The view from the Gazebo Trail’s namesake
13 Gazebo Trail
The first sign of any elevation gain in south Alabama occurs in Little River State Forest (formerly Claude D. Kelley State Park). Here the Gazebo Trail travels up the shallow inclines of 300-foot ridges, past slash and longleaf pines towering over pine-needle floors, as it makes its way to its namesake gazebo built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The trail crosses a nice little creek that feeds the lake. Along the way, look for small fern forests, beautiful white dogwoods in the spring, and eastern wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, and red-tailed hawks.
Start: At the park office and bathhouse
Distance: 2.8 miles out and back
Hiking time: About 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate due to a few small hill climbs
Trail surface: Dirt footpath, short dirt road
Best seasons: Year-round
Other trail users: None
Canine compatibility: Dogs permitted but must be on leash in recreation areas
Land status: Alabama state forest
Nearest town: Atmore
Fees and permits: Day-use fee; paddleboat rental and lake zip line fees
Schedule: Year-round, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; zip line open weekends Memorial Day–Labor Day
Maps: USGS Uriah East, Uriah West, Huxford, and McCullough, AL; DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer, page 57 D6
Trail contact: Little River State Forest, 580 H. Kyle Rd., Atmore, AL 36502; (251) 862-2511; www.forestry.state.al.us/little_river_state_forest.aspx?bv=6&s=2
Finding the trailhead: From I-65 exit 57, take AL 21 north 11 miles. Turn right onto H. Kyle Road and travel 0.4 mile to the pay station. The office and the start of the trail are straight ahead in another 0.2 mile. GPS: N31 15.436' / W87 29.129'
The Hike
Hidden away like a little secret off AL 21 is Little River State Forest, yet another gift of the Depression era’s CCC program. The park is a gem for families, offering plenty to do. There are playgrounds; swimming, canoeing, paddleboating, and fishing in the park’s centerpiece 25-acre lake; and, of course, hiking.
One of my favorites at Little River is the Gazebo Trail. Now, I am a bit partial to this trail, which was originally built in 1935 by the CCC to take visitors to its namesake gazebo. I only discovered the path in 2000 while doing research for the first edition of this book. Soon after, a series of devastating hurricanes virtually wiped the trail off the map, but with the help of the Alabama Forestry Commission and the local chapter of the Alabama Hiking Trail Society, we painstakingly found the original trail bed under mounds of downed trees, and today the trail is almost exactly back to where it was in 1935.
There are two trails in the park: The first (and the longer of the two) is this trail, the Gazebo Trail; the second is the Bell/CCC Trail. Both trails start at the park office and bathhouse (you can find drink and snack machines inside). The Bell/CCC Trail heads west then south, skirting the lake and forming a lollipop loop. The Gazebo Trail heads northeast from the office, away from the lake along rolling ridges.
The trail is marked with yellow paint blazes. This is the official color for the new Alabama Trail that begins (or ends) on the Fort Morgan peninsula on the Gulf of Mexico and ends (or begins) at the Tennessee state line some 550 miles away. The two trails here at Little River State Forest are an important piece of the Alabama Trail.
The view from the Gazebo Trail’s namesake
As you meander down the Gazebo Trail, you’ll encounter a variety of plant life. Sweet gums and live oaks provide shade in the hot, humid summer; in the fall you get your first taste of the season this far south as they blaze in red, yellow, and gold. As in most of the Gulf Coast region, there is an abundance of slash and longleaf pines along the trail, and in the spring it is white with hundreds of blooming dogwoods.
While walking the trail, keep your eyes to the skies to see if you can spot red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures flying high overhead. Also watch for woodpeckers in the trees, including the red-headed and downy species. And look for the tracks and burrows of armadillos and gopher tortoises. In the right season you’ll see many varieties of wildflowers lining the way: black-eyed Susans, yellow-flowered winter honeysuckle, and the lavender flowers of morning glory.
The trail crosses a nice but seasonal stream over a wooden footbridge at mile 0.6. This is a good place to see white-tailed deer and eastern wild turkeys. The bridge was being rebuilt as of this writing but should be in operation by the time you read this. If not, you will have to do a little log-hopping to get across.
The Gazebo Trail reaches its farthest point at the top of a ridge where you’ll find a log gazebo with a stone fireplace built by the CCC. You can reserve the gazebo for picnics, but reserve it early, as it gets a lot of use in summer. A short section of the hike uses a portion of the dirt Gazebo Road. Be aware that picnickers use the road to ferry their supplies and guests to the gazebo, so watch for vehicles. Once you reach the gazebo, have lunch and take in the view before you turn around and retrace your steps to the trailhead.
Before I move on, I need to commend the Alabama Forestry Commission and a nonprofit church organization, Iron Men Ministries, for keeping the park open. Financial constraints nearly forced Little River to close not too long ago, but a partnership between these two organizations kept the gates open and now hundreds of families can continue to enjoy this little gem.
And one more thing: You can view an interesting film produced by the US Department of the Interior about the Mobile area and the construction of Little River State Forest from 1935 at www.youtube.com/watch?v=N23Vpy6VTmw.
Miles and Directions
|
0.0 |
Start at park office and bathhouse. Head away from the lake to the northeast toward the picnic pavilion and picnic area. The trail here is neatly mowed grass. |
|
0.2 |
Cross the dirt Campground Road to the north. The trail now follows a 3- to 4-foot dirt and grass path through some beautiful pines. Watch for deer in this area. |
|
0.6 |
Come to a 78-foot-long bridge across a stream that feeds the lake. The stream is seasonal. Once on the other side of the bridge, turn to the left (northeast). |
|
0.8 |
Cross a dirt road to the east. |
|
0.9 |
The trail merges with a dirt logging road that comes in from the left. Keep going straight (north), following the blazes. In about 100 feet come to a double yellow blaze indicating a turn. Turn left (north) and leave the dirt road, continuing on a narrow grass and dirt footpath. |
|
1.0 |
The trail intersects with the dirt Gazebo Road. Turn right here (southeast) onto the road and follow it uphill. |
|
1.3 |
Pass a stone CCC culvert that funnels water from a stream under the road. This area is beautiful in the spring, with hundreds of white blooming dogwoods. In 200 feet you will come to a double blaze indicating a right turn. Turn right (southwest) onto a narrow dirt footpath back into the woods. |
|
1.4 |
Cross the dirt Gazebo Road to the southeast and scramble up a short hill. In a few hundred feet, you will reach the gazebo and some nice views of the surrounding hills. Turn around here and retrace your steps to the trailhead. |
|
2.8 |
Arrive back at the trailhead. |
Hiking Information
Local Information
Atmore Chamber of Commerce, 501 S. Pensacola Ave., Atmore, AL 36502; (251) 368-3305; www.atmorechamber.com
Local Events/Attractions
William Station Day, 501 S. Pensacola Ave., Atmore; (251) 368-3305; www.atmorechamber.com. “A simpler way of life” is how the residents of Atmore describe the William Station Day celebration commemorating the town’s founding in 1866, when it was a supply stop called William Station. There are plenty of arts and crafts booths, music, and stories of the trains that once ruled the area and the legends of the Poarch Creek Indians.
Lodging
Little River State Forest Campground, 580 H. Kyle Rd., Atmore; (251) 862-2511; www.forestry.state.al.us/little_river_state_forest.aspx?bv=6&s=2. Primitive camping and improved sites (water and power).
Restaurants
Creek Family Restaurant, 6141 AL 21, Atmore; (251) 368-4422
Organizations
Alabama Hiking Trail Society, PO Box 231164, Montgomery, AL 36123; www.hikealabama.org