Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Trail contact: Forever Wild, 64 N. Union St., Montgomery, AL 36130; (334)
242-3484; www.alabamaforeverwild.com
Finding the trailhead: From Birmingham on I-59 exit 128, take AL 79 north 10.4
miles. Turn left onto CR 131 / Narrows Road. In 0.2 mile turn right onto Turkey
Creek Road and follow it 0.7 mile. The trailhead will be on the left. Remember
that this is a one-way loop road. GPS: N33 42.171' / W86 41.781'
The Hike
In Jefferson County, just north of Birmingham in the town of Pinson, you will find
the perfect example of conservation at its finest, with a state agency partnering
with nonprofits and a college to preserve a property that has been described as one
of the most biologically diverse habitats in the region. It's called the Turkey Creek
Nature Preserve.
The preserve is 462 acres in size and is owned by Alabama's Forever Wild. The
agency entered into a unique partnership with the Southern Environmental Center,
Freshwater Land Trust, the City of Pinson, and Birmingham Southern College to
protect, maintain, and manage this property. The result is an area with plenty of
educational and recreational opportunities such as hiking, photography, and bird-
ing, but more importantly, it provides for the protection of this unique habitat and
gives scientists a place to study several rare and endangered species of fish that
call the creek home.
The preserve's namesake, Turkey Creek, is a tributary of Locust Fork and is a
water feature with a lot of character. It is a swift-flowing stream surrounded by
impressive boulders and outcroppings and is dotted with many rapids and small
waterfalls. The waterway is the home of three endangered species of fish: the wa-
tercress darter, rush darter, and vermilion darter. The vermilion darter is only
found here in Turkey Creek and nowhere else in the world. They were listed as
endangered by US Fish and Wildlife because of the fear that development in the
upper Turkey Creek watershed could severely impact the fish's habitat.
If you are into birding, you've come to the right place. According to Alabama
Birding Trails, the number of birds you can add to your list is tremendous. Some
Search WWH ::
Custom Search