Hiking_AL-14

Start: Trailhead at parking lot

Distance: 1.5 miles out and back

Hiking time: About 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy to moderate due to deep-sand trail bed

Trail surface: Fine sand

Best seasons: Early March–late May, early Sept–early Nov

Other trail users: None

Canine compatibility: Dogs prohibited

Land status: National wildlife refuge

Nearest town: Gulf Shores

Fees and permits: None

Schedule: Year-round, dawn to dusk

Maps: USGS Pine Beach, AL; DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer, page 64 F1; 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 9 miles. Turn left onto Mobile Street (the turn is just a few feet past the sign for the Pine Beach Trailhead). Travel 0.8 mile. Parking and the trailhead are on the left at a sharp bend to the right. GPS: N30 14.187' / W87 49.816'

The Hike

Alabama’s Gulf Coast is known nationally for its pristine white beaches and family-friendly atmosphere. During the summer months, families flock to the towns of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores to enjoy the sun, surf, and attractions, then in the winter retirees, better known to the locals as “snowbirds,” migrate to the South to beat the harsh northern winters.

No matter what your reason is for coming to the Gulf Coast, chances are sooner or later you will be looking for something a little different to do besides catching up on your tan. An excellent option is to take a hike on the Gator Lake Trail in the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

The Gator Lake Trail is an easy to moderate 1.5-mile out-and-back. The only reason for the moderate rating is because the trail follows rolling sand dunes, and sand walking can be a bit tiring even for the best hikers.

As you travel down Mobile Street heading to the trailhead, you get a taste of what lies in store for you on the trail: beautiful expansive wetlands teeming with migratory birds and, depending on the season, a rainbow of wildflowers. You will also pass a number of signs warning you about alligators. Yes, there are alligators in these wetlands and in the trail’s namesake, the freshwater Gator Lake. Of course, alligators are dangerous, but they are naturally afraid of humans. Problems occur when people start to feed them. That’s when the rules change. If you see an alligator, keep your distance and don’t feed it—just enjoy the experience.

The Gator Lake Trail takes you through a much different habitat than the other two trails in the refuge, the Pine Beach and Jeff Friend / Centennial Trails. This is what is known as a transitional habitat, a demarcation line between maritime wetlands and the coastal sand dunes. Depending on the time of year you hike the trail, you will be treated to an amazing variety of wildflowers and plants, including beautiful black-eyed Susans, wild rosemary, blazing star, red basil, and, of course, magnolias, to name just a few.

The 40-acre lake and surrounding wetland plays host to 370 different species of migrating birds. A complete list can be found on the refuge’s website. The refuge is also a favorite stop for the monarch butterfly as they wing northward.

The trailhead is at a sharp bend in Mobile Street on the left. There is enough parking for about twenty cars here. The trail is not blazed but is very obvious to follow. From the trailhead the path meanders eastward along the ridge of a sand dune lined with scrub pine, saw palmetto, and wildflowers. Keep your eyes peeled for gopher tortoises.

At mile 0.4 you will get your first glimpse of Gator Lake. An early morning hike will reward you with a Kodak moment—a placid, glassy lake reflecting a blue Alabama sky, the water only disturbed by the occasional landing of waterfowl. As the trail bends around the lake, you will walk over a small wetland area on a short boardwalk and soon climb a short sand dune and be greeted by a view of the saltwater Little Lagoon and the intersection of the Gator Lake Trail with the Pine Beach Trail. A sign here shows the direction to the Pine Beach Trailhead, the Gulf of Mexico, and the return direction for the Gator Lake Trail. This is where you turn around and return to the trailhead.

0.0	Start at the gravel parking lot on Mobile Street. The trailhead is well marked with a Gator Lake Trail sign. Head east and in about 10 yards pass an information kiosk to your left (north).
0.4	Come to a boardwalk over a wetland and your first good view of Gator Lake.
0.8	Walk over a sand dune and get a good view of Little Lagoon, and arrive at the intersection with the Pine Beach Trail. This is the turnaround. Retrace your steps to the trailhead. (Options: See below for options to add to your trip at the turnaround.)
1.5	Arrive back at the trailhead.

Options

This hike concludes at the end of the Gator Lake Trail, but if you have the time, I highly recommend you make a left turn here onto the Pine Beach Trail. Follow the trail north between Gator Lake and Little Lagoon for 0.4 mile to visit the huge elevated birding platform located on the north side of Gator Lake. The view is wonderful, especially for birders, and it’s a great place to eat lunch.

Another option is to turn right at the Pine Beach Trail (at 0.8 mile) and head south to the Gulf. This adds another mile to this out-and-back hike. At mile 0.9 arrive at a Y in the trail. Take the right fork (south). A sign here points the direction. The left fork is private property. You now begin walking on beautiful, fine white sand dunes. The walking becomes tougher from here to the Gulf in the deep sand. The trail is now marked with 4-by-5-inch hiker signs mounted on 4-by-4-inch posts. (FYI: Make sure you stay on the path! The dunes are federally protected habitats.) At mile 1.0 pass the foundation of a house to the right (west) destroyed by Hurricane Frederick. In 0.1 mile come to another Y in the trail. Take the right fork to the south. The left fork is closed to hikers. In a few yards you will come to another house foundation. At mile 1.2 climb over sand dunes to get your first glimpse of the Gulf of Mexico. The trail is lined with ropes to keep hikers off the dunes. In 0.1 mile arrive at the Gulf of Mexico. Feel free to walk the beach, explore, collect some shells, and enjoy the serenity that the Pine Beach Trail offers. When you’re ready, turn around and retrace your steps to 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

National Shrimp Festival, 3150 Gulf Shores Pkwy., Gulf Shores; (251) 968-4237. Held annually in March on the white beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, the festival features a variety of entertainment, arts and crafts, and lots of fresh Gulf shrimp.

Lodging

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

Restaurants

Lulu’s, 200 E. 25th Ave., Gulf Shores; (251) 967-5858; www.lulubuffett.com. An eclectic mix of live entertainment and a great selection of local food served up by the restaurant’s owner and sister of Jimmy Buffett, Lulu.

Hike Tours

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

Organizations

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