These tours are highly informative and bring the history of the forts and the islands to life.
#Gulf islands national seashore free#
The fort was constructed with over 6 million bricks.īe sure to take advantage of one of the seashore’s free ranger-led tours. Barrancas was unique in that it was positioned on a hill, giving it the ability to battle incoming invaders from all four sides. The fort saw action during one of the heaviest bombardments of the Civil War at the Battle of Santa Rosa Island.Īcross the bay from Fort Pickens is its sister, Fort Barrancas. The stone and brick structure was the largest of four such fortresses in the area that were constructed to defend the Pensacola area from invaders. History abounds at the seashore, which includes historic Fort Pickens and Fort Barrancas.Ĭonstruction on the massive Fort Pickens began in 1829. Tour of Fort Barrancas (Photo Credit: Joe Cuhaj) 4. The trail is fairly well packed so expect a moderate pedal to the end. If you would like something off-road, then pick up the Florida Trail from near the ranger station and ride the sandy 2-mile (one-way) path along which you will be treated with even more stunning views as you ride through scrub pines and around sand dunes, cross over bayous and wetlands, visit long since abandoned World War II batteries, and finally end the ride at historic Fort Pickens. Wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water.
Keep in mind, though, that there is no tree canopy to shield you from the sun. It’s a beautiful ride with incredible scenes of the Gulf and Pensacola Bay and their sand dunes. The ride begins as an easy bike road from the entrance gate to the ranger station, a one-way ride of about 3.8 miles. The Perdido Key and Santa Rosa areas of the seashore offer nice and easy 5 and 7-mile-long road bike trips, but the best ride is in the Fort Pickens area. Here are nine reasons you will love visiting Florida’s Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Each of these areas offers visitors incredible adventure and experiences. The Florida unit encompasses an area from Okaloosa to Pensacola and is made up of six “areas”: Naval Live Oaks, Fort Barrancas, Fort Pickens, Okaloosa, Perdido Key, and Santa Rosa. Established by Congress in 1971 and managed by the National Park Service (NPS), the Gulf Islands National Seashore has two units: one in Mississippi, the other in Florida. They are the Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS). Luckily for us, these islands have been protected for all to enjoy.
These islands also afford visitors an incredibly beautiful vacation getaway where the crashing turquoise waves are soothing, the sun-drenched beaches offer relaxation, and outdoor recreational activities abound. These islands are nature’s protection for the mainland, taking the brunt of the crashing Gulf surf and the battering of violent hurricanes. Gulf Coast is a chain of barrier islands that stretches from Florida to Texas.