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Gulf State Park--Gulf Shores, Alabama
Hurricane Ivan Damage

Many people have written asking about Gulf State Park and Hurricane Ivan Damage. The beach road (Hwy 182) was washed out by Ivan and was only re-opened this week. Gulf State Park has suffered horrible damage and will not be repaired. Gulf State Park will be torn down and completely rebuilt.

Gulf State Park has been named several times by Family Circle Magazine as a great place for affordable family beach vacations. Hurricane Ivan has forced closure of the park.  The buildings in the photos above were built in 1974. The golf course, cabins and campground which are a bit further inland, are already under repair. The first floor of the hotel sections were completely destroyed. The Convention Center has shattered windows, water damage, and concrete damage. The pool was completely destroyed. The fishing pier that was so well known along the coast, is in three sections. Of the 21 cabins, one was completely destroyed, but the rest have only minor damage. The golf course is in good condition and should reopen soon, park officials say. The Nature Center lost it's roof. The Hotel and Convention Center will be condemned and the debris removed to make way for a new facility. The Dept of Conservation will post updates on the condition of Gulf State Park on www.outdooralabama.com See the Hurricane Ivan photos:

        
The dunes are gone...gone...gone...gone...gone...gone

   
One lone palm tree stands on the flat, flat beach in Gulf State Park. If you look closely, you will see that the trunk is bent up close to the foliage--the tree may or may not make it. The houses next to the park, to the east, have suffered terrible damage.

The once beautifully green foliage is all brown and grey in Gulf State Park anywhere near the beach. It looks like a fire has come thru this area of the coast.

The fresh asphalt pavement is noticeably darker than the original road surface.

You can see where the beach highway was repaired, the Hurricane Ivan water rushed in and out with such force that it created a pass from Lake Shelby to the Gulf which washed out the road.

Photos taken by Lundy Wilder, Oct 5th , 2004. All copyrighted, do not use without written permission.

A Post-Ivan walk on West Beach

A Post-Ivan walk on Orange Beach

See Gulf Shores Ivan Damage Photos