Hiking the Wilder Edge of Alabama
Hikers that choose the Northeast corner of Alabama will find plenty of challenge and beauty in Jackson, Marshall, and DeKalb Counties. Little River Canyon (National Preserve) atop Lookout Mountain is one such stop. Carved for thousands of years, the canyon resonates with the thunder of the river, culminating in a spectacular 60-foot waterfall. The views from the canyon rim are something to behold. This is a popular location for whitewater rafters, kayakers, and rock climbers.
The Eberhart Point Trail provides more views of the canyon, but mainly it takes you from the raging river for a little rock hopping and views of the canyon from the bottom. DeSoto State park is also located here with a multitude of trails and sites. In addition to the many panoramic views, several falls are encountered including Lost Falls, Azalea Cascade, and the rapids of the west fork of Little River.
The Russell Cave (National Monument) Trail combines history, hiking, and cave exploration all in one. The trail travels up the side of Montague Mountain and culminates at Russell Cave. Although this is the 50th anniversary for this National Monument, over 10,000 years of Native American habitation and history are documented here.
Goose Pond Colony
“Located on the banks of the Tennessee River’s beautiful Lake Guntersville and nestled into the picturesque Cumberland Mountains, Goose Pond Colony Resort awaits your arrival. Goose Pond Colony is a municipally owned resort that will take your breath away. With two beautiful 18 hole championship golf courses, comfortable lakeside cottages, lodge, relaxing waterfront campground, walking trail, full service marina, meeting facilities, The Docks Restaurant, swimming pool, beach area and Lake Guntersville, we are all you need for a relaxing vacation or one day outing.” - Goose Pond
Read more: Goose Pond
Jackson County Park
A 76-acre complex offering a central location on Roseberry Creek right on Lake Guntersville. It also offers 9 brand new lakefront cottages, camping/R.V. sites, fishing, boat rentals, a marina/boat ramp, a highly commended area restaurant “KC’s Bar-B-Que”, children’s play area, walking trail, and beautiful well-maintained garden. For more information: (256) 574-4719 or http://jacksoncountyal.gov/242/Park
Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center
Alabama has a new museum dedicated to events that many consider the seeds of the civil rights movement in America, the Scottsboro Boys Trials.
In 1931 nine young black defendants faced charges of attacking two white women on a train. The juries in their trials were entirely white, and the defense attorneys had little experience in criminal law and no time to prepare their cases. Ultimately the cases against the Scottsboro Boys was heard by the United States Supreme Court twice in Powell v. Alabama and Norris v. Alabama. Decisions from the two Supreme Court cases established for all Americans the principles that criminal defendants are entitled to effective assistance of counsel and that people may not be excluded from juries because of their race.
Currently there is no admittance charge to tour the Scottsboro Boys Museum & Cultural Center,located at the historic Joyce Chapel at 428 W. Willow Street in Scottsboro, however tax deductable donations are welcome. Museum hours are 2nd and 3rd Saturdays from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. For large groups or educational groups call for an appointment at 256-244-1310.
Fishing on Lake Guntersville
A cornerstone of the Jackson County area for living and recreations is the 69,000 acre Lake Guntersville, Alabama's largest lake. It was created in 1938 when the Tennessee Valley Authority dammed portions of the Tennessee River to control flooding and provide low cost hydroelectric power.
Today, Lake Guntersville is nationally known for largmouth bass and has been the site of the National Bass Master's Tournament. Skiing, boating, and personal water craft are great ways to spend a day on the water.
Lake Guntersville is located in North Alabama between Bridgeport and Guntersville. Alabama's largest lake contains 69,100 acres and stretches 75 miles from Nickajack Dam to Guntersville Dam. Free boat ramps and private marinas dot the lake's perimeter. Fishing, boating, camping, hunting and eagle watching are popular sports in the area. Eagle watching centers throughout the entire lake to the dam during the winter, though some bald eagles stay all year. Guntersville Lake fish habitat includes milfoil and hydrilla weed beds from which big bass explode on top water baits.
Though most noted nationally for large bass, Lake Guntersville is home to quality angling for a variety of fish. Historically, about two-thirds of the anglers on Guntersville target largemouth bass, although bream (bluegill, redear sunfish, and longear sunfish), crappie, sauger and catfish attract their fair share of anglers.
More about fishing Lake Guntersville at The Bait & Tackle Shop FB page
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheBaitTackleAndGrillAtGoosepond/videos/?ref=page_internal
Cathedral Caverns
The first thing you notice about Cathedral Caverns is the massive entrance. The huge opening measures 126 feet wide and 25 feet high. And it gets even better. Inside the cavern, you will find Big Rock Canyon, Mystery River and some of the most beautiful formations Mother Nature has ever created. Among them, you will see Stalagmite Mountain, The Frozen Waterfall and Goliath, a huge stalagmite column that reaches the ceiling of the cave some 45 feet above!
Cathedral Caverns is the perfect field trip for your school, church or other group. You can visit anytime, as the cave maintains a comfortable 60-degree temperature year round. Call and make plans today and you will see why we are excited about Alabama's newest state park!
Cathedral Caverns is located at 637 Cave Road in Woodville, Alabama. For more information and cost call 256-728-8193 or visit their site by selecting Cathedral Caverns.
Buck's Pocket State Park
Rugged mountains and deep canyons are the outstanding natural features of Buck's Pocket State Park, a 2,000 acre area that runs along the west side of Sand Mountain, and is a nature lover's dream.The park is loveliest in the spring and fall when the colors of wild flowers and autumn leaves decorate the backdrop of gorges, peaks and streams. The pocket itself, on an upstream tributary of Lake Guntersville, hosts an improved campground, complete with tables, grills, shelters, laundry, comfort station, playground and hiking trails.
Guests can enjoy fishinig and swimming at South Sauty Creek. There is also a boat launch into beautiful Lake Guntersville. Hikers will want to climb to Paint Rock to catch the dramatic view of the 800-foot Buck's Pocket Canyon.
As legend goes, Buck's Pocket is where all the defeated public officials go to lick their wounds after an unsuccessful election. The Park is located two miles north of Grove Oak in northeast Alabama. For more information click on Buck's Pocket or email at buckspocketstpark@farmerstel.com
Walls of Jericho
The Grand Canyon of the South
As the story goes, a circuit-riding minister chanced upon this rugged piece of real estate in Northern Alabama / Southern Tennessee in the late 1800's and was so awestruck by the cathedral-like beauty of the narrow gorge that he declared it deserved a grand biblical name. The preacher, it is said, stood in the gorge's bottom - a limestone bowl, 50 yards wide where water shoots out of bowling ball size holes and foot-wide cracks in the rock during a heavy rain - and peered up at cliffs 200 feet high on both sides. He named the site the Walls of Jericho, and so it has been known ever since.
The Walls of Jericho include streams such as Turkey Creek and Hurricane Creek that are headwaters of the Paint Rock River, home to 17 varieties of rare mussels. The more we protect the headwaters, the more we protect the Paint Rock downstream. What the visitor receives is extraordinary and pristine beauty in the rock formations as well as the much-anticipated flora and fauna. For more information call Cumberland Mountain Outdoors at 256-587-5555.
Scottsboro-Jackson Heritage Center
The history of Scottsboro and Jackson County is housed in a splendid Greek revival mansion.
The museum consists of the 1880 ante-bellum Brown-Proctor House; "Sagetown," the pioneer village composed of authentic buildings; and the 1868 Jackson County Courthouse. The museum also offers genealogical research, special events and exhibits throughout the year. Special events include art exhibits, musical and theatrical performances, and heritage festivals. Museum hours are Monday - Friday, 11-4.
Reservations or notice is preferred for groups. Special tours can be arranged by appointment.
For more information call 256-259-2122 or email heritage@scottsboro.org
Unclaimed Baggage Center
If your passion is searching for bargains and discovering one-of-a-kind treasures, a shopping adventure awaits you in Scottsboro at Unclaimed Baggage.
