Uncover the 9 Greatest Nationwide Parks in Alabama

Positioned within the southeastern a part of the USA, Alabama is house to a number of sources, together with coal, iron ore, and limestone, combining to make it a significant producer of metal within the nation. The state can be in style for peanuts, faculty soccer, wonderful meals, drinks, and gorgeous gulf coast seashores. 

Moreover, Alabama has nationwide parks that mix gorgeous landscapes with the state’s wealthy historical past to offer a wealth of thrilling adventures, magnificent sights, and academic alternatives. These parks embody nationwide navy parks, nationwide monuments, nationwide preserves, and extra. They symbolize an incredible cross-section of pure points of interest and historic websites, starting from one of many nation’s longest rivers that run almost fully on high of a mountain to the positioning the place Andrew Jackson’s military without end terminated the dominance of the Creek Nation.

In accordance with the Nationwide Park Service, these websites obtain over a million visits annually, with as a lot as $55 million in financial advantages coming from the vacationers. 

In the event you’re trying to find lovely, educating, and adventure-filled places to go to, these 9 nationwide parks in Alabama ought to be in your checklist. 

1. Horseshoe Bend Nationwide Army Park

Horseshoe Bend Nationwide Army Park
Measurement	2,040 acres
Animals to see	Turkey, white-tailed deer, squirrels, toads, turtles, snakes
Attraction to see	Smith Mountain Hearth Tower, Tallapoosa River

Positioned within the state’s central area, Horseshoe Bend Nationwide Army Park is understood for its Native American and navy heritage. The park, close to the small Alabama city of Daviston, preserves the Battle of Horseshoe Bend website. The park is used to have a good time the troopers that battled for liberation within the Struggle of 1812.

In March 1814, a band of Creek warriors was attacked by a military led by Basic (and future President) Andrew Jackson. Horseshoe Bend was the ultimate battle of the Creek Struggle, which lasted from 1813 to 1814. 

Horseshoe Bend Nationwide Army Park’s farms, woodlands, waterways, and paths present wonderful potentialities for wildlife statement of their native habitat. Count on to witness wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, squirrels, and a wide range of toads, turtles, and snakes when visiting the park. Foxes, armadillos, and coyotes reside within the park, however they’re an unusual however fascinating sight due to their nocturnal life-style.

The park consists of an overlook, descriptive buildings, a navy tour highway, and gorgeous views alongside the Tallapoosa River.  

2. Little River Canyon Nationwide Protect

Little River Canyon Nationwide Protect
Measurement	15,288 acres
Animals to see	Grey fox, raccoons, skunks, armadillos, opossum, pink fox
Attraction to see	Lookout Mountain

The Little River Canyon Nationwide Protect, situated atop Lookout Mountain in Fort Payne, is among the state’s latest nationwide parks, overlaying 1000’s of acres. The protect protects the pure marvel generally known as the Grand Canyon of the East, which presents lovely views of mountain landscapes, year-round waterfalls, unusual crops and animals, and a river that people shouldn’t enter with out expertise. 

The canyon, which has been carved as much as 600 toes via the summit of Lookout Mountain over millennia, is a well-liked spot for journeys, tourism, images, picnics, and different actions. 

3. Tuskegee Institute Nationwide Historic Web site

Tuskegee Institute Nationwide Historic Web site
Measurement	58 acres
Animal to see	–
Attraction to see	The George Washington Carver Museum, The Oaks

Within the metropolis of Tuskegee, outstanding cultural historical past was made at two nationwide park places. Within the years after slavery was abolished, males like Booker T. Washington and Dr. George Washington Carver labored on the Tuskegee Institute Nationwide Historic Web site to assist African Individuals discover new identities and jobs.

The George Washington Carver Museum is situated on the grounds, and it honors the scientist’s excellent consideration to the development of quite a few items primarily based on native crops and agricultural commodities. The park additionally homes the legendary Tuskegee Institute website and the residence of Booker T. Washington. 

4. Tuskegee Airmen Nationwide Historic Web site

Tuskegee Airmen Nationwide Historic Web site
Measurement	90 acres
Animal to see	–
Attraction to see	Commodore Museum

Tuskegee Airmen Nationwide Historic Web site is situated in East Central Alabama. It sustains the airfield the place the well-known Tuskegee Airmen obtained coaching throughout WWII.

The Tuskegee Airmen had been the primary African-American fighter pilots in the USA, and so they had been among the many warfare’s most profitable. Over 1,000 troopers obtained coaching right here, paving the stage for full African-American integration into the US navy.

5. Birmingham Civil Rights Nationwide Monument

Birmingham Civil Rights Nationwide Monument
Measurement	18.25 acres
Animal to see	–
Attraction to see	A.G Gaston Motel

Birmingham Civil Rights Nationwide Monument is a park that’s nonetheless underneath building. You possibly can go to the wonderful statues in Birmingham, Alabama, and take a civil rights stroll. The Nationwide Park Service is restoring the A.G. Gaston Motel to make use of as a customer heart and interpretive facility sooner or later.

6. Russell Cave Nationwide Monument

Russell Cave Nationwide Monument
Measurement	310 acres
Animals to see	American Robins, Scarlet tanagers,  nuthatches, Northern cardinals, finches, Jap bluebirds, warblers
Attraction to see	Russell Cave Museum, Russell Cave Nature Path

Russell Cave Nationwide Monument, situated within the far northeast a part of the state, is a cave shelter that Native Individuals have used for over 10,000 years. A variety of claims level to the truth that the cave is the earliest cave shelter website in the USA, primarily based on an archeological research.

The cave is believed to have been utilized by Native American hunters and their relations from round 6500 B.C. to round 1650 A.D. The memorial might be discovered close to Bridgeport. You possibly can enter the cave complicated by strolling alongside a walkway. You can even observe how the park service protects the cave immediately and the place a part of it was excavated up to now. 

7. Freedom Riders Nationwide Monument 

Freedom Riders Nationwide Monument
Measurement	7.83 acres
Animal to see	–
Attraction to see	1961 bus burning website

Freedom Riders Nationwide Monument continues to be underneath building. The customer heart is at the moment closed, however you’ll be able to nonetheless entry the positioning and observe interpretative shows, together with a Greyhound Bus mural.

The web site was supposed to recount the narrative of the Freedom Riders and what transpired to them in 1961. On Might 14, 1961, on the Anniston Greyhound Bus Station, a gang of segregationists, together with members of the Ku Klux Klan, ambushed a bus transporting black and white freedom riders.

8. Selma To Montgomery Nationwide Historic Path

Selma To Montgomery Nationwide Historic Path
Measurement	54 miles
Animal to see	–
Attraction to see	Tent Metropolis, Rosa Parks Museum

The Selma to Montgomery Nationwide Historic Path in Alabama commemorates the marchers’ path from March 21 to March 25, 1965, once they participated within the Voting Rights March.

Ranging from Selma, you’re urged to return almost 50 years from immediately and develop into an observer of historical past alongside the Path. Study concerning the historic 1965 voting rights marches at an informative heart and a voting rights museum.

Comply with U.S. Hwy. 80 to a location generally known as Tent Metropolis in Lowndes County, crossing the enduring Edmund Pettus Bridge and following within the footsteps of foot troopers. Keep on to Montgomery, pausing alongside the way in which on the Metropolis of St. Jude, the Rosa Parks Museum, and different points of interest earlier than rising on the Alabama State Capitol.

You possibly can study rather more concerning the path by going to certainly one of two customer facilities. One is near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, whereas the opposite is in Hayneville.

9. Natchez Hint Parkway

Natchez Hint Parkway
Measurement	52,302 acres
Animal to see	Deer, foxes, coyotes, armadillos
Attraction to see	Garrison Creek, Gordon Home, Birdsong Hole, Double Arch Bridge

Natchez Hint Parkway is a scenic 444-mile journey that connects Natchez, Mississippi, Nashville, and Tennessee. The traditional path has witnessed 10,000 years of North American historical past and marks the Previous Southwest’s most necessary roadway.

Guests can take pleasure in a various vary of wildlife, lovely waterfalls, fascinating hikes, and historic websites alongside this Nationwide Scenic Byway and All-American Street. The trail is very lovely within the autumn when the hardwoods that line the route burst with coloration. Vacationers go to from across the nation to take this particular journey and see the Parkway’s pure and historic points of interest.

The Natchez Parkway additionally travels via Alabama’s northwest area, finishing the state’s intriguing array of nationwide park places.