Seven TVA sites worth adding to your north Alabama outdoor travel plans
Few people have the Tennessee Valley Authority in mind when they draft their travel itineraries. While folks are familiar with how the TVA brings prosperity to a huge portion of the South by providing electricity, making waterways navigable, conserving soil and that sort of thing, it’s easy to overlook how it also supports a great number of outdoor recreation opportunities on its reservoirs and lands adjacent to its dams. A good number of under-the-radar places on TVA managed lands in north Alabama are great for hiking, primitive camping and other outdoor fun. Interesting birds such as cormorants, herons and raptors are commonly spotted at TVA sites by birders who log their outings on ebird.org. Some TVA areas include boat ramps, picnic pavilions, playgrounds, campsites, trails, scenic overlooks and more. There are also thousands of acres of undeveloped land, most of which are open to recreational use, that include some easy-to-get-to wilderness areas. Here’s a guide to the best TVA sites — from west to east — for topping off an outdoor itinerary in north Alabama.
A variety of trails make it easy to explore TVA’s history filled, mostly wooded Muscle Shoals Reservation
This TVA-managed property adjacent to the historic Wilson Dam is within northwest Alabama’s Shoals metro area, but a large wooded portion of it can make you feel as if you’re in the middle of nowhere. Surprisingly isolated and hilly, this reservation on the south side of the river stretches about 2.6 miles from the city of Sheffield to the dam. There are 13 named trails on the property totaling 17 miles with a variety that includes rolling to steep, paved, gravel and dirt, and remote to easily accessible. On the western edge, the underside of the Old Railroad Bridge is now a pedestrian walkway that stretches almost 1,500 feet out over the river. A concrete path along Reservation Road is more like a greenway. TVA.com describes the paths as the Muscle Shoals National Recreational Trail system. The Rock Pile Recreation Area and the Wilson Dam overlook, detailed in the next two sections, are on the east side. Other things of interest include the Hall Memorial Native Plant Garden, a stop on the North Alabama Birding Trail and — for history fans — remnants of both a World-War-I-era steam plant and a Civil War redoubt.
The Rockpile Recreation Area at Wilson Dam is an easy-to-get-to TVA site with unique amenities
The Rockpile Recreation Area features nice green spaces and paths for some unique outdoor experiences on the east side of the TVA Muscle Shoals Reservation. You can park near the gate at the Wilson Waterfall Walk where you can enjoy closeup views of the river, dam, the limestone bluff, a tall waterfall and a cascade emerging from a cave. For the kids, there’s a custom playground structure that’s made to look similar to the dam. A variety of waterfowl, shorebirds and woodland birds are common in the area.
The educational resources and view make the trip to the historic Wilson Dam overlook worthwhile
Anyone visiting the Shoals should consider the Wilson Dam one of the top historic sites to see while in the area. Enjoy a different perspective of the National Historic Landmark at the overlook which is 120 feet higher in elevation than the riverfront view found at the previously mentioned Waterfall Walk. Access is easy and there’s plenty of parking at what is referred to on most maps as the Wilson Dam Visitor Center. Museum-style displays makes it fun to learn about the dam, TVA and the Shoals. Informational signs for Site 6 of the North Alabama Birding Trail are also found at this spot.
See also my other Shoals articles:
- Helen Keller’s birthplace is not the only must-see point-of-interest in Tuscumbia
- Where to enjoy the best historic sidewalk scenes in Alabama’s Florence
- Montgomery Avenue and beyond: Tracking down Sheffield’s finest historic streetscapes
Wheeler Dam south landing: Views, big birds and fishing
Wheeler Dam features a variety of day-use facilities in a remote area of north Alabama. Located about 19 miles east of Muscle Shoals and about 26 miles west of Decatur, a visit to the dam’s south side scenic overlook (map) features a good look at the 6,300-ft. wide dam and its 10 generators. The state park operates some of the facilities on that side of the dam —14 miles by car from the main state park area. A few yards south of the cabin office, Lawrence County Road 452 will take you down the hill to where a broad fishing area and a boat ramp are found. Plenty of parking is available whether you’re there to launch a boat, fish from the shore or for spotting big waterfowl or birds of prey. The North Alabama Birding Trail Northwest Loop Site #2 is found at this spot. Combine a side trip to the Wheeler Dam with a visit to:
- The main Joe Wheeler State Park
- Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
- Historic downtown Athens
- Historic downtown Decatur
- Mooresville historic village
Enjoy a park-like setting and access to the forest on the north side of the Guntersville Dam
Guntersville Dam is located in the region where the river makes its way through the Cumberland Plateau foothills, so expect to enjoy a scenic drive just getting to this site. This reservation area features a lot of space for fishing from the shore, some large grassy areas and access to the wilderness with a great trail that many hikers are not familiar with. Primitive camping is allowed at a large stand of majestic longleaf pines and the forest. The ridges surrounding the site make it a good area for enjoying fall colors. On fair weather days, you’re likely to see folks launching kayaks, spotting birds of prey, picnicking, watching barges go through the lock or simply enjoying the sunshine. North Alabama Birding Trail Site 37 is here.
A large tract of TVA undeveloped public land is adjacent to the north side of the Guntersville Dam Reservation. Parallel to the river, the 9.3-mile TVA Honeycomb Trail leads into that hilly property and features some outstanding views and terrain variations. Please note that wildlife management activities are allowed on many undeveloped public land areas including this one.
TVA Guntersville Dam south side: One of north Alabama’s most underrated areas for outdoor adventures
You can’t drive or walk across the Guntersville Dam like you can many other TVA dams such as Wilson and Wheeler. It’s a 30-mile drive between the north side and the south side of this dam. The southern Guntersville reservation is an underrated area for outdoor recreation with a variety of unique features. Highlights include both short and long hiking trails along beautiful mountain wilderness terrain, one of TVA’s small wild areas, a historic site, a small rocky mountain, a swamp and educational displays at the dam. It’s an active ebird.org hotspot where birders typically log over 170 species each year. Near the dam (map), you can launch your watercraft or fish from the shore.
The 6-mile Cooley Cemetery Trail is the only path on TVA-managed land where horseback riding is allowed. One TVA resource shows that mountain biking and primitive camping are also allowed. The Cave Mountain Trail loop — hiking only — is only about 1.4 miles long, but it takes you through some woods full of wonders including the 34-acre Cave Mountain Small Wild Area. Few places make it so easy to see rock formations, a cave and a swamp in such a compact area.
The Honeycomb Campground and Trail
Just a few miles east of the Guntersville Dam north side area, TVA’s Honeycomb site features an RV campground that’s operated by a third party, a popular boat ramp and the east trailhead for the 9.3-mile Honeycomb Trail. Beautiful ridges and easy access to the water combine to make it one of the most scenic places in the region for enjoying a water or hiking adventure.
Both Guntersville Dam and the Honeycomb areas are within a half-hour drive of both Huntsville and the city of Guntersville. My related articles could help you plan a trip to the Guntersville area: