The day I visited Fort Morgan Beach, there was one person in sight. As far as I could see in either direction, no one was swimming or fishing; no one was walking along the windswept, sun-scoured shoreline. One lone woman had pulled her low-slung beach chair pulled up to the water’s edge where an occasional gentle wave lapped her toes.

View looking East at Fort Morgan Beach

Like most people, I had arrived to see Fort Morgan, the historic structure that was the site of the Battle for Mobile Bay during the Civil War, which virtually ended the Confederate Army’s ability to get supplies to its troops and was the death knell for the South. Tucked between the Gulf of Mexico and a landward lagoon, this narrow spit of land juts out into Mobile Bay, forming the eastern side of its mouth. At its very point sits the fort, a monolithic star-shaped heap of bricks and mortar that today brings Civil War history to life. From here, the beach winds back around the point toward the twin towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, a short 22 mile drive through parts of the pristine Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

The combination of distance from town, where other spectacular beaches are easily accessed, and the fact that most visitors to the area are following the popular Civil War Trail, means that Fort Morgan Beach is likely to be deserted most of the time, used only by in-the-know locals who seek to escape the hordes of tourists that descend upon this popular Gulf Coast Resort area throughout the year.

Looking west, seclusion as well, but offshore natural gas rigs dot the horizon

In addition to the seclusion, Fort Morgan Beach offers one other unique aspect: the offshore view. Instead of an unbroken sweep of blue water, this horizon is dotted with natural gas rigs and behemoth cargo ships that sail into Mobile Bay loaded with hundreds of roll-off containers. It’s fun and interesting to watch the ships steam through the mouth of the bay, so heavily loaded that they are sunk low in the water, playing a guessing game about what various and sundry merchandise is arriving at our shores from distant lands.

If you are visiting Fort Morgan (which I highly recommend), pay the $2 admission fee at the entrance and park at the fort. After strolling through the well-done museum and climbing to the top of the fort’s impervious walls for an overview of Mobile Bay, take the sandy path just a few steps to the beach and wind around to the Gulf side, where you can access miles of powdery-fine white sand. Alternatively, if you just wish to visit the beach, turn off onto any of the access roads prior to the fort’s entrance and park off to the side of the road. Be advised, however, that in the latter case, there are no services such as restrooms or water available.

Photo Credit: Barbara Weibel
Article by Barbara Weibel of Cultural Travel with Hole In The Donut