North Alabama is full of fun and adventure and offers some of the best hiking around! While many are considered advanced hikes or more suitable for adults, there are plenty of trails for the entire family to enjoy. Check out a few of our favorites and share yours in the comments.
High Falls Park
High Falls is 35 feet high, roughly 300 feet wide, and one of the biggest payoffs for a small effort hike in the area!
This is the perfect warm-weather hike with several areas that may be considered small “swimming holes”. If you want to up the intensity or distance, cross the bridge where you can explore until your heart is content. We found plenty of bluffs to climb and also came across another, smaller waterfall. There’s also a trail that takes you to the base of the fall. We found it to be too steep and decided to skip it.
Things to know:
Pavilion available
Restrooms available
Safety fence available for viewing
Not stroller friendly
High Falls Park
969 County Road 144
Grove Oak, AL 35975
Open daily 10 am – 6 pm
Bethel Springs is one of the newest preserves opened by the Land Trust of North Alabama. The main feature of the preserve is a waterfall which flows into a cave and is one of the largest falls in Madison County! This preserve sits on a whopping 360 acres on Keel Mountain and is truly a gem to the area.
There is a short, 0.3-mile, loop trail that passes a creek and is great for enjoying all the farmland surrounding the preserve. My boys enjoyed running through the large open field and viewing the mountain from below. This shorter trail is great for families with very young children or any individual new to hiking. It gives the littles a chance to get down and hike on their own and is good for building confidence to take on longer hikes for those that are new.
The trail leading to the falls is made of up of 3 trails, Carpenter Trail, Falling Sink Trail, and Mill Trail, which connect to form a 1.3-mile loop. The level of difficulty certainly isn’t easy but if you’re a family that regularly hikes, it’s doable. Keep in mind that there’s quite a bit of incline and a lot of slippery areas along the way, so plan for many breaks and be sure to wear proper shoes.
Things to know:
Picnic table available
Steep hike to the falls
No restrooms
Not stroller friendly
Bethel Springs Nature Preserve
2641 Cherry Tree Road
Gurley, AL 35748
Located in Huntsville, AL the Wildflower Trail is probably one of the most popular family-friendly trails in the around. The trail runs beside Fagan creek which is sure to be the highlight of this hike for kids. If you have the chance to visit during spring, you’ll find the trail covered in variety of wildflowers.
My boys say this is their favorite trail because they love the rocky terrain, bridges found throughout which, according to them, are perfect for troll hunting and playing in the creek. If you can pull yourselves away from the creek and get back on the trail, you’ll be rewarded with 3 waterfalls nearby!
This is really a beautiful hike and has plenty to offer in terms of exploration. Be sure to snap a picture of the scavenger hunt located at the trailhead. It’s a great way to stay engaged during the hike and you should have no problem finding everything listed.
Things to know:
Rocky terrain with several roots
Limited parking
Not stroller friendly
No restrooms
Wildflower Trail
506 Cleermont Drive
Huntsville, AL 35801
Three Caves Loop is by far one of the coolest hikes for kids because as the name states, they have the opportunity to view three caves from the trail. This trail comes in at less than ½ a mile and circles around what was once a limestone mind. As exciting as it would be to go inside, the caves are now used for concerts and events leaving them closed to the public. Despite being closed, it’s still a really fun and exciting hike for families and the views of the caves are great!
This trail is perfect for all level hikers including young children. I do want to warn that while there are several areas to securely view the caves, there are also several areas without any railing. Please be mindful of children at all times!
Things to know:
Overviews with no railing
Caves not open to public
Not stroller friendly
Three Caves
901 Keenamore Street
Huntsville, AL 35801
