Harvest Square Nature Preserve

Harvest Square Nature Preserve

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.5 miles Available
Entry Fee: Free (Donation Box Available)

Harvest Square Nature Preserve is a part of the Land Trust of North Alabama. There are two lovely ponds and several hiking trails in this area.

Download Trail Map here.

Harvest Square Nature Preserve is located Northwest of Huntsville right off of Highway 53.

Google Maps Harvest Square Nature Preserve or look at our map above!

Trailhead

The Trailhead and Parking Lot are both very well marked. There is a large sign in front of the parking lot that says “Land Trust of North Alabama”. Walk across the boardwalk attached to the parking lot to enter the park.

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Trails

The trails here are incredibly diverse. You’ll hike on gravel, boardwalks, grass, and dirt through flowers, next to ponds, into thick woods, and even between soybean farms. At the bottom of this post are pictures of different trails you’ll encounter. Each section of this preserve offers vastly different wildlife and features than the other sections. Be sure to check them all out! Click around on our interactive map to check out where we stopped to take photos!

Sunset

This is a great place to watch the sunset, weather permitting. Get there about an hour before to catch some amazing colors!

Want to catch the sunset somewhere else? Try our guide to Ditto Landing!

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Welti Falls

Welti Falls

EDITED BLOG POST! This is private property with “No Tresspassing” signs. Do not go here.

 

Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Distance: 1 mile
Entry Fee: Free

Welti Falls is a beautiful waterfall located south of Cullman, AL. This is a great place to swim if the water is flowing and explore!

More Waterfalls

Welti Falls is a little more than an hour’s drive from Huntsville.

DO NOT just type in “Welti Falls” into Google Maps. It will take you to the north side with no apparent way to get down to the falls. Instead, click here for the location of the parking lot.

Trailhead and Parking

This is not a park, so there are no trailhead signs. The trailhead is near the bridge on the Northside of the road. There are “No Parking” signs along the road. We actually parked there, but of course park at your own risk. We could not find any alternative parking.

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Trail

The trail isn’t well marked but is still fairly easy to follow. If you can’t find the trail, just follow the river. The trail is only 1/2 a mile to get to the waterfall, so even if you have to make your own path, it doesn’t take very long to get to the waterfall. The trail is trashed, so if you wish to be a good citizen, bring a bag and pack some of the trash out!

Waterfall

The waterfall can be bustling or dripping depending on the amount of rain. If the water is still, I suggest not swimming in it. Otherwise, it’s a great place to relax and cool off in the summer heat. You can also find your way to the top of the falls to get a different view of the falls. Take the same trail you came in on to get back to the car.

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Ditto Landing

Ditto Landing

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2 mile
Entry Fee: Free

Ditto Landing has a beautiful walking trail along the Tennessee River called the Tennessee River Greenway. It’s a paved, scenic trail that offers great views of the mountains meeting the water.

Ditto Landing is located in South Huntsville right north of the Tennesee River. Take South Memorial Parkway and turn left onto Hobbs Island Rd. Ditto Landing is on the right about a mile down the road!

Google Maps Ditto Landing or look at our map above!

Parking Lot

 

The parking lot for the trail is not marked. You will pass by the boaters’ parking lot. There usually is plenty of parking.

Trailhead

 

The Trailhead is unmarked. There are 2 paths that lead to the Greenway. Either is fine (the one on the left is shorter). 

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Greenway

The Greenway is covered in beautiful views. The Greenway offers a 1 mile stretch of a paved trail with several benches along the way.  The trail is a great place to walk the dogs, bike, or bring your children for a stroll.

Sunset

This is one of the best places to watch the sunset, weather permitting. Get there about an hour before to catch some amazing colors!

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Green Mountain Nature Trail

Green Mountain Nature Trail

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile

Green Mountain Nature Preserve is a very beautiful small lake in Huntsville. It is a fantastic short walk that is located on Shawdee Rd on Green Mountain. It is about a 1-mile round trip flat trek.

Entry Cost: Free

To get to Green Mountain Nature Trail, head down South Memorial Parkway take Weatherly Road east, right on Bailey Cove Road, left on Green Mountain Road, and right on South Shawdee Road. Follow Shawdee Road for a little over a mile and the park is on your right.

Google Maps Green Mountain Nature Trail or look at our map above!

Fire Tower

The Fire Tower is located before the entrance right next to the parking lot. It’s a pretty place to stop and gaze or take a cool picture!

Entrance

This is a well-marked Entrance. The rules of the park are posted along the entrance path. Entry is free, but you can donate money at the entrance or purchase merchandise.

Fishing is only allowed Monday through Friday for children under 16 and adults over 60 and has a fee of $3.00.

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Hiking Trail

The hiking trail goes around the lake and goes between gravel roads, dirt paths, and wooden bridges. There are plenty of places to sit around the edge of the lake and take in the beauty.

Covered Bridge

There is a beautiful Covered Bridge on the property that looks stunning in pictures. The bridge is located right across the lake from where you enter. The bridge is located along the trail around the lake, so you get to walk across it! There are several great vantage points to view this bridge, so explore and take a lot of pictures!

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Fire Tower – Monte Sano

Fire Tower – Monte Sano

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2 miles round trip

Monte Sano is located in Huntsville, AL and is a great place to get out, hike and bike. The park is very family friendly and hosts a wide variety of trails.

Entry Fee*:
Adults Age 12+: $5.00
Ages 4-11: $2.00
Seniors 62+: $2.00
Active Military: $2.00
Kids 3 and under are free

Annual Park Pass:
Individual: $100.00
Family: $150.00
Senior: $50.00

*The Broken Road has an “Honor Box” to insert your fees into. The main entrance usually has an attendant manning the entrance to collect fees.

