Clower-Thornton Nature Trail — Attraction in Gulfport

Great. Need to visit now. Spring. It is the Clower -Thornton Nature Area or Park. Coffee Creek runs along the western side of the recently (almost ) completed government makeover of the project with funds related to hurricane Katrina in 2004. The funded project was based on the nature area's original proposals and plans developed to create the vision of a small group of dedicated women of which only one , is still today. Near the end of the vision. The Mississippi Garden Clubs managed the area after it was donated by the Clower/Thornton family heir in the early 1980's on the condition that it remains a nature preserve for eternity on Most of the ladies of the garden clubs have passed away except one. It took many decades of work, support, volunteers , private donations and personal funds by those ladies and a few other supporters to reach the pre Katrina status of the Nature area . By then through thousand of days of volunteers working on a shoestring funds or their own personal funds hundreds of school children had been guided through the ancient Gulf Coast flora and fauna that existed there before Columbus . Katrina leveled most of the southern forest of the park. However that is what it took , a historical hurricane to finally establish the initial shared vision the founders all deeply supported . A vision to preserve the area and one of the few natural creeks that flowed into the Mississippi Sound and to educate children about nature, the history of the area and provide a beautiful place and experience they would remember for the rest of their lives. Most of all and the hardest was to preserve it for all the generations to come rather than it be stolen and turned into a commercial project. The trail continues south across the road and under the railroad track. Original plans have the trail connecting to the seawall beach walkway I dont know of any other place that does that which would provide a walkway for even wheelchairs from the Nature area to as far as Biloxi or to Pass Christian to the west along the beach. The area between the parking lot and the creek drops off steeply and need to have a barrier as it previously had poles with cables. The large bridge to the north has warning signs and wasn't supposed to be used for over the last 25 or so years. It was donated and built by...

So I found this spot in my area today. Found it online. When I think of a hike I definitely think more than .80 miles and when I think of nature area I envision something different. Anyway it's black topped so that's a plus. Weirdly all the emergency call boxes are at the very beginning of trail. The walk is through a thinned wooded area with a few bridges. Kinda nestled behind a neighborhood. I expected a bit more but it was peaceful and quiet. I would recommend a emergency call box in the other side as well. Seems some sketchy neighboring...

A nice trail to walk, or jog. Go during the day. Don't go alone. Pretty sketchy surroundings. Seems like there are homeless people living in the middle of the wooded area, there were tents and what not every time we have gone. They're still in the process of renovating it I believe so maybe some of these bad factors will change. They do have several of the emergency Code Adam units along the beginning of the path, but none in the wooded area where it's...