Mobile Bay, Alabama is located on the Gulf of Mexico. We were drawn to this area for the Civil War sites and found a rich heritage not only in military history, but in culture, wildlife, charming towns, and great seafood!
Specifically, the inspiration for this destination was the result of a couple of our favorite games on the Civil War – “A Bold Fight: The Battle of Mobile Bay” and “For the People.” Mobile Bay influenced the outcome of the War and the games. As with many of the sites we have visited, we were curious to experience the location first hand.
Tunnels, bridges and causeways…oh my! Between the city of Mobile and our stay at Blakeley State Park is a lot of water. Navigating around the northern part of the bay was a little tricky while pulling Lil’ Sebastian. Avoiding a tunnel, we crossed a beautiful bridge and drove along a causeway with the water almost up to the shoulder of the road. It was an exciting introduction to the coast!
Historic Blakeley State Park
We were excited to continue our Civil War exploration here in Blakeley. This unique state park enabled us to camp among preserved Union and Confederate trenches made during the siege and attack on Fort Blakeley.
The last Civil War battle in Alabama was fought here at Fort Blakeley in April 1865. It was also one of the last battles of the entire war.
Much more than a Civil War historic site, woven through the park are beautiful hiking trails that lead through wetlands, boardwalks, Champion Trees (largest or oldest of a species), riverboat launch, and the abandoned Blakeley town square complete with ghost stories and folklore. Wildlife is abundant among the natural beauty of the park.
The Champion Tree trail winds past a variety of magnificent and old specimens.
In the 1840’s, Blakeley was a thriving port and a rival to Mobile in commerce and trade. The park has reconstructed a few skeletal structures in the old town square. Law and justice seem to have been dispensed in a rapid wild west fashion.
The boardwalk along the Tensaw River brought us to the park’s private boat launch. Tours of Mobile Bay and the river delta are offered throughout the week.
The park offers many different activities for visitors throughout the different seasons, including photography, sketching, nature writing, live music and boat tours. We added this state park to our list of places to revisit!
Fort Morgan
Our next Civil War site was located at the tip of the Gulf Shores peninsula. Fort Morgan stands at the eastern entrance to Mobile Bay and Fort Gaines is across the channel on the west. These two military posts have guarded the access to the city of Mobile, the bay, and the river channels from the War of 1812 to World War II.
Famous for Admiral Farragut’s exclamation, “Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!” the Civil War naval battle took place in 1864 between the Confederate forts and the Union fleet.
The beautifully preserved fort and surrounding grounds at the shores of the Gulf of Mexico was the perfect place for a picnic lunch.
CAMPGROUND REVIEW: HISTORIC BLAKELEY STATE PARK
We stayed at Historic Blakeley State Park for two nights. We had a pull through site with full hook ups. Site was gravel and level with picnic table and fire ring. Sites are surrounded by trees and grass which provide good privacy from other campers. Park gates are locked at 9:00 pm. Pit toilets in campground. Park offers many activities at varied times including seminars, boat tours, and live music. Hiking trails are well marked and a few are accessible from campground. Within the park is one of the best preserved Civil War battle sites in the country. Trails wind around earthworks, trenches, battlefields, cemetery, and fort. Touring the Battle of Fort Blakeley can also be done by car. Directions and map are available from the office. A small gift shop and firewood are also at the office building. We had little to no cell service and no WiFi. We enjoyed our stay at this unique State Park and would schedule a longer stay next time.
Next up… Alabama (Part Two) – USS Alabama
Their RV Travels 