Gulf Coast Region Honorable Mentions

There are plenty of great hikes throughout the Gulf Coast region of Alabama that didn’t make the A-list. Although many are shorter in length, they offer fantastic scenery and interesting wildlife. Pay a visit and let us know what you think. Maybe the hike should be upgraded, or maybe you know of a little-known hike that would make a good honorable mention.

A Alligator Alley

A unique trail if ever there was one, Alligator Alley lets tourists view American alligators in their natural habitat while within walking distance of shopping and restaurants.

The City of Daphne put its proximity to Mobile Bay and its marshes to good use by creating this well-traveled boardwalk. The hike is a 1-mile out-and-back that takes you over the back bays of Mobile Bay via boardwalks for a good view of the gators and waterfowl, including brown pelicans. The trail is open year-round from dawn to dusk.

For more information contact the City of Daphne at (251) 621-3703 or visit the city’s website at www.daphneal.com/residents/parks-recreation. DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer: Page 62 D5.

B Trails of Gulf State Park

Two and a half miles of sugar-white beaches, a 500-acre freshwater lake, bicycling trails, and 4.2 miles of nature trails are in store for visitors to Gulf State Park. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf State Park is one of Alabama’s premier resort parks, with many amenities that make spending a week, or more, there a real pleasure.

All of the nature trails within the park center around the park’s campground. Trails like Hurricane Ridge, Bobcat Branch, Bear Creek, and Alligator Marsh take you to see the effects of hurricanes on the coast firsthand, gulf marshes, and a wide range of foliage including live oak, palmetto, sawgrass, and muscadine, which is commonly used to make wine in the region and is a food source for birds, gray fox, and black bear.

For information contact Gulf State Park at (251) 948-7275 or visit www.alapark.com/gulfstate. DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer: Page 64 E3/F3.

C Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trail

The Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trail in Orange Beach is a National Recreational Trail consisting of six multiuse trails totaling 11 miles in length that will take you through six different ecosystems (we feature one of the trails, Cotton Bayou, in Hike 5).

Located in the city of Orange Beach and the northern side of Gulf State Park, the trail allows hikers, joggers, and cyclists to experience a beautiful butterfly garden, freshwater marshes, hardwood swamps, and maybe bobcats, white-tailed deer, or an American alligator.

For more information about the Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trail, the location of the trailheads, and a trail app for your phone, visit www.backcountrytrail.com or contact the City of Orange Beach at (251) 981-1180. DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer: Page 64 E3/E4.

Hikers taking to the Backcountry Trail in the city of Orange Beach