5 Forever Wild sites you’ll love in Alabama
For outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, the Forever Wild Land Trust has provided opportunities throughout the state to explore all that Alabama’s natural beauty has to offer.
The Forever Wild program was established in 1992 by Alabama voters, with support from Alabama Power and many other organizations, nonprofits, policymakers and individuals. Since then, it has acquired nearly 300,000 acres for public use. The program has provided more than 363 miles of recreational trails, added acreage to nine state parks and created 23 new recreational areas and nature preserves.
Interested in visiting a Forever Wild tract near you? While there are plenty to choose from, we’ve spotlighted five Forever Wild areas that offer hiking, fishing and so much more.
Five Alabama Forever Wild sites you should visit from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson offers a picturesque place for visitors interested in spending a day birding, hiking or mountain biking while immersing themselves in the beauty of Alabama’s great outdoors.
The 462-acre nature preserve in Jefferson County, which opened to the public in 2009, is a protected area for endangered species that also serves as a recreational park and hosts educational programs throughout the year, according to the Forever Wild website. Its location near the Cumberland Plateau makes it an ideal place for birdwatching, wildflower viewing, nature photography and other outdoor hobbies. There’s also a 5-mile trail system, ranging in difficulty from easy to moderate, that runs through the preserve. Two mountain bike trails take visitors past the popular 25-foot Turkey Creek Falls and other scenic spots.
Walls of Jericho
Situated along the Alabama-Tennessee state line, the Walls of Jericho is one of the largest pieces of mostly untouched wilderness in the Southeast, giving visitors access to camping, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing and other recreational outdoor activities.
The 12,510-acre section of Walls of Jericho within Jackson County has become popular among hikers thanks to its scenic 6-mile hiking trail, according to the Forever Wild website. The hike, which could take around six hours to complete, takes visitors more than 1,000 feet down into a box canyon before landing in a breathtaking limestone amphitheater with Turkey Creek (a different Turkey Creek from the one in Jefferson County) flowing through its center, making the strenuous trip well worth the effort. Walls of Jericho is also well-known for its biological diversity, which is why it’s a great place for birding.
Monte Sano State Park
Visitors to Monte Sano State Park can spend more time enjoying outdoor pastimes, including hiking, biking and wildlife observation, by exploring the more than 530 acres added to the park through the Forever Wild program.
Overall, there have been five Forever Wild additions to Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, including the land used for the Mountain Mist Trail, according to the Forever Wild website. This popular trail, which is considered moderate in difficulty, runs a 6.4-mile loop around Monte Sano Mountain and serves as a great way for outdoors enthusiasts to enjoy the diverse foliage in north Alabama. In addition to hiking, guests can play a game of disc golf, visit the Wernher von Braun Planetarium, take a stroll through the North Alabama Japanese Garden and even rent a “glamping safari” tent for a night.
Blue Springs State Park
Thanks to Forever Wild, Blue Springs State Park has more to offer visitors looking for the chance to enjoy hiking surrounded by Alabama’s natural beauty with the addition of more than 100 acres to the Barbour County attraction.
While Blue Springs State Park in Clio is best known for its swimming pools, the additional acreage provided by Forever Wild increases the trails system visitors can use year-round, according to the Forever Wild website. This includes the popular Magnolia Trail, a 2-mile hiking trail that ranges from easy to moderate in difficulty and features scenic views of the Choctawhatchee River. In addition, Blue Springs State Park is a stop on the Wiregrass Birding Trail, with more than 80 species, including yellow-throated warblers and red-bellied woodpeckers, spotted on its grounds.
Wehle Nature Preserve
In Bullock County, Forever Wild purchased more than 1,500 acres that comprise the Wehle Nature Preserve, which is open for outdoor recreational use on scheduled dates throughout the year. During these dates, visitors can enjoy camping, fishing, hiking and horseback riding.
The Wehle Nature Preserve in Midway offers camping on select weekends during spring and fall as well as fishing, hiking and other opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout the year, according to the Forever Wild website. In addition, the land also houses the Robert G. Wehle Nature Center, a state-of-the-art audiovisual theater that offers conservation and environmental education exhibits as well as three self-guided trails, ranging in distance, that take hikers through a variety of habitats while providing information about the plants and animals that can be found in each.