Gulf Islands Wilderness Area

Gulf Islands Wilderness Area is a 3,896-acre federally protected Wilderness in Mississippi, managed by the National Park Service. This is genuine backcountry: no roads, no motors, no mechanized travel allowed. Visitors come here to hike and backpack in a primitive setting where solitude and Leave No Trace principles are the foundation of the experience.

Access is on foot only. The landscape is what you'll find in the coastal Mississippi wilderness—a mix of maritime forest, wetlands, and barrier-island terrain shaped by the Gulf environment. This is a place to disconnect from developed areas and move quietly through wild country. Expect to carry in everything you need and pack out everything you bring.