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No more campfires on Gulf Islands National Seashore? UPDATE - CAMPFIRES ALLOWED AGAIN
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:04 pm
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:04 pm
Since I got my first boat in 2007, one of our FAVORITE things to do was to go out on the boat to the Mississippi barrier islands (Cat, Ship, Horn, Petit Bois) and a few times to the eastern tip of Perdido Key (Ft. McRee, Sand Island), and camp overnight, making a campfire on the sand beach:
I was just surfing the web for info about Perdido Key (where we will be next week on a non-camping trip) and came across a "Boat-In Camping" Page from the NPS for Gulf Islands. I looked at it and was surprised to see the following:
6. At Perdido Key, half mile east of the turnaround to the Pensacola Pass; Petit Bois, Horn; West Petit Bois Island (AKA Sand); and the NPS-owned portion of Cat Island portable gas and charcoal grills are allowed. All burned and unburned material from portable grills must be placed in park service provided ash receptacles or removed from the area. Such material may not be placed in trash receptacles or placed on the ground.
8. Campfires are prohibited on all Gulf Islands National Seashore beaches including: Florida: sound, bay, and Gulf side at Perdido Key, Fort Pickens, Santa Rosa, Naval Live Oaks and Okaloosa; Mississippi: sound side and Gulf of Mexico side at Cat, Petit Bois, Horn, Ship and West Petit Bois Islands.
9. Collecting driftwood for use as fuel for campfires is prohibited.
SERIOUSLY? Did anyone else hear about this?
This must be a recent change, as we camped on Horn Island last year on Labor Day weekend and had a Park Ranger pull her boat up to us at dusk shortly after we got the fire going; she checked on it and us with no problem (they were pretty cool about it, too). The stated, promulgated policy has always allowed campfires below the extreme high tide line, and no CUTTING of firewood (i.e., live vegetative material) was allowed.
I'm flabbergasted and pissed off with this change. No way a portable charcoal or gas grill is the same as a good campfire.





I was just surfing the web for info about Perdido Key (where we will be next week on a non-camping trip) and came across a "Boat-In Camping" Page from the NPS for Gulf Islands. I looked at it and was surprised to see the following:
6. At Perdido Key, half mile east of the turnaround to the Pensacola Pass; Petit Bois, Horn; West Petit Bois Island (AKA Sand); and the NPS-owned portion of Cat Island portable gas and charcoal grills are allowed. All burned and unburned material from portable grills must be placed in park service provided ash receptacles or removed from the area. Such material may not be placed in trash receptacles or placed on the ground.
8. Campfires are prohibited on all Gulf Islands National Seashore beaches including: Florida: sound, bay, and Gulf side at Perdido Key, Fort Pickens, Santa Rosa, Naval Live Oaks and Okaloosa; Mississippi: sound side and Gulf of Mexico side at Cat, Petit Bois, Horn, Ship and West Petit Bois Islands.
9. Collecting driftwood for use as fuel for campfires is prohibited.
SERIOUSLY? Did anyone else hear about this?
This must be a recent change, as we camped on Horn Island last year on Labor Day weekend and had a Park Ranger pull her boat up to us at dusk shortly after we got the fire going; she checked on it and us with no problem (they were pretty cool about it, too). The stated, promulgated policy has always allowed campfires below the extreme high tide line, and no CUTTING of firewood (i.e., live vegetative material) was allowed.
I'm flabbergasted and pissed off with this change. No way a portable charcoal or gas grill is the same as a good campfire.


This post was edited on 6/20/22 at 4:46 pm
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:12 pm to sonoma8
quote:
That looks like a badass trip
Those pics are all from different trips over the last 14 years. Those two little boys both are now taller than me.


Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:12 pm to BRich
Are you trying to tell me that some idiot bureaucrat that likely has never stepped on any of those places is making idiotic rules for those areas?
I am SHOCKED!!!! Shocked I tell you….
I am SHOCKED!!!! Shocked I tell you….
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:15 pm to BRich
I am sure there was a straw that broke the camels back Someone probably brought some pallets to burn and left nails or if it’s like a lot of Louisiana campfires they threw beer cans in it
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:20 pm to Ron Cheramie
quote:
Someone probably brought some pallets to burn and left nails or if it’s like a lot of Louisiana campfires they threw beer cans in it
Likely this. I've been camping on those islands for 25 yrs or more. I'd rather the policy be no campfires then others trashing up the beaches. Trashy people always ruin a good thing.
This post was edited on 8/2/21 at 5:21 pm
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:29 pm to Ron Cheramie
Yep. People need to learn No Trace
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:34 pm to BRich
Damn. Not even below the high tide line anymore? Going to have to bring extra thermacells now...
Posted on 8/2/21 at 5:47 pm to BRich
Do they police those islands pretty hard? Also I don’t get the no collecting of driftwood.seems like you would be doing th a favor to burn wood debris out on the beach. Wonder if a solo stove with purchased wood would be an option?
This post was edited on 8/2/21 at 5:48 pm
Posted on 8/3/21 at 2:12 pm to bayoudude
quote:
Do they police those islands pretty hard?
horn island definitely
no dogs allowed there either
Posted on 8/3/21 at 5:17 pm to BRich
Wait until the Audubon society tells you you can’t camp there at all because some non native species laid eggs there.
Just see Piping Mad on YouTube about cape hatteras.
Just see Piping Mad on YouTube about cape hatteras.
Posted on 8/3/21 at 5:26 pm to BRich
I would bring one of those cheap, thin, lightweight fire pits. And make sure u dispose of your ashes as directed
Posted on 8/3/21 at 6:52 pm to Tiger In the Swamp
quote:Yep
I would bring one of those cheap, thin, lightweight fire pits. And make sure u dispose of your ashes as directed
Been on several permitted river trips where fires were prohibited in all manner of ways... and the choice material is a flame retardant cloth like the firefighters get under in case of emergency.
Posted on 8/3/21 at 8:07 pm to BRich
quote:
must be placed in park service provided ash receptacles
"It is our most...modestly priced receptacle."
Will a Coffee Can work?
Great pictures.

Posted on 8/3/21 at 9:19 pm to Speckhunter2012
quote:
Will a Coffee Can work?
frick, WALTER!!!
Posted on 6/20/22 at 4:43 pm to BRich
UPDATE - GOOD NEWS
Took the boat to Ship Island for Fathers Day with my daughter; walked over to the Fort for awhile and chatted with a couple of Park Rangers, who told me the good news: campfires are once more allowed on the beaches.
I checked the website, and sure enough, there it is:
11. Campfires are allowed on Johnson beach from ½ mile east of the turnaround to the Pensacola Pass, Horn, Petit Bois, West Petit Bois, and NPS-owned portion of Cat Island, below the mean high tide line and not in any vegetated area.
but there is still this:
12. Campers must bring their own firewood to use and take any unused firewood with them when they leave. Collecting driftwood for use as fuel for campfires is prohibited.
FYI, with the rejoining of East and West Ship Islands into one Ship Island, there is no more camping on Ship Island (you used to be able to camp on East Ship when it was separated).
Took the boat to Ship Island for Fathers Day with my daughter; walked over to the Fort for awhile and chatted with a couple of Park Rangers, who told me the good news: campfires are once more allowed on the beaches.
I checked the website, and sure enough, there it is:
11. Campfires are allowed on Johnson beach from ½ mile east of the turnaround to the Pensacola Pass, Horn, Petit Bois, West Petit Bois, and NPS-owned portion of Cat Island, below the mean high tide line and not in any vegetated area.
but there is still this:
12. Campers must bring their own firewood to use and take any unused firewood with them when they leave. Collecting driftwood for use as fuel for campfires is prohibited.
FYI, with the rejoining of East and West Ship Islands into one Ship Island, there is no more camping on Ship Island (you used to be able to camp on East Ship when it was separated).
Posted on 6/21/22 at 2:28 pm to BRich
News to me we camp out there all the time and never have trouble.
Posted on 6/21/22 at 2:49 pm to BRich
quote:
there is no more camping on Ship Island (you used to be able to camp on East Ship when it was separated).
do they really patrol it?
Posted on 6/21/22 at 2:59 pm to TrueTiger
quote:
do they really patrol it?
I imagine there's enough eyeballs on Ship Island that if they saw you setting up shop to camp then they'd come have a word with you. If you didn't have a bonfire going then they'd probably be fine with you simply packing up and leaving. If you did have a bonfire rolling when they spot you and notice you've accumulated trash then they'd likely stick you with a ticket.
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