Battery Worth is a nice getaway from the crowds on Pensacola Beach. This is also a great place to view the natural settings of the beach and it’s wildlife. The kids will have fun following around the ghost crabs and watching the beach mice as well as paddling around in the water for an aerial view of sea life. The family can also enjoy the nice view from the lookout and learn a bit about the history of the fort.  On certain Friday evenings, the Escambia Amateur Astronomers Association sets up telescopes at Battery Worth for stargazing.

Here are a few photos we took on our recent visit. Enjoy!

Sea Oats at Fort Pickens

Distant view of Pensacola Beach

Ghost Crab

Nesting

View from Battery Worth

Sunset at Fort Pickens

Smithsonian-Westerlund 1's young stars about 16,000 light years from Earth

Friday Evenings from Sunset–10 p.m., June 11-August 13

Volunteers from the Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association will set up a variety of telescopes for viewing stars, planets and constellations. You will be able to view the moon, Mars, Saturn and many of the constellations. This is a free event, but there is an $8 entry fee to Fort Pickens or $25 for an annual pass. For info., call (850) 934-2600 or go online to www.nps.gov/guis. See Events.

Want more on Fort Pickens?

Looking for a hiking or biking trail you can take the entire family on? Fort Pickens on Pensacola Beach has many trails the family can enjoy. One section of trail we enjoy connects Battery Worth and Fort Pickens. This trail is part of the Florida National Scenic Trail and is only .7 miles long.

The landscape is made up of small dunes, sand live oak, slash pines, myrtle oak, fetterbush, rosemary, saw palmetto, Cruise’s golden aster, and more.  A section of trail runs along a few water channels where you can see many turtles and other wildlife. There is also a bridge you cross and is a great place to see turtles and other wildlife.

Trailhead at Battery Worth in Fort Pickens

Trail is made of ground oyster shells

beach shrubs and trees along the trail

Water channels on Fort Pickens along trail

Visitor at the bridge

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Inside Fort Pickens

To start the week of we enjoyed Blackwater Heritage Trail and Fort Pickens on Pensacola Beach.

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My family and I camped at Fort Pickens that weekend. We brought the bikes but not the boards. So, on Sunday after us campers were told to evacuate, we loaded up our stuff and got to take up surfing- not on water but through the camera lens. Here is a collection of surfing photos taken by my wife and I.

As I neared the bridge in the middle of the trail, I saw a black snake. And, as I stood on the bridge a large turtle swam near and hung around for me to get pictures- apparently he was waiting for food, but I didn’t bring any with me.

I walked off the trail and through the woods a little, but would recommend using caution. I ended up with small cactus plants in one of my hands as I took a picture of some flowers.

As the sun got hotter, I came across a curious species called “humans.” Seriously, I met more people like myself out sight-seeing and/or  taking pictures. One guy from Ohio said he’s been coming out to Fort Pickens since the late 80′s as part of his vacation while his wife visits with her family. Volunteers on golf carts were also out now just to check up on things. I got the chance to ask them about my turtle pictures-a Loggerhead Sea turtle or Snapping turtle?

That afternoon, my kids and their friends came back out to enjoy the trail. We walked up to the bridge and spotted some ducks. Whenever the kids are with me, we come prepared with the kayak and food. After the trail exploration we headed over to the Gulf at Langdon Beach which is still within the gate of Fort Pickens. It’s always a great time when we can stay long enough to watch and photograph the beautiful sunset.

The road to Fort Pickens may be closed to cars after Ida, however, it should be open for biking and hiking and will be worth the trek for anyone wanting to make a close encounter with nature. Give workers a few more weeks and head out in your vehicle for a great time at Fort Pickens.

• Exploring the fort
• Hiking
• Fishing
• Enjoying the sugar white sands on the Gulf of Mexico
• Swimming
• Camping
• Bird watching

Fort Pickens’s Visitor center is open from 9:30 – 5:00 pm.

Sea Turtle Printables

View Fort Pickens in a larger map

Fort Pickens

Inside the old fort