Fort Pulaski National Monument
For much of the 19th century, masonry fortifications were the United States’ main defense against overseas enemies. However, during the Civil War, new technology proved its superiority over these forts. Using rifled cannons, the U.S. Army compelled the Confederate garrison inside Fort Pulaski to surrender. The siege was a landmark experiment in the history of military science and invention.
Alerts
- ClosureMcQueen's Island Trail Closed Beginning August 3, 2026
The McQueen's Island Trail will close for a Chatham County restoration project beginning August 3, 2026.
- InformationGorge Wall Preservation Closures Begin Fall 2026
Fort Pulaski's Gorge Wall interiors will undergo preservation work beginning September 2026. For your safety, follow signage and do not cross any barricades.
- InformationThe North Shoreline is Closed
The shoreline is closed permanently for resource protection and visitor safety.
- InformationFort Pulaski Entrance Fees are Credit/Debit Only
The park is no longer accepting cash for entrance fees. Credit and debit cards are the only method of payment currently being accepted.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Per PersonA per person fee of $10 is required to visit Fort Pulaski and the surrounding areas. Admission is valid for 7 consecutive days. Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Only available at the entrance station to Fort Pulaski National Monument. Credit/Debit Only | $10 | |
| Commercial tours · by vehicle capacity | ||
| Per PersonCommercial bus/van tours are charged the per person fee for the number of persons on board. | $10 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkThe Fort Pulaski Annual Park Pass provides entry into Fort Pulaski National Monument for the pass holder and 3 other adults. The pass is valid for a year from the month of purchase. Each Fort Pulaski Annual Park Pass comes with one signature line for a single passholder. | $35 | |
Entrance fees are valid for seven consecutive days from the date of purchase.
Hours
| Fort Pulaski National Monument | Daily · 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Historic Fort Pulaski | Daily · 9:00AM - 4:30PM |
| Entrance Station | Daily · 9:00AM - 4:30PM |
Fort Pulaski National Monument: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Closed Thanksgiving Day | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Closed Christmas Day | Hours not published |
| Jan 1, 2027Closed New Year's Day | Hours not published |
Historic Fort Pulaski, Entrance Station: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:00AM - 4:30PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Closed Thanksgiving Day | Hours not published |
| Dec 25, 2026Closed Christmas Day | Hours not published |
| Jan 1, 2027Closed New Year's Day | Hours not published |
When to go
March draws the most visits here and October the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Fort Pulaski Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
The Fort Pulaski Visitor Center is located next to the main visitor parking area and historic Fort Pulaski. Here you can watch the park film, check out a variety of exhibits about Fort Pulaski, and get park and program information for a wonderful visit to the national monument.
Explore
Things to do
- Birdwatching at Fort Pulaski
Explore birdwatching opportunities at Fort Pulaski National Monument.
Opens on the Park Service site - Become a Fort Pulaski Jr. Ranger
Explore, Learn, and Protect by becoming a Junior Ranger.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore Fort Pulaski
Step back in time by exploring the historic Fort Pulaski, the best-preserved fort of its kind.
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit Fort Pulaski's Visitor Center
The best place to start your visit to Fort Pulaski!
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch Fort Pulaski's Park Film20 Minutes
Twenty-minute film that explores the history of Fort Pulaski from its construction through the end of the 20th century.
Opens on the Park Service site - Boating at Fort Pulaski
How to explore Fort Pulaski's waterways.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 10Hide
- Fishing at Fort Pulaski
Information about fishing in the waterways around Fort Pulaski National Monument.
Opens on the Park Service site - Biking at Fort Pulaski
Fort Pulaski features multiple trails great for bike riding.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hiking at Fort Pulaski
Fort Pulaski has several trails for you to explore!
Opens on the Park Service site - Attend a Fort Pulaski Ranger Program20-45 Minutes
oin a member of the park staff inside the fort or for a guided waslk to learn about the stories and people of Fort Pulaski -- and why they matter.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- 11:00 AM · runs through Apr 30Ranger Talks at Fort Pulaski take place inside of historic Fort Pulaski daily.
- Tour de Forts10/1710:00 AMStarts at the Visitor Center.
- Musket Demonstrations at Fort Pulaski10/1711:00 AMMusket demonstrations will take place inside Fort Pulaski. Parking is available at the Fort Pulaski National Monument Visitor…
- Free Entry at Fort Pulaski!10/2709:00 AM · free
- The 157th New York Infantry and the Immortal 60011/0709:00 AMInside Fort Pulaski.
