South Region - Hiking Alabama: A Guide to the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures - page 157

Trail contact: Conecuh National Forest, 24481 AL 55, Andalusia, AL 36420;
[phone]; www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/alabama/recreation/picnickinginfo/re-
carea/?recid=30107&actid=71
Special considerations: Hunting is permitted in all of Alabama's national forests
and may restrict access to trails. Please visit the Forest Service website for dates
and restrictions.
Finding the trailhead: From Andalusia at the intersection of US 84 (River Falls
Street) and US 29, take US 29 south 11.2 miles and turn left onto AL 137 South.
Travel 1.7 miles and turn left onto Hogfoot Road. Immediately after turning, turn
right onto a short dirt road. The trailhead is only a few yards ahead. GPS: N31
09.225' / W86 34.413'
The Hike
Conecuh National Forest not only provides backpackers with a rare opportunity to
do an overnight trek in south Alabama on the 20-mile-long Conecuh Trail, but
also gives day hikers some interesting opportunities to explore the longleaf pine
forest and its wonders. One of those day trips is the Nellie Pond Loop.
The Nellie Pond Loop is an easy 3.8-mile lollipop hike. The trail is a small sec-
tion of the 13-mile North Loop of the Conecuh Trail. The trip to Nellie Pond de-
scribed here is the perfect day hike that will take you to two of the standout fea-
tures of the longer trail, Gum and Nellie Ponds.
The trail leads you through a thick longleaf pine forest. Dogwoods and magno-
lias can be seen blooming here in the spring. At the right time of the year, a little
extra color is added to the scene with white-topped pitcher plants blooming in the
bogs, white water lilies blanketing the surface of Gum and Nellie Ponds, and
black-eyed Susans, honeysuckle, and blackberry bushes dotting the landscape.
The area in which the trail travels, with all of its water features, makes it anoth-
er one of those great wildlife-viewing trails. At the ponds and bogs you will see
great blue herons, yellow-throated warblers, yellowthroats, and quail, plus hear
many different varieties of songbirds.