Traverse the Back Country on Alabama’s Coastal Connection

An Unusual Bike Ride on the Hugh S. Branyon Back Country Trail (AL) [1]

Get off the beaten path and see more of Alabama’s backcountry on the Hugh S. Branyon Back Country Trail in Orange Beach on Alabama’s Coastal Connection. This National Recreation Trail is a series of one- to three-mile-long paved paths and sturdy bridges that wind through woodland, bog and savannah areas once used by the area’s explorers, settlers, and indigenous peoples.  Four entry points along the byway allow access to a network of six different trail routes, with a total of ten miles of multi-use pathway. Numerous benches dot the pathways, providing ideal rest stops for any age, ability, or activity, whether you’re hiking, running, roller blading, walking with a companion, pushing a stroller, or riding your bike.

Hiker on Gulf Oak Ridge Trail (AL) [2]

Start at the Rosemary Dunes trailhead on Beach Road (State Highway 182) or the Cotton Bayou, Rattlesnake Ridge, and Catman Road trailheads on State Highway 161. The trails meet up at a screened pavilion, the perfect site for a picnic before you wander through the nearby butterfly garden. From there, you can take the Twin Bridges trail to the Orange Beach Sports Complex and the Gulf Oak Ridge Trail. The longest of the trails at 2.75 miles, Gulf Oak Ridge Trail ends up near Lake Shelby in Gulf State Park.  No matter which trail you take, look for wildflowers, such as orchids and carnivorous pitcher plants, or wildlife like woodpeckers, raccoons, alligators or gopher tortoises along the way. Millions of migratory birds, like American Woodcocks or Gray-cheeked Thrush, fly overhead on the Mississippi Flyway each fall from October to December. Birds such as Glossy Ibis and Brown Pelicans flock here throughout the year. Interpretive signs along the trails identify the natural features of the coastal habitats along the trails, from maritime forests and meadows to sandy oak hammocks, pine flatwoods, relict dune swales, and seepage swamps. 

Couple Parking Their Bikes (AL) [3]

For more information about the Hugh S. Branyon Back Country Trail, call 251-981-1063 or check out the City of Orange Beach website. Orange Beach offers two-hour, guided electric cart "eco tours" for a fee. Whether you’re taking a guided tour or exploring the trails on your own, you’ll be delighted by this behind-the-scenes excursion into the backcountry on Alabama’s Coastal Connection!