee. The Okaloosa Area is on U.S. 98 east of Fort Walton Beach.

Camping and Other Facilities
Visitor centers are located at Naval Live Oaks, Fort Barrancas, and Fort Pickens. All have exhibits. Santa Rosa has exhibits only. For information at Santa Rosa tune to 1630 AM on your radio. Near Fort Pickens is a campground, open daily, with 200 sites, some of which have electricity. No reservations are accepted. Supplies and a laundry are available at the campground store. Picnic areas are located at each area in Florida. Snack bars are open seasonally at Johnson Beach on Perdido Key, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Fort Pickens.

To make a campground reservation, call 800-365-CAMP (2267).

Reservation Hours of Operation
Daily: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Eastern Time
7 a.m.-7 p.m. Pacific Time
Reservation Center CLOSED Christmas and New Year's Day.

If you are calling from outside the U.S. or Canada, please call 301-722-1257. The TDD number for the hearing-impaired is 888-530-9796.

The National Park Reservation Service (NPRS) and the National Park Service (NPS) have implemented a reservation window to make booking your camping reservations more convenient. On the 15th of each month, campers will have access to an entire month of available start dates up to three months in advance, except at Katmai National Park. You may book reservations as late as one day prior to arrival, subject to availability.

Swimming, Fishing, Boating, Hiking
Swimming areas are located at Johnson Beach on Perdido Key, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Fort Pickens. Santa Rosa and Johnson Beach have bathhouses, and Fort Pickens and Okaloosa have outdoor showers. You may charter a boat and fish anywhere on beaches where swimmers are absent. Check state laws for license requirements. For getting around these waters, boaters should use NOAA chart 11378. Hikers are advised that certain dune areas may be closed to restore damage. Park rangers conduct interpretive programs year-round.

Wilderness Area
On November 10, 1978, the U.S. Congress set aside Horn and Petit Bois islands as wilderness areas. This act recognized the islands as being among the last untouched and undeveloped barrier islands on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. As wilderness their delicate balance is maintained free from human interference. They will continue to provide habitats for uncommon species of birds, animals, and marine life and a place where future generations can appreciate this country's rich natural heritage. Before visiting these islands check with a ranger about regulations for visiting a wilderness area and the difficulties involved in going to an area where no water, shelter, communication, or any other kind of facility exists. The rewards of such a trip outweigh any difficulty, and park rangers can help you plan carefully.