June has been named Great Outdoors Month, creating a monthlong celebration of the outdoors. It was designated to encourage everyone to “embrace the outdoor spirit of America and head outside into the natural world.” Here on the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast, we’re jumping in with both feet.
There are many ways to celebrate the great outdoors, even if it’s simply taking a walk at a nearby park. One of the best places to do this is the white-sand beach of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Each year, our 32-mile Gulf of Mexico coastline entertains more than 5 million visitors from across the nation and world.
To ensure our beaches remain pristine, we ask that your beach getaway plans include being a good steward to the environment and following the Leave Only Footprints lifestyle.
The Leave Only Footprints program is based on Leave No Trace principles and is active year-round. Incorporating our beach rules and regulations provides a positive experience by ensuring the safety of our visitors and sustainability of our natural resources.
When you visit any beach, these simple steps will help protect the environment and keep the surroundings clean:
- Avoid walking on any beach vegetation. Plant roots hold together the fragile dunes.
- Explore away from bird nesting areas. Nests may be located in the ground and even camouflaged to resemble the surrounding environment, so please watch your step!
- Please, please, please don’t litter! Pack out all your trash and recycle what you can.
- Refill all holes before you depart, as they can cause injury to wildlife and people. And be careful when playing in or around the holes. Falling sand from side collapses can be dangerous.
No matter where you decide to celebrate Great Outdoors Month, be sure to take care of the environment. Our future generations will be grateful that you did!