News Release

Gulf Islands National Seashore is Continuing to Increase Recreational Access to the Mississippi Areas of the Park

Date: August 28, 2020
Contact: Susan Teel, 850-934-2618

Ocean Springs, MS. – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Gulf Islands National Seashore is increasing recreational access in the Davis Bayou Area. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Beginning Saturday, August 29, the Davis Bayou visitor center grounds and parking lot, Petit Bois, West Petit Bois, and Horn Islands will re-open and resume normal operating hours.

Beginning Wednesday, September 2, Ship Island, will reopen and resume normal operating hours.

Beginning Friday, September 4 Gulf Islands National Seashore will increase access at:  

• · The Davis Bayou boat ramp, trails, picnic area and restrooms associated with reopening Robert McGhee Road to motor vehicles.
• · Four of the five picnic pavilions will be available for reservations for groups of up to 20 people using the special use permits reservation system. For more information about reserving a pavilion, visit the park Permits & Reservations page.
• · The Davis Bayou Campground-Campers will be able to begin making reservations for the identified sites on Monday, August 31 at 4 pm CT, by visiting www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Reservations can be made for dates between September 4 and September 30, with a maximum stay of 7 nights per reservation.

In addition, the following areas continue to be available:

• · The Fort Pickens, Santa Rosa, Naval Live Oaks, Okaloosa, and Perdido Key areas in Florida.

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:

• · Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island
• · Fort Pickens Campground Loops C and E
• · The Fort Pickens Discovery Center
• · The Fort Barrancas Area due to the NAS Pensacola closure
• · The group campsites at the Fort Pickens and Naval Live Oaks areas
• · The William M. Colmer Visitor Center

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Gulf Islands National Seashore, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.

A safe and enjoyable park experience begins at home. The NPS encourages visitors to plan their visit by checking the park’s website and social media for current conditions and travel tips. The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We ask the public to be our partner in recreating responsibly, by following CDC and state and local guidance, social distancing, and wearing a face covering when social distance cannot be maintained. Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website www.nps.gov/guis and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

About Gulf Islands National Seashore: Created in 1971, the national seashore stretches 160 miles along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Florida and Mississippi, and includes barrier islands, maritime forests, historic forts, bayous, and marine habitat. Visit us at www.nps.gov/guis, on Facebook www.facebook.com/GulfIslandsNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/GulfIslandsNPS, Instagram www.Instagram.com/GulfIslandsNPS.

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice and Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice.

-NPS-