Pine Beach Trail

Pine Beach Trail is a part of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, established by Congress in 1980 to provide approximately 7,000 acres of wildlife habitat for migratory birds, nesting sea turtles and the endangered Alabama beach mouse.

It begins at a tree shaded gravel parking lot with driveways from both Fort Morgan Road and Mobile Street. A gazebo/kiosk provides informaton on the trail and other Refuge facilities.  The trail is an old road that serves a few privately owned houses on the beach front that still exist within the Refuge.  It is not paved, and in some places is not much more than sand, but hikers should be aware that the road is used infrequently by cars owned by those homeowners. A gate blocks access to any other vehicles. The trail does not support bicycle travel.

The trail winds through a coastal maritime forest consisting of a thick growth of live oaks with spanish moss and pine trees. Palmetto bushes, hardy wildflowers, and scrub brush form the groundcover. The first half of the trail is thick forest and will require mosquito protection in the spring, summer, and fall, but makes for a nice hike on sunny winter and early spring days. There are benches spread out along the trail, and just before you get to the where you can see the water you will find a bench and solar powered restroom, a fairly short hike from the beach on the lagoon if you came by boat. As the trail desends, you start to see the waters of Little Lagoon between the trees. ...next