Bayfront Park

Bayfront Park, a hidden gem in south Mobile County, has long been a birdwatchers’ paradise, picnic spot and prime location for watching ships and barges making their way through the Mobile Ship channel near the entry to the Gulf of Mexico.

The park temporarily closed in March 2022 for extensive improvements and is expected to be closed for about a year.  

Enhancements to 20-acre park include the construction of a large “pocket” beach, shoreline adjustments, boardwalk, playground, pavilions, restrooms, park building, and an improved parking lot. The ‘pocket’ beach will provide protected access to the waters of Mobile Bay for swimming, paddling, windsurfing as well as other water activities like shore fishing or crabbing. Playground equipment and covered picnic tables with grills make it a great place for an afternoon picnic.

Bayfront Park, located in the Alabama Port community about a mile north of the Dauphin Island Bridge, has a variety of species of local and migratory birds that visit year-round to take advantage of its fresh water and shelter among the trees and reeds. The site is #46 on the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail and includes wetlands and coastal birding habitats and features Pelicans soaring over the dense pine trees to Herons, Egrets, Osprey, Gulls, and Terns on the shoreline to Bluebirds, Killdeer, Red-wing Blackbirds, Woodpeckers and Kingfishers among the reeds, trees and artificial nesting boxes. Double-crested Cormorants roost on the pilings and both least bittern and clapper rail can be found in the inland marshes. During fall and winter, Virginia Rail and Sora are regular visitors, but more difficult to spot. Marsh Wren, Common Yellowthroat and Boat-tailed Grackle are also common sightings. For more info. about birdwatching in the area, visit https://alabamabirdingtrails.com/sites/bayfront-park/.

Improvements to Bayfront Park are made possible through funding from the Alabama Trustee Implementation Group Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Assessment Trustees. The 2010 oil spill had far-reaching negative impacts on the region’s environmental landscape. The Mobile County Commission’s goals for Deepwater Horizon funding include repairing and enhancing coastal resources while ensuring the future stability and flourishing of Alabama’s beautiful shoreline for future generations to enjoy.

Amenities, once reopened:

• Swimming
• Wind Surfing
• Bird Watching
• Wetland Nature Habitat
• Paddling
• Picnic Tables/Picnicking
• Fishing
• Playground Area
• Crabbing