From trails to tours, here's what's coming to the Gulf Island National Seashore this season

The Gulf Islands National Seashore is shaking off the winter blues and rolling out the red carpet for the millions of visitors expected to enjoy the white sands and emerald waters of the Gulf Coast's national parks this year.

Friday, the national seashore marked the reopening of the Pensacola Bay City Ferry service, as well as the opening three new parking lots, seven beach crossovers, and a 1/2-mile multi-use trail in the Perdido Key area to kick off the spring and summer tourist season.

Here's a run down of some of the new attractions and amenities you can take advantage of at the Gulf Islands National Seashore this season:

New Perdido Key parking lots and multiuse trail

In September 2023, the Gulf Islands National Seashore began a $2.6 million project to improve visitor access and experience, restore natural habitat and protect critical resources in the Perdido Key area, according to a news release from the organization.

Changes to the area include seven new accessible boardwalks (six along the road and one at the pavilion), the installation of three new paved parking areas – for a total of 110 parking spaces – to eliminate roadside parking, and the installation of new speed tables with pedestrian crosswalks.

The new 1/2-mile bike/pedestrian trail is part of the previous Johnson Beach Road. It begins at the eastern point of the new parking area and continues east to the roundabout at the end. The beginning is easily identifiable by yellow barricades to prevent vehicle use and to provide a safe recreation trail walk or bike, according to the release.

Dogs on a 6x-foot leash will be allowed on the roadway and multi-use path. Dogs are not allowed on beaches or in the water.

The project is funded by Gulf Restoration funding associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement in partnership with the Florida Trustee Implementation Group.

The Pensacola Bay City Ferry is back

The National Park Service resumed the Pensacola Bay City Ferry service on Friday.

The Pensacola Bay City Ferry will depart from downtown Pensacola an hour earlier than last year, beginning at 9 a.m. from Friday to Sunday, taking passengers to the Fort Pickens area as well as to Quietwater Pier in Pensacola Beach.

A standard adult ticket for the ferry will cost $30 this year while seniors, people with disabilities, military and college students can snag a ticket for $24. Tickets for children aged 3-to-15-years old will cost $20, but they’ll be free for any children who are under two years of age.

There will also be more food and drink options for visitors once they've arrived at Fort Pickens in the Mine Storeroom during ferry hours of operation, according to a press release distributed by the National Park Service.

You can purchase tickets for the ferry at one of the three port locations or online on the Pensacola Bay City Ferry’s website. The ticket will allow passengers to travel to all three stops of the ferry for the entire day.

What is the Gulf Islands National Seashore?

Created in 1971 and managed by the National Park Service, the Gulf Islands 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 habitats.

According to the Park Service, there were 8.2 million visits to the seashore in 2023 – up 40% from 2022's 5.7 million visitors – making it the fifth most visited national park site.

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Nationally, the Park Service recorded an increase of 13 million visitors across its parks, or 4%, from 2022 to 2023.

“Visitation figures and trends guide how the National Park Service manages parks to ensure the best experience possible for park visitors,” Steven McCoy, deputy superintendent, said in a statement. “Gulf Islands is committed to improving the visitor experience and facilities commonly used every day.”

In 2023, the Park Service rehabilitated restrooms in the Fort Pickens historic district and Johnson Beach and performed preservation on Fort Pickens and Battery Cooper. Other day-to-day maintenance at the parks include trash removal, cleaning services, removal of stranded boats, replacing entrance lift gates, repairing plumbing and roofs, sand removal, and repaving/restriping roadways.

Gulf Islands National Seashore will also be offering free programs beginning in March that can be found on the National Park Service’s website in the GUIS’ calendar. Activities include guided tours, birding excursions and more. Program times/days may change due to weather or staffing, but visitors can check the daily schedule at the Historic Fort Pickens visitors center or at one of the fort’s entrances.

For more information about the Gulf Islands National Seashore visit nps.gov/guis.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: National Park Service resumes Pensacola Bay City Ferry for 2024 season