North Region - Hiking Alabama: A Guide to the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures - page 439

Situated within a deep canyon near Lake Guntersville is Buck's Pocket State Park
and the Point Rock Trail. This trail is a steep 2.2-mile out-and-back and rated dif-
ficult.
It begins at the park office and heads into the woods at the bottom of a ravine,
where it climbs over huge boulders. Just before the trail turns to make the final
push to the top of the mountain, a 70-foot-long cascade pops out of the boulders
and then drops back into an underground channel known as the Big Sink. This is a
seasonal stream, so the best time to view it would be late fall through early spring.
The trail makes its way to the top of Point Rock, a 285-foot-tall sandstone bluff
that reaches an elevation of just over 900 feet. An outcropping popular with rock
climbers drops off steeply here. The trail makes its way to the very edge of Point
Rock, offering panoramic views of the canyon and its sandstone walls. Contact
Buck's Pocket State Park by phone at [phone] or visit online
www.alapark.com/buckspocket/ . DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer: Page 20
H3.
M Russell Cave National Monument
Situated near the borders of Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia, Russell Cave Na-
tional Monument has been operated by the National Park Service since 1962. The
cave and surrounding landscape are said to hold the oldest and most complete ar-
cheological records of human existence in the eastern United States.
The Russell Cave Trail includes a 2-foot-wide asphalt path up the side of
Montague Mountain to an elevation of about 1,300 feet. The steep trail weaves
through stands of chinquapin, hickory, and chestnut. Deep-green moss clings to
rocks along the trail. Wildflowers such as bluets and white rue anemones line the
path. White-tailed deer are often seen darting in and out of the brush. The path be-
comes a boardwalk before arriving at the park's centerpiece—Russell Cave itself,
a large limestone cave that has sheltered humans for more than 9,000 years.
The park hosts many events centered on the long, rich history of the cave
throughout the year. Find out more by contacting Russell Cave National Monu-