Gulf Coast Region - Hiking Alabama: A Guide to the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures - page 23

Maps: USGS Pine Beach, AL; DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer, page 64
F2; brochures available at trailhead kiosk
Trail contact: US Fish and Wildlife Service, AL 180, Gulf Shores, AL 36542;
[phone]; www.fws.gov/bonsecour
Finding the trailhead: From the intersection of AL 59 and AL 180, take AL 180
west 5.6 miles. Trailhead parking will be on the left and is well marked with a
sign. GPS: N30 14.668' / W87 47.235'
The Hike
The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge near Gulf Shores is filled with amazing
landscapes, birds, and wildlife. From maritime wetlands and forests to dune eco-
systems, Bon Secour is a real gem on the Gulf Coast. The Jeff Friend and Centen-
nial Trails allow you to explore the transitional area between the maritime forest
and the dunes of the Gulf.
The combination of these two trails makes for a nice 5-mile lollipop hike. The
walk begins at the Jeff Friend Trailhead. The Jeff Friend Trail is a 1-mile loop that
takes you to a beautiful wetland and a boardwalk along the banks of the saltwater
Little Lagoon. The trail is a wide gravel path held in place by a plastic underlay-
ment that allows for drainage. Jeff Friend by itself makes a great hike to take your
children on. It's a short, easy walk with enough interesting features to keep them
occupied and entertained.
For those looking for something more, continue west on the Centennial Trail.
The trail intersects the Jeff Friend Trail about 0.3 mile from the trailhead. The
width of the trail varies from nice, enclosed 4-foot-wide dirt paths to 10-foot-plus-
wide sand trails. Several times on this trek you will cross small streams and wet-
lands over wooden boardwalks, the largest being at mile 2.1 where it crosses a
wide wetland filled with blooming water lilies, wildflowers, and waterfowl. Be
sure to have your camera ready. The boardwalk is just above the surface of the
wetland, so after one of south Alabama's notorious wet summers, it may actually
be underwater. In that case you may have to turn around, or there is a small strip
of higher ground to the south that parallels the boardwalk that you may be able to
use to walk around the water.