Horn Island Beach
Pascagoula, MS

A wilderness barrier island inside the Gulf Islands National Seashore, accessible only by boat, with no development of any kind allowed. Local boaters and campers who make the trip get an entire island of untouched dunes and beach practically to themselves.
A boat only wilderness island with no development allowed at all, about as untouched as this list gets, just be ready to wade in since there's no dock.
How we score beachesYou'll need your own boat or a charter to get out here, and there is no dock, so be ready to wade in.
Pets are not allowed on Horn Island, including its beaches, under Gulf Islands National Seashore's wilderness-island rules.
Getting out to this wilderness barrier island is easiest in calmer weather, generally spring through early fall, before hurricane season, June through November, makes Gulf crossings less predictable. Water warms into the 80s by midsummer for anyone making the boat trip.
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