The Hiking and Biking Parking Lot is located here in Huntsville about a 15-minute drive from downtown.

Click on this link or look at our map above!

Trailhead

This trailhead is marked well. There is plenty of parking in the parking lot and plenty of space to unload if you have a bike. If you explore the top of Monte Sano by car, you can find several places with beautiful views of the surrounding area.

Trail

The trail itself is very beautiful. The trail starts at the hikers and bikers parking lot and follows signs to the Fire Tower. There are plenty of “Fire Tower Trail” signs along the way to follow! It is a very flat walk to the tower trail.

Fire Tower

The Fire Tower is an interesting place to visit on your trip to Monte Sano. Unfortunately, it is closed and cannot be climbed but is still a great place to stop and observe!

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South Loop Trail – Monte Sano

South Loop Trail – Monte Sano

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.4 miles

Monte Sano is located in Huntsville, AL and is a great place to get out, hike and bike. The park is very family friendly and hosts a wide variety of trails.

Entry Fee*:
Adults Age 12+: $5.00
Ages 4-11: $2.00
Seniors 62+: $2.00
Active Military: $2.00
Kids 3 and under are free

Annual Park Pass:
Individual: $100.00
Family: $150.00
Senior: $50.00

*The Broken Road has an “Honor Box” to insert your fees into. The main entrance usually has an attendant manning the entrance to collect fees.

The Hiking and Biking Parking Lot is located here in Huntsville about a 15-minute drive from downtown.

Click on this link or look at our map above!

Trailhead

This trailhead is marked well. There is plenty of parking in the parking lot and plenty of space to unload if you have a bike. If you explore the top of Monte Sano by car, you can find several places with beautiful views of the surrounding area.

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Trail

The trail itself is very beautiful. The trail starts at the hikers and bikers parking lot and circles along the south plateau. There are plenty of signs along the way to follow! In the winter, there are a few places you can view the surrounding area. Look at the interactive map for a few places to stop.

Mountain View

There is a beautiful place to sit on the benches and enjoy nature around you. In the winter you get a fairly clear view of the area around you. In the summer, you can still see the tops of the mountains, but your views are mostly blocked.

Rest Area

There are several rest areas along the South Plateau Loop. Two of them are marked on the interactive map. These are a great place to rest or get out of the rain if you get caught in a storm.

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Stone Cut Trails – Monte Sano

Stone Cut Trails – Monte Sano

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 4 miles

Monte Sano is located in Huntsville, AL and is a great place to get out, hike and bike. The park is very family friendly and hosts a wide variety of trails.

Entry Fee*:
Adults Age 12+: $5.00
Ages 4-11: $2.00
Seniors 62+: $2.00
Active Military: $2.00
Kids 3 and under are free

Annual Park Pass:
Individual: $100.00
Family: $150.00
Senior: $50.00

*The Broken Road has an “Honor Box” to insert your fees into. The main entrance usually has an attendant manning the entrance to collect fees.

The Broken Road Trail is located here in Huntsville about a 10-minute drive from downtown. To get to the entrance, follow Bankhead Parkway, and at park the first time the road does a switchback.

Click on this link or look at our map above!

Trailhead

This trailhead is marked well. There is plenty of parking along the road. If the main parking has filled up, there is a bit more parking uphill after the switchback. Please be courteous to your fellow hikers and park appropriately.

Trail

The beginning trail is called “The Broken Road” because it is an old road that has begun to erode. Follow the road up 0.25 miles and turn left on the first beaten path you find called “Mountain Mist Trail”. You will come to a trail passing over Mountain Mist called “Sinks Trail”. Turn left on Sinks Trail. Continue onto “Logan Point Trail and turn right when you see the sign for “Stone Cuts Trail”

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Stone Cut Trails

The Stone Cut Trail has a “bypass”. Be sure you go on the trail marked “Stone Cut Trail” and not the bypass. On the Stone Cut trail, you weave in and out of beautiful rocks towering over you. To get back, you can turn around and head back the way you came, or you can follow Mountain Mist back to the Broken Road.

Alternate Route

Here is an alternate route starting at the top of Monte Sano.

Distance: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate

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Broken Road – Monte Sano

Broken Road – Monte Sano

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.5 miles

Monte Sano is located in Huntsville, AL and is a great place to get out, hike and bike. The park is very family friendly and hosts a wide variety of trails.

Entry Fee*:
Adults Age 12+: $5.00
Ages 4-11: $2.00
Seniors 62+: $2.00
Active Military: $2.00
Kids 3 and under are free

Annual Park Pass:
Individual: $100.00
Family: $150.00
Senior: $50.00

*The Broken Road has an “Honor Box” to insert your fees into. The main entrance usually has an attendant manning the entrance to collect fees.

The Broken Road Trail is located here in Huntsville about a 10-minute drive from downtown. To get to the entrance, follow Bankhead Parkway, and at park the first time the road does a switchback.

Click on this link or look at our map above!

Trailhead

This trailhead is marked well. There is plenty of parking along the road. If the main parking has filled up, there is a bit more parking uphill after the switchback. Please be courteous to your fellow hikers and park appropriately.

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Trail

The trail is called “The Broken Road” because it is an old road that has begun to erode. Follow the road up 1.25 miles to the overlook. As long as you are following the road you cannot get lost. The road has plenty of places where the ground has fallen out from beneath it, so be sure to watch where you are going!

Top View

At the very top of the trail is a beautiful overlook. Don’t want to hike to get here? This overlook is accessible through the main entrance of the park. You can drive and park right here! Though I do ask you to PLEASE turn your car off so the rest of us can enjoy nature!

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