Monte Sano Nature Preserve is, at , one of the largest urban nature preserves in the US and is located on
Monte Sano Mountain
Monte Sano Mountain is a mountain located in Huntsville, Alabama. The name ''Monte Sano'' is Spanish for "Mountain of health". This name comes from the fact that curative health resorts used to be located on the mountain to take advantage of th ...
in
Huntsville
Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in th ...
,
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. The Land Trust of North Alabama manages the nature preserve and Land Trust volunteers have created 23+ miles of public trails. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the multi-use trails for hiking, biking, running, bird watching, environmental education, and general recreation. The trail system was honored in 2011 by the Department of the Interior as National Recreation Trails
making them the first NRT trails in Madison County.
"Huntsville/Madison County's mountains form the final segment of the Great Appalachian chain and provide some of the southernmost habitats of broadleaf hardwoods such as the Sugar Maple. Monte Sano is home to several plant species important to the study of ecosystem stability referred to by scientists as "relics," because they provide clues to the climate of periods hundreds of thousands of years ago. Some of these species include the American Smoketree (Chittamwood), Morefield's Leather Flower, Price's Potato Bean, and Cumberland Rosinweed."
[
Special features of the Monte Sano Nature Preserve include a former limestone quarry known as Three Caves, an historic spring named Trough Springs which was the site of one of the last Alabama confrontations of the Civil War, and the remnants of the Monte Sano Railroad from the late 1800s. The Old Railroad Bed Trail is one of the first 500 Rails-to-Trails Conservancy projects.]
Major Trailheads
Monte Sano Nature Preserve’s hiker parking lot on Bankhead Parkway
From University Drive
University Drive is a major east–west thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama, following US Route 72 into the city from the west. The highway carries on average approximately 56,000 vehicles a day at .
Route Description
From the west, US 72 enter ...
and Memorial Parkway, follow Pratt Avenue East, through Five Points business district. Continue through Five Points on Pratt and continue straight as Pratt changes to Bankhead Parkway. Parking lot is past Toll Gate Road, on the right. The trailhead provides access to the Alms House, Bluff Line, Old Railroad Bed, and Toll Gate Trails.[
]
South Monte Sano Blvd
From Memorial Parkway, take Governors Drive
Governors Drive is a major east–west thoroughfare in Huntsville, Alabama. It follows U.S. Route 431 (US-431) in east Huntsville and State Route 53 (SR-53) in west Huntsville. Governors Drive is one of the main entrance points to the city from ...
east up Monte Sano Mountain and turn left on Monte Sano Blvd. The trailhead is on the right. The trailhead provides access to Trough Springs, Bluffline and Natural Well (Monte Sano State Park) Trails.
3 Caves
From downtown, follow signs along McClung Ave. from Williams Ave. across California Ave. into the Blossomwood neighborhood. At the end of McClung, you go south on Owens Drive, east on Hermitage Avenue and north on Kennamer Drive to reach the Three Caves.
The trailhead provides access to 3 Caves Loop, Alms House, and Waterline Trails.
References
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See also
*Monte Sano State Park
Monte Sano State Park is a publicly owned recreation area and mountaintop retreat encompassing on the eastern portion of the top and slopes of Monte Sano Mountain on the east side of Huntsville, Alabama. The state park has 1930s-era, Civilian C ...
* Burritt on the Mountain
Protected areas of Madison County, Alabama
Tourist attractions in Huntsville, Alabama
Hiking trails in Alabama
Parks in Huntsville, Alabama
Mountain biking venues in Alabama
Protected areas established in 1987
1987 establishments in Alabama
National Recreation Trails in Alabama