Kentucky Road Trip Series
2020 has been a year unlike any other. Everything in our lives has been affected in one way or another. Luckily we were still able to go on our annual road trip, but it looked a little different. Because of that instead of writing a couple of posts that go day by day like I usually do I’m going to focus on the major highlights. At the end of the series, I’ll do a shorter day-by-day post for those who need some road trip inspiration.
Our 2020 road trip had us driving from Florida to Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and then back south through North Carolina. Part 1 of my Kentucky road trip series focuses on one of our first stops in Alabama; Alum Hollow and Green Mountain Nature Trails.
Alum Hollow and Green Mountain Nature trails are located in Huntsville, Alabama. They are within 1/2 a mile of each other on South Shawdee Road. The trails are easy enough that you could visit both in one day, even if you have kids. Both are very popular hiking spots so start early.
Alum Hollow
During our visit, we began with a hike along the Alum Hollow trail to see Alum Hollow Falls and Alum Cave. This trail has a small gravel parking lot with no facilities, water, or picnic area. Come prepared!
The Alum Hollow trail is 2.46 miles out and back and is mostly flat and easy. There are a few sections near the end that have changing elevations. It also gets more rocky near the end. The trail is well marked, just follow the signs. We did get a little turned around near the waterfall. We heard the falls but didn’t see the sign. The trail goes down to your right to the falls. There is lots of rock scrambling in this short section. But it is worth it!
If you are facing the waterfall, you can turn around and keep following the trail to Alum Cave, a nearby cave shelter hidden under the cliffside. It is a very short walk from the falls. Our kids loved this feature. It was a nice introduction to the many caves that we would see on this road trip.
Alum Hollow trail is kid-friendly. It is not stroller or handicap accessible. Like I said before, this is a very popular trail on holidays and weekends so arrive early.
Left: the flat beginning of the trail. Right: the rocky trail down to the falls.
Green Mountain Nature Trail
Green Mountain Nature Trail is also known as the Madison County Nature Trail. It is free to the public every day from 7 am to 30 minutes prior to sunset. There are 2 large parking lots. If the first is full, look for a small opening in the trees that leads to a second lot.
This great park was a pleasant surprise. A friend recommended hiking here so I didn’t really know what to expect. It would be an awesome place to spend a day with the family.
The 1.5-mile nature trail follows the shoreline of Sky Lake. The trail is easy but does have some changing elevations. It is kid-friendly but not stroller or handicap accessible. Along the trail, you will pass through a covered bridge and walk past a log cabin, the chapel, and the spring house. The state’s largest and oldest Champion Winged Elm Tree – stands tall along the trail. Somehow we missed it, though.
Near the entrance building, you will find restrooms, a large picnic area, and lots of seating areas. Our kids loved the swings! There are lots of places for kids to explore.
Where did we stay?
While in Alabama we spent 2 nights in Huntsville at the Homewood Suites- Huntsville- Village of Providence. We used our Hilton rewards points on this stay. I highly recommend Hilton’s rewards program. It is so easy to earn points toward free nights.
We had a wonderful 2 room suite that was perfect for our family of 5. I love rooms that have small kitchens and a separate living area. It gives us more room to spread out and relax after a busy day of exploring. I highly recommend this hotel. I won’t go into many details on the hotel since everything was different due to Covid-19. My experience probably won’t be the same as yours.
Next stop
Our next stop in our Kentucky road trip series will be Bowling Green, Kentucky. Stay tuned!
- Bowling Green, Caves and Corvettes
- 2 Days at the Ark Encounter & Creation Museum
- 4 Family Hikes in Hocking Hills State Park
- 7 Family Hikes in Kentucky’s Big South Fork
More road trip inspiration
Want more southern road trip inspiration then check out 7 Family Hikes in North Georgia or Mid-Blue Ridge Parkway & Congaree Nat. Park Roadtrip.
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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own. I was not compensated for this post.
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