Story By BEN ALFORD

For the month of May I want to look at an outdoor adventure treasure located in our own backyard. Lake Guntersville State Park, a place for hiking, mountain biking, camping, kayaking, fishing, swimming, horseback riding, golfing and ziplining. Lodging is available in cabins, chalets or the lodge itself, and dining in the lodge restaurant. You can spend a day, a week or a lifetime exploring the plants and wildlife, trails and streams of Lake Guntersville State Park. LGSP has a wonderful staff of Rangers, Campground personnel, a Park Naturalist, lodge staff and maintenance experts.

In 1947 the Tennessee Valley Authority gave 4000 acres of land on the newly formed Guntersville Lake to the State of Alabama. The land was cleared in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. This opened what was then Little Mountain State Park to primitive camping and fishing.

The clearing also put several moonshiners out of business, which I assume made many people unhappy. 

By 1974 the lodge and hiking trails had been added, and our park was officially Lake Guntersville State Park. LGSP’s main section has 36 miles of hiking and biking trails, many maintained by the mountain bikers. The trails range from one and a half to three and a half miles long but can be connected in combinations that give even the best hiker a full day of hiking pleasure and challenges. Whether you are a new hiker or training for the Appalachian Trail, hiking with peers or young children, there is a trail that is perfect for you. There are two overnight campsites within the park, Eagle’s Knoll on the Tom Bevill Trail and Woodpecker Ridge on the Lickskillet Trail. Trail maps can be found at the Park Lodge and at the Campground Store. 

For those who want to get their heart beat up a bit, Zip Lines run from near the Lodge to the Campground. The staff provide guidance and training so your adventure will be safe as well as exciting. Check in at the Lodge. The park Naturalist, Anna Crow, can usually be found near the nature lodge in the Campground.

Activities with the Naturalist and other park programs can be found on the Park Website, Park Facebook page and Friends of Lake Guntersville State Park Facebook page. For more hiking and for horseback riding, an additional 20 miles of trails, the Culbert Bain Equestrian Trails, are located on land newly acquired by LGSP just north of Town Creek off Alabama Highway 227. The trails have been improved and expanded by the Northeast Alabama Chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen’s Society of America. The Horsemen’s Society has done and continues to do wonderful work making the trails available for riding and hiking. If you are a hiker, please respect the horses and riders and yield to them as they approach. 

There are two Trailheads, both on State Highway 227. One just north of Town Creek Fish Camp and one on 227 toward Geraldine at Smith Cemetery. On the horse trails you will find creeks and mountains overlooks and caves that will amaze you. You will also find remains of Moonshine Stills and Gristmills and two cemeteries. You can find maps online or at the main Equestrian Trailhead. 

LGSP exists because of the lake, and water activities: swimming, boating, fishing, kayaking and canoeing continue to be major attractions. Kayak ramps and Boat Ramps are located at Town Creek and Short Creek and at the Park Campground. Town Creek has kayaks for rent. Soon the campground will have kayaks available for rent. From Short Creek launch and Town Creek launch, you can paddle upstream as far as you like and then back. Time to head out into our own “backyard!”