Hiking_AL-13

Start: Jeff Friend Trailhead parking lot

Distance: 5.0-mile lollipop

Hiking time: 2.5–3 hours

Difficulty: Moderate due to length and some sand walking

Trail surface: Gravel, dirt, sand

Best seasons: Late Feb–mid-May

Other trail users: None

Canine compatibility: Dogs prohibited

Land status: National wildlife refuge

Nearest town: Gulf Shores

Fees and permits: None

Schedule: Year-round; electronic gate at parking lot open 6 a.m.–8 p.m. Apr–Oct, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Nov–Mar

Maps: USGS Pine Beach, AL; DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer, page 64 F2; brochures available at trailhead kiosk

Trail contact: US Fish and Wildlife Service, AL 180, Gulf Shores, AL 36542; (251) 540-7720; www.fws.gov/bonsecour

Finding the trailhead: From the intersection of AL 59 and AL 180, take AL 180 west 5.6 miles. Trailhead parking will be on the left and is well marked with a sign. GPS: N30 14.668' / W87 47.235'

The Hike

The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge near Gulf Shores is filled with amazing landscapes, birds, and wildlife. From maritime wetlands and forests to dune ecosystems, Bon Secour is a real gem on the Gulf Coast. The Jeff Friend and Centennial Trails allow you to explore the transitional area between the maritime forest and the dunes of the Gulf.

The combination of these two trails makes for a nice 5-mile lollipop hike. The walk begins at the Jeff Friend Trailhead. The Jeff Friend Trail is a 1-mile loop that takes you to a beautiful wetland and a boardwalk along the banks of the saltwater Little Lagoon. The trail is a wide gravel path held in place by a plastic underlayment that allows for drainage. Jeff Friend by itself makes a great hike to take your children on. It’s a short, easy walk with enough interesting features to keep them occupied and entertained.

For those looking for something more, continue west on the Centennial Trail. The trail intersects the Jeff Friend Trail about 0.3 mile from the trailhead. The width of the trail varies from nice, enclosed 4-foot-wide dirt paths to 10-foot-plus-wide sand trails. Several times on this trek you will cross small streams and wetlands over wooden boardwalks, the largest being at mile 2.1 where it crosses a wide wetland filled with blooming water lilies, wildflowers, and waterfowl. Be sure to have your camera ready. The boardwalk is just above the surface of the wetland, so after one of south Alabama’s notorious wet summers, it may actually be underwater. In that case you may have to turn around, or there is a small strip of higher ground to the south that parallels the boardwalk that you may be able to use to walk around the water.

Wildlife is abundant along the trail, and signs along the path tell the stories of armadillos, coach whip snakes, pine woods tree frogs, gopher tortoises, and many more animals. One of the interesting sights as you walk this trail is evidence of the power of hurricanes. As you near the boardwalk at mile 2.1, you will see trees simply snapped off like broken matchsticks.

Keep in mind that you are walking through wetlands here, and in the hot summer months mosquitoes are everywhere. Be sure to douse down with insect spray before heading out.

When you arrive at the intersection with the Pine Beach Trail (the turnaround), if you have to heed the call of Nature, a few yards to your right is a very nice composting portable toilet. Also, a short 0.3-mile walk to the south on the Pine Beach Trail takes you to the elevated viewing platform overlooking Gator Lake and Little Lagoon, a great place to stop for a rest, have lunch, and watch for birds and wildlife, especially in the early morning hours.

From the Pine Beach intersection, you will turn around and retrace your steps back to the Jeff Friend Trail, but at the intersection take the right fork to the south onto Jeff Friend for that walk around Little Lagoon.

The trails are not heavily marked but are easy enough to follow, and where needed, small metallic brown hiker signs with arrows pointing the way will be found. Several times along the trail you will pass dirt access roads coming in from different areas. Heed the signs and don’t go exploring down them. They are closed to the public.

