North Alabama Birding Trail
# North Alabama Birding Trail

The North Alabama Birding Trail is a wildlife trail that is not really a "trail", but a series of sites that have been chosen for their great birdwatching opportunities. The trail has 50 sites located in 13 counties in North Alabama.

## History

The trail was funded by a US$280,000 federal matching grant with US$210,000 provided by the federal government and US$70,000 of matching funds from the chambers of commerce or convention and visitors bureaus of the 13 counties, the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Association, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and several corporate sponsors. The trail was dedicated on September 30, 2005.

## Sites

Information below is presented in more detail in the North Alabama Birding Trail: Visitor Guide (and is the source material for table).

| Site number | Name | Coordinates |
| - | - | - |
| 1 | Mallard Fox Creek Wildlife Management Area - kiosk site | 34°39′34″N 87°06′37″W﻿ / ﻿34.6594°N 87.1104°W﻿ / 34.6594; -87.1104﻿ (1. Mallard Fox Creek Wildlife Management Area) |
| 2 | Wheeler Dam South Landing | 34°47′38″N 87°23′14″W﻿ / ﻿34.7940°N 87.3872°W﻿ / 34.7940; -87.3872﻿ (2. Wheeler Dam South Landing) |
| 3 | Joe Wheeler State Park | 34°50′10″N 87°22′05″W﻿ / ﻿34.8360°N 87.3680°W﻿ / 34.8360; -87.3680﻿ (3. Joe Wheeler State Park) |
| 4 | Town Creek Marsh | 34°46′12″N 87°26′28″W﻿ / ﻿34.7700°N 87.4410°W﻿ / 34.7700; -87.4410﻿ (4. Town Creek Marsh) |
| 5 | Leighton Ponds | 34°43′23″N 87°28′37″W﻿ / ﻿34.7230°N 87.4770°W﻿ / 34.7230; -87.4770﻿ (5. Leighton Ponds) |
| 6 | Wilson Dam Visitor Center - kiosk site | 34°47′36″N 87°37′55″W﻿ / ﻿34.7934°N 87.6320°W﻿ / 34.7934; -87.6320﻿ (6. Wilson Dam Visitor Center) |
| 7 | Wilson Dam Rockpile Recreation Area | 34°47′35″N 87°37′55″W﻿ / ﻿34.7930°N 87.6320°W﻿ / 34.7930; -87.6320﻿ (7. Wilson Dam Rockpile Recreation Area) |
| 8 | Tennessee Valley Authority Reservation | 34°46′49″N 87°39′17″W﻿ / ﻿34.7803°N 87.6546°W﻿ / 34.7803; -87.6546﻿ (8. Tennessee Valley Authority Reservation) |
| 9 | Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge - kiosk site | 34°45′47″N 87°46′54″W﻿ / ﻿34.7630°N 87.7818°W﻿ / 34.7630; -87.7818﻿ (9. Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge) |
| 10 | Natchez Trace Parkway Rock Springs Nature Trail | 34°51′29″N 87°54′22″W﻿ / ﻿34.8580°N 87.9060°W﻿ / 34.8580; -87.9060﻿ (10. Natchez Trace Parkway Rock Springs Nature Trail) |
| 11 | Waterloo | 34°55′52″N 88°02′21″W﻿ / ﻿34.9310°N 88.0391°W﻿ / 34.9310; -88.0391﻿ (11. Waterloo) |
| 12 | Natchez Trace Parkway Colbert Ferry | 34°50′24″N 87°56′43″W﻿ / ﻿34.8400°N 87.9452°W﻿ / 34.8400; -87.9452﻿ (12. Natchez Trace Parkway Colbert Ferry) |
| 13 | Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area Walking Trail | 34°38′53″N 87°59′25″W﻿ / ﻿34.6480°N 87.9902°W﻿ / 34.6480; -87.9902﻿ (13. Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area Walking Trail) |
