Seven trails among six distinct ecosystems make up more than 15 miles of the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail complex through Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Alabama and the Gulf State Park. Explore the timeless beauty of the Butterfly Garden, the mystical Freshwater Marshes and the Coastal Hardwood Swamps. Catch a glimpse of a Bobcat on the Twin Bridges or a White Tailed Deer on Gulf Oak Ridge. View an Alligator basking in the sun and be sure to bring your camera to capture the adventure. Courtesy: www.backcountrytrail.com

Walking
Road Biking
Hiking
Fishing
Birdwatching

Trail Length: 1.1 miles
Nearby Cities: Orange Beach
Baldwin County
Catman Trail

The trailhead for the Cotton Bayou Trail is located on Hwy 161, across from the tip of Cotton Bayou waterway and behind the Publix Shopping Plaza.  This once sandy path nestled in the Gulf State Park has been paved to meet the Foundations 2013 goal, br …


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Walking
Road Biking
Hiking
Fishing
Birdwatching

Trail Length: 2.3 miles
Nearby Cities: Gulf Shores
Baldwin County

Coyote Crossing is a highlight to this exceptional trail system and was made possible by a Trail Enhancement (TE) Grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation, paying 80% of the construction costs.  The city of Gulf Shores funded the remaining 2 …


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Walking
Road Biking
Hiking
Fishing
Birdwatching

Trail Length: 1.8 miles
Nearby Cities: Orange Beach
Baldwin County

Visualize wet pine flatwoods, scrub oaks and palmettos covering acres of sandy swells. You will find these along the Rattlesnake Ridge Trail.  Catch a gopher tortoise forging Rattlesnake Ridge, an armadillo, named for its armored shell, digging for an …


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Walking
Road Biking
Hiking
Fishing
Birdwatching

Trail Length: 2.2 miles
Nearby Cities: Orange Beach
Baldwin County

On the eve of the Great Cat Hunt, the medicine man gave his warriors a sip of serum, instilling tremendous strength and stamina. Legend recounts a story of an overzealous, young warrior that crept into the medicine mans hut and drank a bottle of the po …


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Walking
Road Biking
Hiking
Fishing
Birdwatching

Trail Length: 2.8 miles
Nearby Cities: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach
Baldwin County

Encounter the magnificent canopies of ancient mossy oaks atop the Islands highest bluff, 34 feet above sea level, while twisting and turning along the mystical trail of the Gulf Oak Ridge. The Gulf Oak Ridge Trail offers hikers a chance to embrace natu …


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Walking
Road Biking
Hiking
Fishing
Birdwatching

Trail Length: 1.8 miles
Nearby Cities: Orange Beach
Baldwin County

Imagine a backcountry filled with lush cattails, wild flowers, tall pines and you, while biking, hiking or jogging along the winding natural habitats of Rosemary Dunes. Catch a glimpse of the American Alligator sunbathing along the banks of the marshes …


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Walking
Road Biking
Hiking
Birdwatching

Trail Length: 1 miles
Nearby Cities: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach
Baldwin County

Travel the hand-built wooden twin bridges of the coastal backcountry, nestled between the countless species of native plants and wildlife. Find tranquility on this one-mile stretch linking the east trails of Catman Road, Rattlesnake Ridge and Cotton Ba …


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