- Candle Lantern12/1106:00 PM · runs through Dec 12
News
- Fort Pulaski National Monument Welcomes James Crutchfield as Superintendent ↗2026-09-01
The National Park Service has selected James Crutchfield as the new superintendent of Fort Pulaski National Monument.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthOsprey 6× · Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin 5× · Brown Pelican 3× · Bald Eagle 3× · Eastern Fox Squirrel 2× · Barred Owl 1× · Great Horned Owl 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 215 birds, 19 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAMERICAN KESTREL · American Swallow-tailed Kite · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Barred Owl · Black Vulture · Broad-winged Hawk · COOPER'S HAWK · GREAT HORNED OWL · MERLIN · Northern Harrier · Osprey · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · SHARP-SHINNED HAWK · SHORT-EARED OWL · Snowy Owl · TURKEY VULTURE
Waterfowl & wadersAMERICAN WHITE PELICAN · BLUE-WINGED TEAL · BROWN PELICAN · BUFFLEHEAD · Black-crowned Night-Heron · CANADA GOOSE · CLAPPER RAIL · COMMON LOON · Cattle Egret · Double-crested Cormorant · GLOSSY IBIS · GREAT BLUE HERON · GREAT EGRET · GREATER SCAUP · GREEN HERON · HOODED MERGANSER · HORNED GREBE · LITTLE BLUE HERON · Lesser Scaup · Pied-billed Grebe · RED-BREASTED MERGANSER · RING-NECKED DUCK · RUDDY DUCK · SNOW GOOSE · Snowy Egret · Tricolored Heron · VIRGINIA RAIL · WHITE IBIS · WOOD DUCK · Wood Stork
Shorebirds & seabirdsAMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER · American Oystercatcher · American Woodcock · BLACK SKIMMER · BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER · Black Tern · Bonaparte's Gull · Buff-breasted Sandpiper · CASPIAN TERN · COMMON TERN · Common Snipe · DUNLIN · Forster's Tern · GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL · GREATER YELLOWLEGS · HERRING GULL · KILLDEER · LAUGHING GULL · LEAST SANDPIPER · LONG-BILLED CURLEW · Least Tern · Lesser Black-backed Gull · Lesser Yellowlegs · PECTORAL SANDPIPER · PIPING PLOVER · Purple Sandpiper · ROYAL TERN · Ring-billed Gull · Ruddy Turnstone · SANDWICH TERN · SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER · SOLITARY SANDPIPER · SPOTTED SANDPIPER · Sanderling · Semipalmated Plover · Western Sandpiper · Willet · Wilson's Plover
Gamebirds & dovesCOMMON GROUND-DOVE · MOURNING DOVE · Northern Bobwhite · ROCK DOVE
WoodpeckersDOWNY WOODPECKER · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER · Red-headed Woodpecker · YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
Hummingbirds & swiftsCHIMNEY SWIFT · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAMERICAN GOLDFINCH · ANHINGA · American Crow · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · BALTIMORE ORIOLE · BANK SWALLOW · BARN SWALLOW · BLACK-NECKED STILT · BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER · BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER · BLUE GROSBEAK · BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER · BLUE-HEADED VIREO · BROWN THRASHER · Belted Kingfisher · Black-and-white Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Jay · Boat-tailed Grackle · Bobolink · Brown-headed Cowbird · Brown-headed Nuthatch · Bruant de LeConte · CANVASBACK · CAPE MAY WARBLER · CAROLINA CHICKADEE · CEDAR WAXWING · CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER · CLIFF SWALLOW · COMMON GRACKLE · COMMON NIGHTHAWK · COMMON YELLOWTHROAT · Canada Warbler · Carolina Wren · Chipping Sparrow · Chuck-will's-widow · Common Moorhen · Connecticut Warbler · Dark-eyed Junco · EASTERN MEADOWLARK · EASTERN TOWHEE · EUROPEAN STARLING · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Wood-Pewee · FIELD SPARROW · Fish Crow · GRAY KINGBIRD · GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Gray Catbird · Great Crested Flycatcher · Hermit Thrush · House Finch · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Kentucky Warbler · LARK SPARROW · LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE · Lincoln's Sparrow · Louisiana Waterthrush · MARSH WREN · Magnolia Warbler · NORTHERN PARULA · Nelson's Sharp-tailed sparrow · Northern Cardinal · Northern Gannet · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Waterthrush · ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER · Orchard Oriole · Ovenbird · PAINTED BUNTING · PALM WARBLER · PHILADELPHIA VIREO · PROTHONOTARY WARBLER · PURPLE FINCH · Pine Warbler · Prairie Warbler · Purple Martin · RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH · ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK · Red Knot · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW · SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER · SONG SPARROW · SUMMER TANAGER · SWAINSON'S THRUSH · SWAMP SPARROW · Savannah Sparrow · Seaside Sparrow · Sedge Wren · Sora · TENNESSEE WARBLER · Tree Swallow · Tufted Titmouse · VEERY · WESTERN KINGBIRD · Whimbrel · Whip-poor-will · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Wood Thrush · Worm-eating Warbler · YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT · YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-throated Warbler
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · BLACK RAT · Hispid Cotton Rat · House Mouse · Marsh Rabbit · eastern gray squirrel
Marine mammalsBottlenose Dolphin
PredatorsMINK · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsWhite-tailed Deer
BatsBig Brown Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · Eastern Pipistrelle · Eastern Red Bat · Evening Bat · Northern Yellow Bat · Seminole Bat
Also on the checklistMarsh Oryzomys · Virginia Opossum
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 17 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Savannah has a humid sub tropical climate with over two hundred days of sunshine each year. Summers are typically hot, bright and humid with afternoon thunderstorms common. Temperatures often range from the lower 70s to the mid 90s F. Spring and autumn can be quite pleasant with temperatures ranging from the upper 50s into the 80s F. The winter months are usually dry. Temperatures can be cooler than one would expect, ranging from the upper 30s through the 60s F generally, though sudden cold snaps can occur.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Fort Pulaski?
Entrance is $10 per person on foot or bike. A per person fee of $10 is required to visit Fort Pulaski and the surrounding areas.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Fort Pulaski?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Fort Pulaski-only annual pass is $35.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Fort Pulaski takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Fort Pulaski free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Fort Pulaski?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Fort Pulaski. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Fort Pulaski?
Standard hours are 9:00AM - 5:00PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Fort Pulaski right now?
4 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Gorge Wall Preservation Closures Begin Fall 2026; McQueen's Island Trail Closed Beginning August 3, 2026; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Fort Pulaski?
320,926 recreation visits in 2025, number 144 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Fort Pulaski?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Fort Pulaski established?
1829.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Fort Pulaski?
Savannah has a humid sub tropical climate with over two hundred days of sunshine each year. Summers are typically hot, bright and humid with afternoon thunderstorms common.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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