| 14 | Bankhead National Forest - Central Firetower - Kiosk Site | 34°20′43″N 87°20′21″W﻿ / ﻿34.3452°N 87.3393°W﻿ / 34.3452; -87.3393﻿ (14. Bankhead National Forest - Central Firetower) |
| 15 | Bankhead National Forest Sipsey Wilderness Trailhead | 34°17′07″N 87°23′55″W﻿ / ﻿34.2854°N 87.3986°W﻿ / 34.2854; -87.3986﻿ (15. Bankhead National Forest Sipsey Wilderness Trailhead) |
| 16 | Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center | 34°32′53″N 86°57′02″W﻿ / ﻿34.5480°N 86.9505°W﻿ / 34.5480; -86.9505﻿ (16. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center) |
| 17 | Decatur Hospitality Nature Park - Kiosk Site | 34°37′40″N 86°57′29″W﻿ / ﻿34.6277°N 86.9580°W﻿ / 34.6277; -86.9580﻿ (17. Decatur Hospitality Nature Park) |
| 18 | BP-Amoco Environmental Trail | 34°37′48″N 87°03′09″W﻿ / ﻿34.6300°N 87.0525°W﻿ / 34.6300; -87.0525﻿ (18. BP-Amoco Environmental Trail) |
| 19 | 3M Wildlife Area - Kiosk Site | 34°37′58″N 87°03′06″W﻿ / ﻿34.6329°N 87.0516°W﻿ / 34.6329; -87.0516﻿ (19. 3M Wildlife Area) |
| 20 | Wheeler NWR - White Springs Dike | 34°37′44″N 87°57′07″W﻿ / ﻿34.6290°N 87.9520°W﻿ / 34.6290; -87.9520﻿ (20. Wheeler NWR - White Springs Dike) |
| 21 | Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area | 34°40′41″N 87°00′12″W﻿ / ﻿34.6780°N 87.0033°W﻿ / 34.6780; -87.0033﻿ (21. Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area) |
| 22 | Round Island Recreation Area | 34°41′06″N 87°04′14″W﻿ / ﻿34.6850°N 87.0705°W﻿ / 34.6850; -87.0705﻿ (22. Round Island Recreation Area) |
| 23 | Wheeler NWR - Arrowhead Landing | 34°36′18″N 86°53′32″W﻿ / ﻿34.6050°N 86.8922°W﻿ / 34.6050; -86.8922﻿ (23. Wheeler NWR - Arrowhead Landing) |
| 24 | Wheeler NWR - Beaverdam Peninsula Tower | 34°36′40″N 86°51′13″W﻿ / ﻿34.6110°N 86.8537°W﻿ / 34.6110; -86.8537﻿ (24. Wheeler NWR - Beaverdam Peninsula Tower) |
| 25 | Wheeler NWR - Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk | 34°38′56″N 86°49′08″W﻿ / ﻿34.6490°N 86.8190°W﻿ / 34.6490; -86.8190﻿ (25. Wheeler NWR - Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk) |
| 26 | Wheeler NWR - Blackwell Swamp | 34°34′37″N 86°46′56″W﻿ / ﻿34.5770°N 86.7822°W﻿ / 34.5770; -86.7822﻿ (26. Wheeler NWR - Blackwell Swamp) |
| 27 | Winfred Thomas Agricultural Research Station | 34°54′09″N 86°33′35″W﻿ / ﻿34.9025°N 86.5596°W﻿ / 34.9025; -86.5596﻿ (27. Winfred Thomas Agricultural Research Station) |
| 28 | Madison County Public Lake | 34°48′41″N 86°23′38″W﻿ / ﻿34.8115°N 86.3940°W﻿ / 34.8115; -86.3940﻿ (28. Madison County Public Lake) |
| 29 | Monte Sano State Park | 34°44′49″N 86°30′37″W﻿ / ﻿34.7470°N 86.5104°W﻿ / 34.7470; -86.5104﻿ (29. Monte Sano State Park) |
| 30 | Hays Nature Preserve | 34°38′31″N 86°28′14″W﻿ / ﻿34.6420°N 86.4706°W﻿ / 34.6420; -86.4706﻿ (30. Hays Nature Preserve) |
| 31 | Wheeler NWR - Cave Springs | 34°32′49″N 86°51′04″W﻿ / ﻿34.5470°N 86.8510°W﻿ / 34.5470; -86.8510﻿ (31. Wheeler NWR - Cave Springs) |
