Historic Blakeley State Park

By America's State Parks Editorial TeamOutdoor Editor & Trail ExpertFebruary 5, 2026 · Updated June 12, 2026

⚔️ The Last Battle of the Civil War — Site of Alabama’s largest Civil War battle, 20+ miles of trails through Mobile-Tensaw Delta wilderness, Confederate fortifications, ghost town ruins, kayak launch, camping, and cabins on the Gulf Coast

On April 9, 1865 — the same day Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia — thousands of Union soldiers launched one of the war’s final and fiercest assaults against Confederate fortifications at Fort Blakeley, Alabama. The Battle of Fort Blakeley was the last major battle of the American Civil War, involving nearly 45,000 troops in a dramatic twilight charge that overran three miles of Confederate earthworks in just 20 minutes. Today, Historic Blakeley State Park preserves more than 2,100 acres of this hallowed ground on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, where well-preserved Civil War fortifications, the ruins of a once-thriving antebellum town, and the pristine wilderness of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta create a park that is equal parts outdoor adventure and living history.

What makes Blakeley extraordinary is the layering of its stories. Before the Civil War, the town of Blakeley was one of Alabama’s most important ports — a rival to Mobile that at its peak had a population of 4,000, a newspaper, hotels, and direct shipping connections to New York. Yellow fever, hurricanes, and the shift of commerce to Mobile killed the town by the 1840s, and the forest reclaimed it. Today, you hike past the ruins of buildings, brick foundations, and the old town cemetery — a literal ghost town swallowed by centuries of Delta growth. Above it all, the earthworks and rifle pits of both armies remain remarkably intact, carved into the landscape like a scar that the forest has grown around but never erased.

The Battle of Fort Blakeley (April 9, 1865)

The assault at Blakeley was notable for the significant participation of United States Colored Troops (USCT) — with thousands of African American soldiers engaged, it ranks among the largest single-battle engagements of Black troops in the entire Civil War — who were among the first to breach the Confederate defenses. The battle’s outcome, combined with the simultaneous surrender at Appomattox and the fall of Mobile, effectively ended Confederate resistance in the Deep South.

Trails

The park features over 20 miles of marked trails through diverse terrain — from Civil War fortification lines to Delta bottomland forest and along the banks of the Tensaw River.

The Ghost Town of Blakeley

Before the Civil War, Blakeley was a thriving port town founded in 1814. At its peak in the 1820s, the town boasted:

• A population rivaling Mobile (~4,000 residents)
• A courthouse, hotels, a newspaper (The Blakeley Sun)
• Direct steamship service to New York City
• The second-largest land office in the United States

Yellow fever epidemics, devastating hurricanes, and the commercial rise of Mobile destroyed the town by the 1840s. Today, brick foundations, the old cemetery, and scattered ruins are slowly being consumed by the forest — an atmospheric, haunting landscape that is one of Alabama’s most compelling historical sites.

Deeper History & Stewardship

The layers at Blakeley reach far beyond the Civil War: the grounds hold Native American archaeological sites dating back thousands of years, predating European contact, along with magnolia-covered bluffs overlooking the Delta. Unusually for an Alabama state park, Historic Blakeley is operated by the Historic Blakeley Authority — a state agency created by the Alabama Legislature in 1981 — which manages the battlefield, the town site, and the park’s interpretive programs.

Water Activities

• Kayak Launch: Direct access to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta — the second-largest river delta in the US
• Delta Boat Cruises: Seasonal guided boat tours through the delta’s waterways
• Fishing: Bass, bream, catfish in delta waters. Alabama fishing license required

Camping and Accommodations

Essential Visitor Information

Getting There

• From Mobile: 15 miles east via I-10 and Highway 225 (~25 minutes)
• From Gulf Shores: 35 miles north (~45 minutes)
• From Pensacola, FL: 70 miles west (~1 hour 15 minutes)

Best Time to Visit

Nearby Attractions

• USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park: 10 miles west — WWII battleship and submarine tours
• Fort Morgan State Historic Site: 30 miles south — Civil War fort, beach access
• Mobile: 15 miles — Bellingrath Gardens, Gulf Coast Exploreum, historic downtown
• Gulf Shores/Orange Beach: 35 miles south — Gulf of Mexico beaches
• 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center: 5 miles — Delta exhibits, boardwalk, kayak rentals

Wildlife & Nature

Blakeley SP — site of the last major battle of the Civil War (Battle of Fort Blakeley, April 9, 1865 — the same day Lee surrendered at Appomattox). The park’s Tensaw River Delta, hardwood forest, and earthworks support alligators, bald eagles, and white-tailed deer.

Nearby state parks: If you have extra time, Meaher State Park is a short drive away, and Gulf State Park is within about an hour’s drive.

About the Author

America's State Parks Editorial Team

Outdoor Editor & Trail Expert

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to the state parks of the United States. Our editorial team compiles and reviews each park profile from official state park agency sources and other primary references, and follows a published editorial and review methodology (see /editorial-review-methodology/). We update profiles and correct errors on an ongoing basis.

200+ state parks visited across 42 states | 8+ years of outdoor writing

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