Parks around Fairhope

Weeks Bay Reserve encompasses more than 6,000 acres of tidal and forested wetlands within the greater Mobile Bay estuarine system along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Weeks Bay is a small estuary fringed with a variety of wetland habitats receiving freshwater from the Fish and Magnolia Rivers. Located along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay between the major metropolitan areas of Mobile, AL and Pensa...

This route and the waterways it follows are significant to the state of Alabama and the region for many reasons. Among them are the National Historic Landmarks of Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines, the protected lands of the Dauphin Island Audubon Sanctuary, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Gulf State Park, beaches, and a unique culture of working wa...

The Bon Secour NWR consists of 6,700 acres of wildlife habitat lying directly west of Gulf Shores, Alabama on the Fort Morgan peninsula of south Alabama. The refuge was established by congress in 1980 to serve habitat for non-game birds migrating south in the fall and north in the spring. The migration paths from Bon Secour lead south to lower Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America.

Grand Bay NWR is one of over 540 National Wildlife Refuges managed as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Grand Bay NWR was established in 1992 under the Emergency Wetlands Resources act of 1986 to protect one of the largest expanses of undisturbed pine savanna habitats in the Gulf Coastal Plain region. The refuge is located in Mobile County, Alabama and Jackson, County Mississippi, and w...

The Grand Bay Reserve is one of the most biologically productive estuarine ecosystems in the northern Gulf of Mexico and includes part of the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Located between Pascagoula, MS and the Alabama state line, the Reserve's habitats support rare and endangered plant and animal species, important marine fisheries and archeological sites. The 18,400 acre Reserve encompass...

The Natchez Trace in Alabama, though short, is rich in history. It encompasses Freedom Hills Overlook, Rock Springs, and Colbert Ferry, where George Colbert charged Andrew Jackson $75,000 for ferry services. Get a taste of the South as you traverse the cotton fields of Alabama.

What is it that entices people to the sea? Poet John Masefield wrote, "I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied." Millions of visitors are drawn to the islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico for the white sandy beaches, the aquamarine waters, a boat ride, a camping spot, a tour of an old fort, or a place to fish.

The Gulf Islands Wilderness now contains a total of 4,080 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Mississippi. In 1978 the Gulf Islands Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In a...

The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge is one of more than 540 national wildlife refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It was established in 1975 to safeguard the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and its unique disappearing wet pine savanna habitat. The refuge consists of more than 19,000 acres in four units and is now part of the Gulf Coast National Wi...

The Leaf Wilderness now contains a total of 994 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Mississippi. In 1984 the Leaf Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing p...

The Breton Wilderness now contains a total of 5,000 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Louisiana. In 1975 the Breton Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of ".....

The Breton National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1904 and is the second oldest refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The refuge is comprised of a series of barrier islands including Breton Island and all of the Chandeleur Islands in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. It was formed from the remnants of the Mississippi River's former St.Bernard Delta, which was active 2000 years ag...

The Black Creek Wilderness now contains a total of 5,052 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Mississippi. In 1984 the Black Creek Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of ...

Claiborne Lake is the most primitive of the Alabama River Lakes. Nestled in Alabama's southwest hill country, the lake encompasses over 60 miles of the Alabama River, stretching from the Claiborne Lock and Dam to Millers Ferry Lock and Dam. Claiborne Lock and Dam was completed in 1971 but was opened for navigation in November 1969. It has no power installation. Although the lake remains mostly w...

The Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge is located in southwest Alabama along the Tombigbee River approximately 80 miles north of Mobile. The Refuge was established in 1964 on lands aquired by the Corp of Engineers in conjunction with the Coffeeville Lock and Dam project. The 4,218 acre refuge encompasses approximately 1,802 acres of lakes, sloughs, and creeks, 2,265 acres of bottomland hardwoods, an...

Pearl River, LA is a series of three locks and dams. The area is primarily for day use with boating, hunting and fishing being popular.

Bisecting Alabama's Black Prairie Belt, the William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir encompasses 105 miles of the Alabama River. Dannelly Reservoir boasts an area of about 27 square miles and a shoreline of more than 500 miles. Since opening in 1974, the lake and its surrounding parks have become a recreational center, offering excellent fishing, skiing, boating and hunting. With its great appeal to sp...

On June 30, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed Public Law 96-288 authorizing the 40,000-acre Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Washington and St. Tammany Parishes, LA, and Pearl River County, MS. Since that time, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been acquiring bottomland hardwood habitat in the Pearl River Basin. On December 13, 1989, Congress authorized a boundary expansion...

The Delta National Wildlife Refuge is located 10 miles South of Venice, Louisiana along the Mississippi River. The area formed when a breach in the natural levee of the Mississippi River occurred in 1862 approximately 100 miles below New Orleans, Louisiana. The 48,000 acre refuge was purchased in 1935 with the primary purpose to provide sanctuary and habitat to wintering waterfowl. Waterfow...

Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife was authorized in 1986 and officially established in 1990. The refuge is located within the city limits of New Orleans and encompasses approximately 23, 000 acres. It is the largest urban National Wildlife refuge in the United States. The refuge is one of the last remaining marsh areas adjacent to Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne. The refuge contains a wide vari...

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in October 1994, and is comprised of 15,000 acres of coastal marsh and pine forested wetlands. Of this total, the Conservation Fund has donated over 10,000 acres to the Service from Richard King Mellon Foundation funds. The purpose of the refuge is to protect some of the only Lake Pontchartrain shoreline that exists in its natural s...

In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. Discover New Orleans' rich cultural mix. Learn Cajun traditions from people who live them. Watch an alligator bask on a bayou's bank. Walk in the footsteps of the men who fought at 1815's Battle of New Orleans. Follow the link to find out about the park's six sites.

Only in New Orleans could there be a National Park for jazz! Drop by our French Market visitor center to inquire about musical events around town. In the mood for a world class musical experience? Attend a jazz concert or ranger performance at the new state of the art performance venue in the Old U.S. Mint.

On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which extended equal voting rights for African-Americans. As both White and Black non-violent supporters led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for the right to vote in Central Alabama, today, you can trace their march toward freedom on the 54-mile trail and connect with their stories at the Interpretive Centers.

The Black Warrior & Tombigbee Lakes (BW&T) consist of six lakes (Demopolis, Coffeeville, Warrior, Oliver, Holt and Bankhead) with a combined total length of 457 miles and 39,800 surface acres of water. There are boat launching ramps at nearly all the Corps public recreation areas. There are three privately owned marinas that provide fuel, boat repair, supplies, rentals and meet other boater needs....