| 32 | Hurricane Creek Park - Kiosk Site | 34°17′10″N 86°53′42″W﻿ / ﻿34.2860°N 86.8950°W﻿ / 34.2860; -86.8950﻿ (32. Hurricane Creek Park) |
| 33 | Wheeler NWR - Dancy Bottoms Nature Trail | 34°30′25″N 86°57′19″W﻿ / ﻿34.5070°N 86.9552°W﻿ / 34.5070; -86.9552﻿ (33. Wheeler NWR - Dancy Bottoms Nature Trail) |
| 34 | Lake Guntersville State Park, Town Creek and Drive - Kiosk Site | 34°22′11″N 86°13′01″W﻿ / ﻿34.3697°N 86.2169°W﻿ / 34.3697; -86.2169﻿ (34. Lake Guntersville State Park, Town Creek and Drive) |
| 35 | Guntersville Peninsula | 34°21′47″N 86°17′30″W﻿ / ﻿34.3630°N 86.2916°W﻿ / 34.3630; -86.2916﻿ (35. Guntersville Peninsula) |
| 36 | Guntersville Dam South | 34°25′30″N 86°23′35″W﻿ / ﻿34.4250°N 86.3930°W﻿ / 34.4250; -86.3930﻿ (36. Guntersville Dam South) |
| 37 | Guntersville Dam North | 34°25′30″N 86°23′35″W﻿ / ﻿34.4250°N 86.3930°W﻿ / 34.4250; -86.3930﻿ (37. Guntersville Dam North) |
| 38 | Goose Pond Colony | 34°34′27″N 86°04′51″W﻿ / ﻿34.5743°N 86.0807°W﻿ / 34.5743; -86.0807﻿ (38. Goose Pond Colony) |
| 39 | North Sauty Creek WMA/Sauta Cave NWR | 34°37′08″N 86°07′52″W﻿ / ﻿34.6190°N 86.1312°W﻿ / 34.6190; -86.1312﻿ (39. North Sauty Creek WMA/Sauta Cave NWR) |
| 40 | Roy B. Whitaker Paint Rock River Preserve - kiosk site | 34°40′21″N 86°19′42″W﻿ / ﻿34.6725°N 86.3282°W﻿ / 34.6725; -86.3282﻿ (40. Roy B. Whitaker Paint Rock River Preserve) |
| 41 | Skyline Wildlife Management Area | 34°51′12″N 86°07′52″W﻿ / ﻿34.8534°N 86.1310°W﻿ / 34.8534; -86.1310﻿ (41. Skyline Wildlife Management Area) |
| 42 | Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area | 34°46′36″N 85°51′33″W﻿ / ﻿34.7768°N 85.8593°W﻿ / 34.7768; -85.8593﻿ (42. Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area) |
| 43 | Stevenson Town Park | 34°51′01″N 85°50′03″W﻿ / ﻿34.8502°N 85.8342°W﻿ / 34.8502; -85.8342﻿ (43. Stevenson Town Park) |
| 44 | Russell Cave National Monument | 34°58′37″N 85°48′20″W﻿ / ﻿34.9770°N 85.8056°W﻿ / 34.9770; -85.8056﻿ (44. Russell Cave National Monument) |
| 45 | Gorham's Bluff/Coon Gulf | 34°44′06″N 85°50′05″W﻿ / ﻿34.7350°N 85.8347°W﻿ / 34.7350; -85.8347﻿ (45. Gorham’s Bluff/Coon Gulf) |
| 46 | DeKalb County Public Lake | 34°34′35″N 85°48′22″W﻿ / ﻿34.5764°N 85.8060°W﻿ / 34.5764; -85.8060﻿ (46. DeKalb County Public Lake) |
| 47 | DeSoto State Park - Azalea Cascade Trail | 34°29′56″N 85°37′04″W﻿ / ﻿34.4990°N 85.6178°W﻿ / 34.4990; -85.6178﻿ (47. DeSoto State Park - Azalea Cascade Trail) |
| 48 | Little River Canyon National Preserve Drive | 34°21′04″N 85°40′31″W﻿ / ﻿34.3510°N 85.6752°W﻿ / 34.3510; -85.6752﻿ (48. Little River Canyon National Preserve Drive) |
| 49 | Buck's Pocket State Park, Morgan's Cove, and South Sauty Creek | 34°27′53″N 86°05′30″W﻿ / ﻿34.4648°N 86.0918°W﻿ / 34.4648; -86.0918﻿ (49. Buck’s Pocket State Park, Morgan’s Cove, and South Sauty Creek) |
| 50 | Murphy Hill | 34°28′22″N 86°10′20″W﻿ / ﻿34.4729°N 86.1722°W﻿ / 34.4729; -86.1722﻿ (50. Murphy Hill) |