Over one million items pass through the store annually. About 60% of the merchandise is clothing with the balance of the store dedicated to cameras, electronics, sporting goods, jewelry, designer optical, books and of course, luggage. The vast majority of items are from unclaimed baggage which, after at least 90 days of intensive tracking by the airlines, are declared unclaimed. However, lost and unclaimed cargo is also now available in special areas of the store.
Directions: From US Hwy 72 in Scottsboro, exit on Veterans Drive (AL 35) and continue to Willow Street, turn left. The store is approximately 1.2 miles from the traffic light on the left side of the road. For more information visit: http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com
Russell Cave National Monument
For more than 10,000 years, Russell Cave was home to prehistoric peoples. Russell Cave provides clues to the daily life ways of early North American inhabitants dating from 6500 B.C. to 1650 A.D. The cave shelter archaeological site contains the most complete record of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast. Russell Cave is one of three national monuments in Alabama. Visitors can take a self-guided tour through the cave shelter, or National Park Rangers will give you an entertaining and educational tour.
Russell Cave National Monument is open year round, seven days a week, with the exception of New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Hours of operation are 8:00 - 4:30 CST.
For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/ruca/
Hunting Jackson County
Jackson County, AL has some of the best hunting our state has to offer. With a vast landscape ranging from mountains and streams to lakes and limestone covered valleys, Jackson County is home to an abundance of different wild game species. The most popular of those species hunted here in Jackson County is the whitetail deer. The James D. Martin wildlife management area located in Skyline offers 60,732 acres of public deer hunting as well as a number of other species including turkey, squirrel, rabbit, and raccoon.
If waterfowl is what you're after, Jackson County also offers several public places to waterfowl hunt. Crow Creek WMA, Raccoon Creek WMA, and Mud Creek WMA offer up 18,579 acres of public waterfowl hunting opportunities. The Tennessee River also runs through the heart of the county in Scottsboro, AL offering up plenty of hunting opportunities for waterfowl hunters as well. For more information about hunting in Jackson County you may contact Jon Smith at Cumberland Mountain Outdoors (256)587-5555, https://www.facebook.com/cumberlandmtnoutdoors/ or visit http://www.outdooralabama.com/
Golf Jackson County
Golf in Jackson County takes many shapes & forms. Choices can include golf on the mountain (Sand Mountain) or golf on the lake (Lake Guntersville).
Here’s what you can choose from:
Goose Pond Colony Lake Course (water comes into play on 15 of the 18 holes) 417 Ed Hembree Drive, Scottsboro, AL 35769. A stunning 360-acre complex offering a 16-mile view of the Tennessee River. It also offers lakefront cottages, camp/R.V. sites, fishing, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a top-rated marina, and the highly acclaimed area restaurant “The Docks”. The Colony Course has consistently received four-star rating from Golf Digest. Phone: 256-912-0063. Email: gpc@hiwaay.net. Website: http://goosepond.org/things-to-do/golf/the-plantation-course/
Goose Pond Plantation Course (18 hole links style course) This is an 18 hole course featuring new MiniVerde greens, open fairways and plenty of hazards and just a short drive from the main complex. The Plantation Course was recently renovated and have new Mini-Verde greens. MiniVerde is the #1 Ultra Dwarf grass and is the “Choice of Champions”. The Plantation Course is also now a Tee It Forward golf course making it a more enjoyable for golfers of any level. Phone: 256-259-0101 Email: gpc@hiwaay.net. Website: http://goosepond.org/things-to-do/golf/the-plantation-course/
Dogwood Hills Golf Club 26460 AL Hwy 71, Flat Rock, AL. Phone: 256-632-3634 or 256-632-3017. 6 newly constructed cabins – absolutely beautiful. The course features magnificent bent grass greens, well-maintained fairways and tee boxes, plus plenty of sand bunkers and water hazards. There are also practice greens and a driving range. The clubhouse and dining area are large enough to easily handle tournaments and large group outings. Email: dcslater@farmerstel.com. Website: http://www.dogwoodhillsgolfresortandgardens.com/.
Each offers a different challenge. Have fun and good luck!