Lake Guntersville State Park
Lake Guntersville State Park is one of nicest of all the state parks. Lake Guntersville is located on the 66,470-acre Guntersville Reservoir. The park offers camping, bathhouses, gift shop, pavilions, camp store, a marina, boat launching facilities, a playground, tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course, restaurant, hotel, and hiking. Lake Guntersville State Park is a magnificent place to go camping, if you have a boat, and/or a camper. I would not recommend going if you are wanting a primitive environment, Buck's Pocket State Park, located nearby, will better provide a primitive untouched environment. At Lake Guntersville the scenery is beautiful, there is a place in the park where you can overlook the reservoir from a atop a mountain. The park has another great feature, which is the presence of Bald Eagles, our national symbol.
Hiking trails at Lake Guntersville include the following:
Cutchenmine Trail (easy)
This is an easy to walk trail that makes its way around the shoreline of Lake Guntersville. the trail begins on Alabama highway 227 approximately 1/2 mile north of the Short Creek bridge. From the trail sign located on the highway, descend and cross a small footbridge on your left. You then bear right and basically follow the shoreline SW. After approximately 1/2 mile, the trail will bear left (still following the shoreline) and parallel Short Creek.
After crossing a creek via large rocks, the trail soon ends at approximately 2.0 miles. A large boulder in the middle of the roadbed marks the end of the trail. This old road once led to a coal mine and has been open to the public as a hiking trail since 1967. Since Lake Guntersville is a popular area for bird watching, especially in winter months, this trail may provide good opportunities for spotting waterfowl and birds of prey, such as the eagle and hawk.
Tom Bevill Trail (moderate)
This 3.0 mile trail also has a trailhead on Alabama highway 227 just north of the Short Creek bridge. Cross the road after parking on the right side, and ascend steeply for a short distance. The trail will split here. I suggest walking to your left (W), ascending gradually as the trail winds around Ellenburg Mountain. At approximately 1.25 mile, ascend for a short distance and descend, as the trail makes its way around to the north side of the mountain.
Reach the paved at approximately 2.0 miles and walk along the road to your right for a short distance. Ascend to your right as the trail winds around the east side of the mountain and reaches the junction above highway 227. Descend to the road and the parking area at 3.0 miles.
Lickskillet Trail (moderate)
This trail begins on the road, just east of the campground entrance and store. The first 1/2 mile ascends very moderately up the Park Lodge. Cross the road and walk to your right approximately 50 yards. The trail will bear left along the ridge before descending NE and cutting back to the SE.
At approximately 1.5 miles, reach a park service road (to the left, the road leads down to the lake). Cross the road and ascend NE along Baily Ridge. At approximately 2.1 miles, the trail will turn to your right (E) and ascend to the ridge before descending to Alabama highway 227 south of the Town Creek Bridge.
This trail, when combined with the 2 mile Seales Trail, allows the hiker to begin and end at the park campground.
Seales Trail (easy)
This trail starts at the north end of the campground and follows the shoreline of the lake to the Town Creek bridge on Alabama highway 227. From the campground, the trail makes its way around a hill covered with large boulders. You can spot a number of bluebirds in this area. Continue around a small inlet and reach a larger inlet at approximately 1.5 miles. The gravel road on your right leads to the paved park road atop Taylor Mountain. High water may force the hiker to walk up the road and around the low lying area.
The trail then ascends briefly to parallel the lake about 30 feet above the shoreline as it continues along the ridge. Reach the Town Creek bridge at 2.0 miles.
Descend down wooden steps to the road. The Lickskillet trail is located to your right (S) approximately 150 yards down the road. It can be hiked over Taylor Mountain to return to the campground area.
For directions to Lake Guntersville State Park click here!
Lake Guntersville Links: