Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
While walking the trail, keep your eyes to the skies to see if you can spot red-
tailed hawks and turkey vultures flying high overhead. Also watch for woodpeck-
ers in the trees, including the red-headed and downy species. And look for the
tracks and burrows of armadillos and gopher tortoises. In the right season you'll
see many varieties of wildflowers lining the way: black-eyed Susans, yellow-
flowered winter honeysuckle, and the lavender flowers of morning glory.
The trail crosses a nice but seasonal stream over a wooden footbridge at mile
0.6. This is a good place to see white-tailed deer and eastern wild turkeys. The
bridge was being rebuilt as of this writing but should be in operation by the time
you read this. If not, you will have to do a little log-hopping to get across.
The Gazebo Trail reaches its farthest point at the top of a ridge where you'll
find a log gazebo with a stone fireplace built by the CCC. You can reserve the
gazebo for picnics, but reserve it early, as it gets a lot of use in summer. A short
section of the hike uses a portion of the dirt Gazebo Road. Be aware that picnick-
ers use the road to ferry their supplies and guests to the gazebo, so watch for
vehicles. Once you reach the gazebo, have lunch and take in the view before you
turn around and retrace your steps to the trailhead.
Before I move on, I need to commend the Alabama Forestry Commission and a
nonprofit church organization, Iron Men Ministries, for keeping the park open.
Financial constraints nearly forced Little River to close not too long ago, but a
partnership between these two organizations kept the gates open and now hun-
dreds of families can continue to enjoy this little gem.
And one more thing: You can view an interesting film produced by the US De-
partment of the Interior about the Mobile area and the construction of Little River
State Forest from 1935 at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N23Vpy6VTmw
.
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