South Region - Hiking Alabama: A Guide to the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures - page 141

Whew, that's a lot of history! To learn more, stop by the visitor center at the fort
to take a look at the exhibits and pick up a topic or two on the long, rich history of
this land.
The trail begins on the south side of the visitor center on a wide crushed gravel
footpath but soon turns into a 2- to 3-foot-wide dirt footpath. This is the nature
trail portion of the hike, and for the first 0.8 mile you will find yourself wandering
through a beautiful floodplain forest. A floodplain forest occurs in the drainages
of black-water rivers like you find here where the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers
join to make the Alabama River.
The floodplain creates a rich, fertile environment for plants and wildlife. Some
of the many species of trees you will come across include southern red, water, and
laurel oaks; flowering dogwoods; yaupon holly; sweet gum; and Atlantic white
cedar. Catch the trail in early to late spring for wildflowers like black-eyed
Susans. Wildlife that may cross your path on this hike include mallard ducks, red
fox, and white-tailed deer. Plus, Fort Toulouse / Fort Jackson is a stopover for the
monarch butterfly.
Now, keep in mind what “floodplain” means. The trail gets a little muddy after
a good rain, especially at mile 0.5 when you come to your first view of the river.
The trail winds its way around many bogs, so be prepared for mosquitoes if you
hike it in the warmer months. The loop eventually opens on a bluff to beautiful
views of the confluence of the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers.
On the leg back to the trailhead, you will come to the site of the original fort it-
self. You can quite clearly make out where the diamond-shaped corners of the fort
once stood, see the earthworks of a later reincarnation of the fort, and in the center
visit a rustic building of the period.