Port Hudson and Audubon State Parks cut open days to five

     Two significant and popular state historical sites in West Feliciana Parish (Louisiana) have cut their operating schedules to five days a week.  The Port Hudson and nearby Audubon State Historical Sites are now only open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday thru Saturday.  They are closed Sunday and Monday.  (See companion story about increases in fees to visit Audubon State Historical Site.)
     A tight state parks budget forced the two-day a week closing and staff at the two facilities picked which days to close, said Jacques Berry, communications director for Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne.
     Port Hudson State Historic Site encompasses a significant portion of the battlefield, where in the early summer of 1863, more than 30,000 Union troops repeatedly attacked an entrenched Confederate force of 6,800 troops fighting to keep Rebel supply lines across the Mississippi River open.  Unable to breach the Rebel defenses by force of arms, Union troops resorted to a siege, cutting off all supplies to the beleaguered Southerners.  After 45 days the starving Confederates, reduced to eating rats and mule meat, were forced to surrender.
     The defeat at Port Hudson, along with the fall of the fortress upriver at Vicksburg, MS to Union General U.S. Grant the week before, secured Union control of the Mississippi River, cutting the Confederacy in half, turning the tide of war in favor of the Union.
     (The cut in the park's hours of operation comes on the 150th anniversary of the siege; May. 23-June 9, 1863.  The siege at Port Hudson, LA is the longest siege in American military history.)
     The park has a fine museum describing the significance of the battle, a timeline of the battle and how the troops held up under the stress of war.  A section of the original 4.5 mile-long earthworks built by the defending rebels has been preserved.
      Six miles of well maintained crushed stone trail leading to existing Rebel fortifications winds up and down the many ravines in the well-shaded 909-acre park.  The trails are popular with hikers looking for a shady place to walk in warm weather.  A lack of understory growth in the park makes for fair to good birding.  A list of bird species found in the park is available at the park museum.
     Audubon State Historic Site is also known as the park with Oakley House, the plantation home painter John James Audubon briefly lived in the summer of 1821.  The over 200-year old West-Indies style "big house" and surrounding out buildings have been restored and are open for tours which run on the hour.  On the surrounding grounds are well-shaded picnic areas, a formal garden and a short nature trail.
     Hired to teach drawing to a child of the plantation's owner, Audubon drew inspiration and sketched many of the birds found in his famous "Birds of America" while living there.
     Both sites are south of St, Francisville, the parish seat of West Feliciana Parish.
     For more information about Port Hudson call 888-677-3400.   For Audubon State Historic Site call 888-677-2838 or 225-635-3739.

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Louisiana State Parks raises camping fees

    


The first night's camping fee at this unimproved camping site at Fontainebleau S.P will be $20 after July 1.2013 (fee includes $6 reservation fee.)

      Just in time for the July 4th holiday, fees will go up for campers in Louisiana State parks beginning July 1st.  The fee hikes do not include the $6 reservation fee tacked on to the first night's camping fee.  The one-time-per-visit reservation fee is charged for both campsites reserved in advance and for last minute drive-ups.
     Fees as of July 1, 2013.  October-March; unimproved-$14; improved-$18; premium-$20.  April-September; unimproved-$14; improved-$22; premium-$28.  Canoe sites will be $14 year around.
     Fees have increased at the Audubon St. Historic Site.  Entrance to the grounds and the house tour of Oakley is $8  Entrance to the grounds only-$4.  There are discounts for seniors 62 and older and students.
     Fees at Port Hudson State Historic Site are $4 per person.  Seniors 62 and older admitted free.  Discounts for students.
     Both Port Hudson and Audubon sites are in West Feliciana Parish, near St. Francisville. 
     The fee increases were announced in a June 3, 2013 press release from the Department of Recreation, Culture and Tourism.  For more information go to www.LaStateParks.com.

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Camping fees at Gulf Islands National Seashore go up May 17, 2013

    PUBLIC DID NOT WANT TO PAY PROPOSED 50% INCREASE

     Camping fees at Gulf Islands National Seashore developed camping sites at Fort Pickens near Pensacola, FL and Davis Bayou, Ocean Springs, MS, will go up $6 per night beginning May 17, 2013.  In Florida the rate will go from $20 to $26 and in Mississippi from $16 to $22.
     Individuals 62 years of age or older with a Senior pass or those with an Access pass for a disability receive a 50% discount.  SEE NOTE BELOW.
     In a press release dated 5-13-13, Gulf Islands superintendent Dan Brown said a proposed hike of $10 at each location was reduced following public input.
     "Although the majority of public comments supported the proposed increases, some indicated a preference for a smaller incremental increase," Brown said in the release.
     Camping fees have not been raised since 1997, but since that time salaries at the park have increased by 53% and electrical rates and usage have increased by more than 50%, Brown said.
     After hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Katrina (2005) the Fort Pickens Road and the large popular campground there did not reopen until the spring of 2009.
     Gulf Island NS will retain 80% of the camping and entrance fees to help repair, improve or replace visitor facilities.  Upcoming projects include replacing the restrooms in the For Pickens campground, remodeling the Fort Pickens campground store and redesigning the entrance stations at Fort Pickens and Perdido Key to speed entry and reduce line.
     Beginning March 1 of this year, in response to budget cuts mandated by congress (sequestration), some part-time positions at the park were cut.
     Gulf Islands National Seashore is among the top ten most visited national parks.  The white sand beaches and emerald water are popular with boaters, bathers and scuba divers.  The Florida unit of the park is about 220 miles east of New Orleans.

NOTE;
     These passes are not widely available.  Here in New Orleans they are sold at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park but may not be available because of a security problem.  This is apparently not a problem for the Mississippi unit of Gulf Islands National Seashore which has them on hand.  Recently they have been made available over the Internet but that process will take a month, sources say.  The bottom line: Don't wait until the last minute to get one if you think you will need one.  The passes cost $10,  are only available to U.S. citizens (you have to prove it) and are good for a lifetime.