If you are planning on
making Alabama your new home state, get ready to spend a lot of
time in the great outdoors. Mountains, lakes, plains and the seaside are
all part of the natural beauty of the state. And with such a varied topography,
conditions are great for just about any type of outdoor recreation.
If you come to Alabama, there's one place you're guaranteed to spend a lot of your time-the great outdoors. From parks and national forests to some of the best fishing spots in the nation, the Heart of Dixie offers a vast variety of outdoor recreations. The Alabama Nature Conservancy boasts the state is one of the foremost most ecologically diverse states in the country. Our plant and animal life is rich in diversity that rivals even California and Florida. A place far from the concrete jungles of the metropolis, Alabama has over 50,000 acres of unspoiled wilderness, from the rugged foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, to the snow-white beaches and sea breezes of the Gulf Coast.
The unique geography of Alabama makes it possible to spend a day in the mountains with the seaside just a few hours away. Outdoor sports are as diverse as the state's environment, with everything from camping, kayaking and rock climbing, to deep-sea fishing, hunting and boating.
A state so blessed with natural beauty takes pride in protecting its environment. There are 26 state parks in Alabama which help preserve areas such as springs, creeks, caverns and beach dunes. Alabama is home to a large group of environmentally aware individuals, organizations and companies, all of whom play a part in protecting the state's natural ecosystems. The Alabama Environmental Council, a state-wide environmental and advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Alabama's environment and natural heritage, is one of several organizations which have created the Forever Wild Program. The program utilizes offshore natural gas windfall money to purchase land and set it aside to remain naturally wild.
The Alabama Department of Conservation places surplus military vehicles in the Gulf of Mexico as part of a reef-building program. The reefs have gone from protecting marine life in the Alabama Gulf Coast to producing it. Even large companies like Alabama Power contribute to protecting the state's environment. Each year the company recycles Christmas trees by placing them in lakes around the state to provide an aquatic habitat for fish.
In the hills of northern Alabama, mountain lakes meet fish-filled rivers and the highest peaks overlook canyons and waterfalls. Fishing, camping, canoeing and hiking reign supreme in the northern part of the state. Grab a line and a pole; this region is perfect for the avid angler. Weiss Lake, a northeastern body of water, has been dubbed "Crappie Capital of the World." Wheeler Dam, on the Tennessee River in Alabama, produces more trophy small mouth bass than any other lake in the nation.
It is said that Alabama doesn't have any bad places to fish, and it is especially true of the central part of the state. Lake Demopolis, where the Tombigbee and the Warrior rivers come together, teems with bass. Both Lake Martin and Gainesville Lake offer excellent crappie fishing. In southern Alabama's salt waters, deep-sea fishing tours are popular and can be arranged at most marinas in the Gulf Coast area.
For those who want to explore nature on foot, land adventures are
plentiful. The Sipsey Wilderness, located in Bankhead National Forest, offers
waterfalls, the Sipsey river, and 99 miles of hiking trails. Avid hikers
might want might want to visit 2,407-foot Cheaha Mountain. On a clear day at
Pulpit Rock, you can look out from Alabama's highest point and see more than
375,000 acres that make up Cheaha State Park, the Cheaha National Wilderness and
the surrounding Talladega National Forest. The scenic Sipsey River begins at the
junction of Hubbard and Thompson Creeks in northern Alabama and winds through
vertical canyons and steep hillsides across the state. It is a perfect spot for
those who want to float down the stream in a canoe. Other canoeing adventures
include the Cahaba River, an easy, 10-mile float with no rapids and Locust Fork,
with Class II and IV rapids, offer canoeing adventures at any level. For a
faster-paced ride, Little River Canyon in northeast Alabama offers kayakers what
some call one of the best, and roughest, runs in the world. Little River Canyon
is the only river in the United States that forms and flows on top of a
mountain.
Aside from the outdoor activities, the southernmost region of Alabama is home to
some of the most ecologically diverse areas in the state, with over 225,000
acres of wilderness in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. The delta provides a sanctuary
for 95 species of resident birds and another 250 species of migratory birds. It
is home to 230 species of fish and the state's most viable population of black
bear. Catch a tour of the Delta with Captain Gene Burrell's Wildland Expeditions
Swamp Tours excursion, a two hour expedition that runs year round. Other natural
areas of wonder include trails and preserves like Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge and
the Gulf State Park Nature Center or Biophilia Nature Center. The Weeks Bay
National Estuarine Research Reserve between Fairhope and Foley protects over
3,000 acres of wetlands along Weeks Bay.
From the serene mountain lakes in the north, to the rolling surf and
marshes in the south, Alabama is brimming with places for fun and adventure.
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