Gulf Islands National Seashore - Campground Openings in Florida and Mississippi Districts (U.S. National Park Service)

Woman sitting at a picnic table at her campsite.

nps photo

Fort Pickens Loop A campground site.

Fort Pickens "Loop A" Campground

In the Florida District, the Fort Pickens Campground “Loop A” is open to backcountry camping by bike, boat, or foot. The campground is available on first-come-first-serve basis. The cost for a camp site is $10.00 per night with a 50% discount for Golden Age/Interagency Senior and Golden Access/Interagency Access Pass holders. Campers will have access to running water, grills, picnic tables, and bathrooms with cold showers.

Boaters planning to camp can unload their passengers and gear near Battery Langdon located on the bayside of the island and west of the Ranger Station dock and hike on the bike path or Fort Pickens Road to “Loop A”. Please download a Fort Pickens Loop A Campground map for great directions!

Commercial Use Authorizations for Alternate Transportation. For information for an over-land based shuttle to the Fort Pickens Campground A, call Hal Harris at 850-698-7492. For information on water taxi service to the Loop A Campground contact Chulamar Charters, Captain "Bubba" Thorsen, 850-492-1099, Kirk Newkirk with Key Sailing, 850-932-5520, or Blue Marlin Water Taxi, 850-723-4907 for information and reservations.

Visitors planning to hike or cycle to the campground or to Fort Pickens should be physically prepared to walk or push their bikes with camping gear and/or supplies along unimproved roadway and 1.5 miles of soft sand. The trip from the entrance station to Fort Pickens is seven miles one-way. All visitors are reminded to stay in the designated travel corridor to protect nesting shorebirds.

Historic Fort Pickens is open for self-guided tours during daylight hours only. The fishing pier is also open.

Davis Bayou Campground

The 51-site Davis Bayou Campground in Ocean Springs, MS is open for tent and RV camping.

The campground is available on a first-come first-serve basis. The cost for a camp site is $16 per night with a 50% discount for Golden Age/Interagency Senior and Golden Access/Interagency Access Pass holders. All sites have water and electric hook-ups and the dump station is available for use. Flush toilets and showers are available in a central restroom facility.