Escatawpa Hollow to Close for Renovations Beginning April 14
Posted on: Apr 12th, 2021 | AnnouncementsPress ReleasesFeatured News
MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. – At its regular meeting on April 12, the Mobile County Commission approved a $4.8 million contract for Phase 1A of major renovations to Escatawpa Hollow Park and Campground, located off Highway 98 in west Mobile County near the Mississippi state line.
Escatawpa Hollow Park and Campground will close for construction April 14, 2021 and will be closed until renovations are complete.
Phase 1A of park expansion will include restrooms, pavilions, RV sites and generally enhanced park infrastructure, such as roadwork, water access points and trails. The project will immediately proceed into Phase 1B, which will include a welcome center with café, a general store and a Black Water River System interpretive center.
“We’ve been planning multi-phase renovations since acquiring Escatawpa Hollow Campground in 2019,” said District 2 Commissioner Connie Hudson, who spearheaded efforts for the property acquisition and expansion. “The new facilities and expanded waterfront access will greatly improve recreational opportunities at the park and campground, so visitors can more fully enjoy and learn about the Escatawpa River,” she added.
Once renovations by contractor J. Hunt Enterprises General Contractors LLC are complete, Escatawpa Hollow Park and Campground will increase public access to the Escatawpa River through 103 acres of park that includes about 1 mile of shoreline.
Escatawpa Hollow Park and Campground improvements are part of Mobile County Commission’s multi-year, $40 million parks improvement initiative that includes $35 million for increased public access to water.
Mobile County Commission’s parks improvement initiative is made possible through funding generated by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA). Authorized uses of GOMESA funds, generated through Alabama’s offshore oil and gas drilling leases, include conserving, protecting and mitigating the impact of such activity by implementing a federally-approved conservation plan. Part of the local conservation plan is to increase public access to shoreline recreational areas, such as along the Escatawpa River.
The Escatawpa River forms a portion of the border between Alabama and Mississippi. It flows north-south and is navigable through Mobile County, Alabama. Escatawpa Hollow Park and Campground is located off Highway 98 in Mobile County Commission District 2.