0.0	Start from the east side of the parking lot. Head east 70 feet to the trailhead (the kiosk is very obvious from the parking lot). A sign here reads “Loop Trail 1 Mile, No Pets.” Head to the right (east). The trail is a wide gravel path with thick rows of saw palmetto and oaks laden with Spanish moss lining the way.
0.2	Pass an informative sign explaining maritime wetlands on the left and a bench on the right.
0.3	Come to a Y in the trail. The left fork (south) will be used for our return trip; continue on the right fork and head east on the Centennial Trail. A sign here points the way and identifies the trail. The trail from here on out alternates from dirt to sand base and back again.
0.4	Cross a series of three boardwalks over wetlands, each separated by a 30- to 40-foot dirt path. Bamboo grows alongside the walkways.
0.6	The boardwalks end. Continue to the east. Some of the trail in this area is low-lying and can be muddy, if not covered with water, after a heavy rain.
0.7	Cross a short, 30-foot boardwalk to the east.
0.8	Cross another boardwalk, about 100 feet long, to the east. At the end is a bench.
1.1	A dirt road enters from the right (north). There is an Area Closed sign here telling you not to take the road, and a Centennial Trail sign with an arrow points the direction (east). In about 0.5 mile pass another bench. The canopy thins out here, a disadvantage on hot summer days.
1.4	Pass another bench.
1.5	A dirt road enters from the right (north). An Area Closed sign indicates the road is closed to the public. Follow the arrow on the Centennial Trail sign and continue straight (east). All around you is evidence of damage from hurricanes of the not-too-distant past.
1.6	Cross a 30-foot boardwalk to the east.
1.8	Pass another bench on the right (north). Also to the north you will see the western end of a large wetland.
2.1	Cross the largest boardwalk of the trip over a beautiful wetland. Halfway across is a nice bench and a wide platform for you to view the plants and wildlife. (FYI: After a heavy rain the walkway could be underwater. If that’s the case, you may be able to walk around the crossing on the uphill side of the wetland.)
2.2	Come to the end of the boardwalk. The canopy again provides good shade. Look for deer moss along the trail. The trail from here to the intersection with the Pine Beach Trail is mostly a dirt path. Little Lagoon can be seen through the trees to the southeast.
2.3	Come to the intersection of the Centennial Trail and the Pine Beach Trail. Turn around here and retrace your steps to the Jeff Friend Trail intersection. (FYI: About 250 feet to the right [north] on the Pine Beach Trail is a nice composting toilet. If you turn left onto the Pine Beach Trail and travel about 0.3 mile, you will come to a large elevated wildlife-viewing platform.)
4.4	Arrive back at the Y intersection of the Centennial Trail and Jeff Friend Trail. Take the right fork to the south. Once again the trail is gravel.
4.6	Come to a bench on the right and a short boardwalk over a small slough next to a very pretty wetland on your left. In 200 feet you will come to a long boardwalk that takes you past beautiful views of Little Lagoon.
4.7	Still on the boardwalk, come to a small deck on your right with a bench.
4.8	The boardwalk ends and the trail is once again gravel.
5.0	Arrive back at the trailhead.

Hiking Information

Local Information

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, 3150 Gulf Shores Pkwy., Gulf Shores, AL 36542; (800) 745-7263; www.gulfshores.com

Local Events/Attractions

Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival. Held at various venues in Gulf Shores; (850) 492-7664; www.fbisf.com. This annual event is held in November and is a music lover’s dream come true, featuring hit songwriters performing their music and newcomers introducing their style of songwriting.

Lodging

Gulf State Park, 22050 Campground Rd., Gulf Shores; (251) 948-7275; camping reservations (800) 252-7275; 496 sites available

Restaurants

Gulf Shores Steamer, 27267 Perdido Beach Blvd., Ste. 115, Gulf Shores; (251) 948-6344; www.gulfshoressteamer.com. Specializes in steamed seafood, no fried.

Hike Tours

Ranger-led tours available throughout the year. Contact refuge headquarters at (251) 540-7720 for current schedule.

Organizations

Friends of Bon Secour, 12295 AL 180, Gulf Shores, AL 36542; www.fws.gov/bonsecour/friends.htm