Blooms, Birds & Bicycles
Huntsville really is a natural attraction for outdoor enthusiasts

The Central Corridor Gardens at the Huntsville Botanical Garden showcase Mother Nature’s green thumb.

Loretta Weninegar says one of her earliest childhood memories of Alabama is the raw beauty of carnivorous pitcher plants while on family picnics almost half a century ago.

It should be no surprise that 40 years later, Weninegar is a leading expert in the areas of freshwater biology, wetland botany and the wildlife species of Alabama and the southeastern United States. And it’s only natural that the Huntsville resident and educator is one of 14 people chosen to represent the state in 2006 during the Year of Outdoor Alabama, as named by the Alabama Bureau of Travel & Tourism.

“It’s a very big honor to me,” Weninegar says. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to introduce people to the Alabama I’ve known all my life. If you’re a hiker, a cyclist or a fisherman, there are trails everywhere and water everywhere. You just have to get out a map and start exploring.”

One place to start is The Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama, which maintains and protects more than 4,000 acres of open space. The properties include the 600-acre Monte Sano State Preserve, the 500-acre Wade Mountain Preserve and Three Caves Quarry.

“North Alabama continues to have record development,” says Cathie Mayne, The Land Trust’s marketing coordinator. “We must save green space now or it will be lost forever.”

Much of the protected land is open to the public for self-guided hikes and other activities. The Land Trust offers more than 20 miles of trails, many within an urban setting. Historic Three Caves Quarry is open for public walking tours during the summer and private tours the rest of the year.

“As you walk down the pathway to the cave, a rush of cool air sweeps over you,” Mayne says. “You know that something very special is ahead.”

Another cool attraction is Huntsville Botanical Garden, a 112-acre oasis adjacent to Redstone Arsenal and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The garden treats visitors to an impressive display of wildflowers, ferns, herbs and other plant life. The Southeast Tourism Society named the garden its Travel Attraction of the Year in 2004.

Huntsville Botanical Garden is known for its seasonal events, including the Spring Festival of Flowers, a summer program for children, the Scarecrow Trail each fall and the Galaxy of Lights, a 1.5-mile drive featuring hundreds of custom-made, holiday light displays. In 2006, the garden will unveil a $3.6 million nature center featuring the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house. A new 2-acre children’s garden will have eight themed areas, including a storybook garden complete with giant toadstools.

Families also can enjoy a number of public parks in and around Huntsville. Big Spring International Park is the center of downtown activity and is ideal for relaxing strolls, picnics or just feeding the ducks. A block away is Bicentennial Park, dedicated in 2005 to mark the 200th anniversary of the area’s founding by pioneer John Hunt. Brahan Spring Park is known for its wide range of recreational opportunities, from tennis to Frisbee golf.

Judy Ryals, president and CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, says that the area’s geographical location along the southern foothills of the Appalachians opens the door for many outdoor activities. For solitude, she recommends the 72-acre Madison County Nature Trail atop Green Mountain or the 2,000-acre Monte Sano State Park.

Water enthusiasts can take advantage of boating and fishing on the Tennessee River, less than 10 miles from downtown Huntsville. Ditto Landing has a busy marina and full camping facilities. The scenic Flint River, meanwhile, is ideal for float trips and kayaking.

Madison County is also home to five of the 50 sites on the newly dedicated North Alabama Birding Trail, including Monte Sano State Park, Hays Nature Preserve, Madison County Public Lake, Blackwell Swamp and Alabama A&M’s Winfred Thomas Research Station.

Story by Edward Navarro
Photo by Antony Boshier