Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Blandon Springs State Park
Just a few miles south of Choctaw NWR is Blandon Springs State Park on Choctaw
County Road 6, just northeast of the town of Blandon Springs on the eastern prong of CR
6. This is a 357-acre, day-use park that offers a very nice picnic area. The main park area
consists of a series of small bathing pools with pumps to siphon the spring water; these are
very relaxing on a warm day. Around the pools is a mixture of grass and pine woods with lots
of edge habitat and hardwoods; in spring, birds are very abundant here. Listen and watch for
yellow-throated warbler, northern parula warbler, great crested flycatcher, various woodpeck-
ers, summer tanager, red-eyed vireo, pine warbler, American redstart, and Kentucky warbler.
The park is reached by taking either branch of County Road 6. The eastern branch goes
south off SH 84 a couple of miles west of where it crosses the Tombigbee (CR 6 is some-
times not marked by a road sign here but there is usually a sign for the park) and is the most
direct route. After 3.6 miles, you will see the dirt road entrance to the park on the right. Just
a quarter mile past the park entrance is an intersection in the small town of Blandon Springs;
the road to the north is the other branch of CR 6; to the south is County Road 31. This other,
western branch of CR 6 intersects SH 84 just east of County Road 21, the way to the refuge.
EUFAULA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
The Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge is located along the Alabama-Georgia border at
Lake Walter F. George. US 431 runs through part of the refuge and gives one easy access
to this major wintering area for waterfowl. Comprised of over 11,000 acres, forty percent of
which is water, Eufaula has sheltered as many as 40,000 ducks and 20,000 geese during the
winter, but recent winters have seen a drastic decline in those numbers. During late winter
and early spring, sandhill cranes have been spotted at Eufaula, mostly on the Georgia portion
of the refuge. Bald eagles, wood storks, and peregrine falcons have also occasionally been
seen.
The refuge is easily reached from US 431, north of the town of Eufaula. Take SH 165 east
from US 431; turn right after 1.5 miles. This road is Old SH 165, and the entrance to the
refuge is on the left after just a quarter mile. There are plenty of signs at all turns pointing the
way to the refuge. Old SH 165 goes back south through Lake Point State Park to reconnect
with US 431.
There is a woodland nature trail near the headquarters. A series of dirt roads (the Wing
Spread Wildlife Drive) take you into a portion of the refuge and to an observation tower over-
looking part of the impounded waters. Sighting ducks and geese from areas along the water is
