Griffin Falls

Griffin Falls

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 0.5 miles roundtrip
Entry Fee: Free

Griffin Falls is a waterfall south of Fort Payne. It is a beautiful tall waterfall that falls off a sheer cliff. 

Find nearby hikes:
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High Falls
Red Mill

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Griffin Falls is located an hour and 15-minute drive southeast from Huntsville.

Google Griffin Falls, look at the map above for directions!

Trailhead/Parking Lot

The parking lot is not well marked but it is the first parking lot you come to if you are coming from Hwy 68. It is big enough for a few cars. 

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Trail

The trail is not marked but is easy to follow. The trail is a rough uphill battle but is very short. There are several beautiful boulders covered in moss and a creekbed that follows alongside the trail.

Griffin Falls

Pictures do not show how tall this waterfall is. The waterfall falls in a v-shape in the cliffside and flows down a sheer cliff down onto the rocks below. There is a path that leads to the top of the waterfall.

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Wildflower Trail

Wildflower Trail

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.25 miles total
Entry Fee: Free (Donation Box)

The Wildflower Trail is located right here in Huntsville.  The trailhead is in the Blossomwood neighborhood. It is a rocky trail that follows a creekbed through bushes covered in wildflowers.

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Find nearby hikes:
Three Caves
Railroad Bed Trail

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The Wildflower Trail is located here in Huntsville on Land Trust of North Alabama land about 7 minutes from downtown.

Click here for directions to the parking lot!

Parking

The parking lot is very small and can hold 4 or 5 cars. You are in a residential neighborhood, so try to carpool and if you have to park along the street, be courteous about where you park.

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Trailhead

The trail begins at the end of the road. There is a trailhead sign located where the trail begins. 

Waterfalls

There are 3 waterfalls NEAR the Wildflower Trail. For the first one, when you get to the end of Wildflower Trail, take a left onto Feagan Spring Trial. You should be able to shortly spot the waterfall pictured. Then you can follow the creek upstream to the second and third waterfall. 

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Rock City

Rock City

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: Less than a mile
Cost: Rock City entrance fee is different depending on the time of year. To see the current pricing and park hours, click here.

Rock City offers incredible rock formations, magical caves, and breathtaking views. It is a great place to get outside with the kids!

Find nearby hikes:
Cloudland Canyon
Foster Falls
Russel Cave National Monument

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Rock City northeast of Huntsville and is an hour and 45 minute drive. Rock City is a very well known tourist attraction and is very easy to find. There are signs everywhere when you get to the top of Lookout Mountain for you to follow.

Google Maps Rock City or look at our map above!

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Rock City Maps

You can find the park map here. Though the map is a bit confusing, there are signs everywhere that direct you down the correct paths to be sure you see everything.

Attractions

Rock City is not the only thing to do on lookout mountain! Ruby Falls and the Incline Railway are both located on Lookout Mountain. You can check out the ticketing calendar for all 3 here.

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Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve

Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve

Difficulty: Easy – Moderate depending on the trail
Distance: 3.28 miles of trail total
Entry Cost: Free (Donation Box Available)

Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve is a very beautiful small park in Huntsville. It is a fantastic short walk that is located off of Highway 72 on Chapman Mountain – Land Trust of North Alabama (Land Trust Website).

Download Trail Map Here

Buy Land Trust Maps here

Getting to Chapman Mountian Nature Preserve is a bit tricky. You must be driving East to West on Highway 72 coming over Chapman Mountain (driving towards Huntsville from Gurly). There is a guard rail on the right-hand side that begins after Moores Mill Road. When the guard rail ends on the right, the turnoff is immediately afterward. You cannot really see the turnoff from 72. You will need to just slow down and pull over when the guard rail ends to find the turnoff. 

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

Parking Lot / Trailhead / Pavilion

The Parking lot has plenty of parking and a nice pavilion with plenty of picnic tables. There are a bunch of trails leading from this area.

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Mossy Falls

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.

Moonshine Area

The Moonshine area is at the end of Moonshine Trail and is a nice flat area with creekbeds around it. This area supposedly was used to brew moonshine.

Disc Golf

There’s a Disc Golf area at the Chapman Mountian Nature Preserve! There’s trees with some low underbrush and its a very scenic area. Get out there and give it a try!

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Russell Cave National Monument

Russell Cave National Monument

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 0.5 miles round trip
Entry Fee: Free (Donation Box)

Russell Cave National Monument is a historical cave located in Northeast, AL a little over an hour away and is a great place to get out, hike and see a bit of Alabama history.

Russell Cave National Monument is located a little over an hour northeast of Huntsville, AL. 

Click on this link or look at our map above!

Parking Lot/Trailhead

GPS will take you directly to this parking lot. There is a welcome center with a staff member there to help you. Be sure to watch the short 8 minute video on the cave! They give a short history of all the different natives that used the cave for shelter! If you want to skip the welcome center, you can walk directly to the boardwalk around the left hand side of the building.

Trail

The trail is an easy, short boardwalk from the welcome center to the Cave. This boardwalk is kid friendly and handicap accessible. The boardwalk passes by a sinkhole and a nature trail.

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Russell Cave

Russell Cave is definitely the highlight of this hike. It has a rich history and is visually stunning. Take a moment to read the placards and read about the historical significance of Russell Cave.

Nature Trail

The Nature Trail is only about 1.5 miles, but winds up the hill and back down. It can get tiring, but offers information about the wildlife in the area. It is a paved trail, but since it has a high elevation change, I would consider it an easy to moderate hike.

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Flint River Greenway

Flint River Greenway

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 5 miles total
Entry Fee: Free

The Flint River Greenway is located in East Huntsville. It is a flat, paved, beautiful greenway great for walking or biking. 

 

The Flint River Greenway is located here in Huntsville about a 17-minute drive from downtown.

Google Flint River Greenway or look at our map above!

Trailhead

This trailhead is marked well. There is plenty of parking here. The parking lot closes at sundown. There is a place to put in and take out kayaks here. Go down to the river for a view of a beautiful bridge.

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Trail

The trail follows the Flint River and the golf course. The trail offers a lot of beautiful views and access to views along the river. The trail is paved the entire way and is a great place to bring a bike or just walk.

Hay’s Nature Preserve

Hay’s Nature Preserve is located on the other end of Flint River Greenway along Highway 231. To drive to this location click here. Hay’s Nature Preserve has a playground, pond, picnic area, kayak input, and hiking trails. So, go, bring your kids and fishing rod, and leave those phones in the car!

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Spring Park

Spring Park

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: The trail around the park is 0.5 Miles
Entrance Fee: Free

Spring Park is a small family park in Tuscumbia, AL with a beautiful waterfall, playground, pond, and small train.

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To get to Spring Park, Google Maps Spring Park or look at our map above!

Cold Spring Falls

There really isn’t much to this area. The waterfall is right at the parking lot! Get out and explore the pond as well as find lovely views of the waterfall. Beware of the Geese! 

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Playground/Train/Pavilion

At this park, there is a large playground, a pavilion, and a small train that appears to just circle the park. This is a great place to bring the family for an afternoon!

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Muscle Shoals Reservation

Muscle Shoals Reservation

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: There are 17 miles of trails available
Entry Fee: Free

Muscle Shoals Reservation is located in Muscle Shoals alongside the Tennessee River. There are several highlights of this area including an old Railroad Bridge, a waterfall, and the Wilson Dam.

Muscle Shoals Reservation is located he Broken Road Trail is located in Muscle Shoals about an hour and 15 minutes west of Huntsville. There are several parking lots depending on where you want to go.

Click here for Wilson Dam overview
Click here for Wilson Dam river view
Click here for TVA Trail Complex
Click here for Railroad Bridge

Download Trail Map Here

Wilson Dam Overview

Dam Overview Parking

The parking lot for the overview of the dam is not well marked. It will look like you are going into a secure area. Right before the entrance to the secure TVA area, you will take a left into public parking. From there, the short trail is well marked and you will easily be able to find a beautiful view of the dam.

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Wilson Dam River View and Waterfall

Wilson Dam River View Parking

This parking lot is well marked and easy to find. There is a boat ramp here. The Tennessee River runs right next to parking lot and offers a river view of Wilson Dam. There are public restrooms as well as a playground and a waterfall. This portion of the park is sometimes closed!

Railroad Bridge

Wilson Dam River View Parking

You’ll park at the Wilson Dam River View Parking and will follow the walkway upstream towards the dam. This is an easy walk and is accessible by wheelchair.

Water Tunnel

Wilson Dam River View Parking

You’ll park at the Wilson Dam River View Parking and will follow the walkway upstream towards the dam this is located right next to the Rockpile Falls. This is an easy walk and is accessible by wheelchair.

Railroad Bridge

Railroad Bridge Parking

The railroad bridge is the most unique part of the Muscle Shoals Reservation. The railroad bridge is no longer in service but is still a beautiful bridge to visit. You can walk along the river bed for different views, or cross the bridge on the lower level beneath the tracks.

TVA Trail Complex

TVA Muscle Shoals Trail Complex Parking

The Trail complex is very accessible area great for everyone. There is a playground and pavilion located right next to the parking lot as well as several trails that connect all the way to the dam and the railroad bridge. There are several trails you can choose from depending on what you are looking for.

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Buck’s Pocket

Buck’s Pocket

Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 0.5 mile
Entry Fee: Free

Buck’s Pocket is a secluded park in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It offers amazing views from the parking lot all the way to the cliffs. Currently, the bottom of Buck’s Pocket is closed, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the top!

Buck’s Pocket is located a little over an hour’s drive southeast from Huntsville. It is located near Guntersville Lake.

DO NOT Google Maps Buck’s Pocket. It will take you to the bottom of Buck’s Pocket. Instead, click here or the map above!

Trailhead/Parking Lot

The parking lot is well marked at the end of a small street right before you make the loopback. You can’t miss it. There is enough parking for a few dozen cars including a handicap parking spot. The trailhead has a giant sign that says “Jim Lynn Overlook Area”. You get your first views are from the parking lot, so take it in!

Entrance

The trail is very accessible. It moves from a wooden boardwalk to a gravel path, to walking on flat rock. There are small paths that shoot off the path in both directions as you’re walking to the overlook, but none of the views at the end of these paths are as spectacular as the main overlook area.

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Overlook Area

After a short hike, there is a beautiful overlook area. Make sure to bring a camera and look around! When you are done, head back down the same path you came in from.

Camping

There are camping spots along the top portion of the park near the parking lot. The campgrounds follow the road and according to the website are currently walk-in camping only and first come first serve.

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