It’s been a good year for those looking to enjoy the outdoors in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Eight Mile’s Chickasabogue Park reopened in February after three years of major renovations, and the Flying Creek Nature Preserve in Fairhope celebrated a ribbon cutting over the summer. These two locations, combined with the other parks, trails and waterways in south Alabama, offer something for every level of activity and type of interest. Enjoy October in the great outdoors!
Audubon Bird Sanctuary
11 Bienville Blvd., Dauphin Island
Beautiful migrating songbirds swarm the island in October and November, along with perfect weather.Â
Bartram Canoe Trail
Multiple entrances, view map here
Paddling the trail requires some gear (and a whole lot of planning) but it is well worth the effort.
Blakeley State Park
4745 AL-225, Spanish Fort
Civil war fortifications, colonial-era homesteads, indigenous artifacts and more await along with endless trails and several cabins and campsites.Â
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
12295 AL-180, Gulf Shores
Bask in some of Alabama’s last remaining undisturbed coastal barrier habitat.Â
Chickasabogue Park
760 Aldock Road, Eight Mile
With 17 miles of hiking and biking trails, updated facilities and all kinds of courts, this classic park is ready for you to take a fresh look.Â
Flying Creek Nature Preserve
22430 Main St., Fairhope
Honoring the vision of Fairhope’s founders — to set aside the best land for public benefit — this lush, forested area offers a peaceful retreat into nature.Â
Glenn Sebastian Nature Trail
Aubrey Green Drive between Health Services Drive and the main traffic circle on the USA Campus
This hidden gem on campus offers over three miles of trails winding through 95 acres of native pine and oak woodlands.
Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trail
Orange Beach
More than 6,000 acres of trails and recreation nestled inside Gulf State Park take you worlds away from the beaches.
Langan Park
4901 Zeigler Blvd., Mobile
For many in Mobile County, Municipal Park is the quickest way to find nature at your fingertips.
Longleaf Pine Treasure Forest
5151 Museum Drive, Mobile
Wildflowers blooming under the pines frame your quiet ambles hidden in the heart of town.Â
Meaher State Park
5200 Battleship Parkway, Spanish Fort
A boardwalk through the Mobile-Tensaw Delta takes you as close to Alabama’s 70,000 alligators as you care to get!
St. Stephens Historical Park
2056 Jim Long Road, St. Stephens
Fifteen miles of trails skirt the Tombigbee River for true peace just an hour from downtown Mobile.
Village Point Park Preserve
27710 Main St., Daphne
A bayfront location and 95-foot-tall oak that was a survey line marker in the original Spanish Land Grant map of 1787 make this park a must-see.Â
William Brooks Park
601 US-43, Chickasaw
An easy walk to an over-water pavilion provides the ideal place to spot waterfowl and wading birds. The park also connects to Chickasabogue Park by water, creating the ultimate paddling experience!
