This accessible trail provides breathtaking views of historic Wilson Dam, the Tennessee River and a series of waterfalls. There are always a variety of birds playing in the tail waters below Wilson Dam, and the limestone bluffs are magnificent. The mist from the waterfall cools you down after a long hike. Courtesy: Tennessee Valley Authority

Wilson Dam and Visitor Center (Site #6, Northwest Loop) is where the Tennessee Vally Authority’s hydroelectric dam impounds the 15,500-acre Wilson Reservoir. This was the first dam constructed on the Tennessee River in Alabama. Construction began on the dam in 1918 and was completed in 1924. The dam was acquired by the TVA in 1933. Together with Pickwick and Wheeler reservoirs, this dam made the treacherous Muscle Shoals navigable for river trade and transport. Courtesy: Alabama Birding Trails