GULF BREEZE, Fla. -- Gulf Islands National Seashore will close the Fort Pickens Area today, March 29, at 8 p.m. due to predicted weather that could result in impassable conditions on Fort Pickens Road.
Highway 399 will close for use on March 30 at 8 p.m. All other areas will remain open for day use.
Campers currently in the campground will need to evacuate by noon on March 30. All campground reservations will be postponed until further notice.
Park management implemented the park’s severe weather action plan, which indicates road closure when triggers are met for a combination of predicted high tides, wind direction and strength, and surf heights. These conditions combined typically cause the road to become covered with sand and significant flooding making the road impassable.
“Beginning tomorrow afternoon the park expects the road to accumulate overwash and sand on the road, and the current weather forecast predicts more rain and tidal overwash overnight," said Superintendent Darrell Echols. “Reopening the road will be dependent upon wind and rain conditions, water receding, and our ability to remove sand from the road.
“Our priority at Gulf Islands is to ensure the safest environment possible for park visitors and staff. The park will announce changes as appropriate, but current conditions do not allow for remaining open at this time."
Park staff will assess road conditions on March 31. For more information, please follow the park’s social media accounts and website.
www.nps.gov
About Gulf Islands National Seashore: Created in 1971, the 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 habitat. Visit us at www.nps.gov/GulfIslands, on Facebook www.facebook.com/GulfIslandsNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/GulfIslandsNPS, and Instagram www.Instagram.com/GulfIslandsNPS.About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
