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Outdoor Adventures

Natural beauty and exercise for the entire family!

Guided Hikes & Adventures

We offer guided hike opportunities throughout the year to explore and learn about nature. These FREE events offer natural beauty and exercise for all ages and skill levels but donations to help preserve green space are accepted! 

RESERVATION IS REQUIRED. Registration opens at the beginning of the month. Land Trust members get priority registration. Not a member? Join today! Space is limited to ensure quality and safety. There is no waitlist. If spots become available we’ll reopen the registration link.

You don’t need fancy equipment! However, we do recommend:

  • long pants and comfortable shoes with good tread
  • bottled water
  • hiking sticks
  • trail snacks
  • a camera to capture the experience
  • dogs welcome, but must be on leads.

In case of rain, hikes may be cancelled. All registered participants will be notified of cancellation via the email address provided. For additional information, please call 256-534-5263 or email questions@landtrustnal.org. Our office is open Monday-Friday 8 AM – 4 PM.

Upcoming Hikes

Our guided hike schedule is released at the beginning of each month.

Please note: In the event hikes are canceled due to weather or trail conditions, we will send a notification to registered participants to the email address provided at sign up.

Hike at Blevins Gap North
Saturday, September 9 at 9 AM

(Moderate / Probably less than an hour / Under 1 mile) How about a short walk? This hike is less than a mile long, and will probably take under an hour to complete, depending on how long the group stops to look around and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Jones Valley Loop Trail is the route for this hike. Starting at Fanning Trailhead, located behind the Southeast Church of the Nazarene, this loop trail involves a bit of climbing, though the grade isn’t too steep for most hikers. Summer is in full swing for this hike, so come prepared for an earlier-than-usual start.

Hike Leader: TBD

Location: Blevins Gap Nature Preserve | North (Fanning Trailhead) – 2275 Cecil Ashburn Dr SE, Huntsville, AL 35802
Please note, this nature preserve has multiple trailheads. This location is behind the Southeast Church of the Nazarene.

Sign up

 

Foraging Hike at Hickory Cove Nature Preserve
Saturday, September 16 at 9 AM

(Moderate / Around 2 hours or so / Up to about 2 miles) Late summer is approaching, and with it comes a new world of foraging to explore. Join local forager Casey Lanier as he leads the group on the Land Trust’s newest preserve, Hickory Cove Nature Preserve. The route will be determined the day of the event, but expect to spend some time on the paved greenway as well as the Legacy Loop Trail through the woods. This hike is rated moderate because of terrain, but most of the time the pace will be slow with a lot of stopping to observe. NOTE: This is a workshop with some hiking, so if you’re looking for a walk with no long stops to talk, this probably isn’t it. This hike around the preserve is not intended for collection, but for education.

Hike Leader: Casey Lanier

Location: Hickory Cove Nature Preserve – 1500 Trailhead Main St, Huntsville, AL 35811

Sign up

 

*NEW* Weekend Wanderings
Saturday, September 16 at 9 AM

Weekend Wanderings, our newest program for young hikers (age 6-12 with an accompanying adult), will highlight a different Land Trust preserve each month, providing participants with a variety of opportunities to explore, develop some new skills, and learn about the natural environment. September’s Wander will be at the Harvest Square Nature Preserve, and the theme for the event will be navigation. Participants will learn a variety of ways to navigate through the preserve, working with compasses, maps, and maybe even a GPS coordinate or two. We’ll do a bit of walking and exploring as a group, then families will solve some challenges on their own.

Event Leader: Tim Gels, Education Director, Land Trust of North Alabama

Location: Harvest Square Nature Preserve – 111 Allyson Sadie Blvd, Harvest, AL 35749 (We’ll meet at the pavilion across the bridge)

Reservations: Land Trust members at the Trailblazer (Family) level or above only. Reservations are required. Space is limited. Register using parent/guardian’s information (name on your Land Trust membership) and select spots for the number of participating children only. Adults do not need to reserve a spot for themselves.

Sign up

 

Forest Friends
Monday, September 18 at 10 AM

Families with young children (ages 18 months to 5 years with an accompanying adult) are invited to attend these nature discovery events designed to inspire a sense of wonder about the natural world. Through the sharing of stories, songs, and art, each playful exploration engages both adults and children as we make new discoveries about the plants and animals in this beautiful forest habitat. Because we believe that we protect the places that we love, we hope to inspire young children to feel a friendly, respectful connection to nature – forming a foundation for curiosity and enjoyment to last a lifetime. Families are welcome to stay after the event to enjoy a picnic from home.

Leader: Kelly Brooks

Location: Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve – 1263 U.S Hwy 72 East, Huntsville, AL 35811

Please reserve one spot per family, not per child.

Sign up

 

Hike at Bethel Spring Nature Preserve
Sunday, September 24 at 2 PM

(Moderately difficult / 2 hours / 2 miles) Bethel Spring Nature Preserve has one of the most beautiful waterfalls on any of the Land Trust preserves and one of the largest in Madison County. This hike will start with an easy walk on the Bethel Creek Loop Trail. Things get a bit more challenging though as the route follows the Carpenter and Falling Sink Trails up to the waterfall. This trail is moderately difficult (or “difficultly moderate”) because of the 400 feet of elevation gain needed to get to the waterfall. After spending time at the waterfall, the group will head back down the Mill Trail and back to the trailhead.

Hike Leader: Bob Carroll

Location: Bethel Spring Nature Preserve – 2641 Cherry Tree Road, Gurley, AL 35748

Sign up

 

Self Guided Trail Tours

Explore a self-guided trail tour from the list below.