Explore the River

Explore the River (HM20C2)

Location: Muscle Shoals, AL 35661 Colbert County
Buy Alabama State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 34° 47.586', W 87° 37.577'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 299 views
Inscription
Just downstream from Wilson Dam lies a series of trails maintained by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Starting at the Visitor Center, explore the trails as they meander along the riverbank and through the forest

1.Wilson Dam Visitor Center
The Visitor Center at Wilson Dam is the perfect place to begin exploring the area. The center provides an overview of the history of Muscle Shoals and how it has been central to the development of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

2. Rockpile Trail
This 2.7-mile trail takes visitors along the river from Wilson Dam to the Old First Quarters Small Wild Area. The trail traverse everything from bluffs to woodlands.

3. Old First Quarters Trail
This trail is named for the World War I era building complex the housed the officers of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers who constructed Wilson Dam.

4. Muscle Shoals Trail
The paved Muscle Shoals Trail is perfect for bicycling or a walk through the woods. The trail offers great views of Pickwick Lake and provides excellent exercise with frequent climbs and descents

5.Southport Historical Trail
A comprehensive interpretive guide will lead you back through a cross section of Tennessee Valley history from the Civil War to the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Land Birds
Many of the trails
near Wilson Dam wind through a variety of forested habitats. These trails are at their best during spring and early summer when the Yellow-billed Cuckoo can be heard croaking from overhead and Swainson's Warbler can be found with a little patience and some luck.

Water Birds
Wilson Dam and the upper end of Pickwick Reservoir are both known to harbor good numbers of gulls and waterfowl during the winter and nesting wading birds during the summer. A number of very rare Alabama birds have been found here on a fairly regular basis.

Wild Flowers and Ferns
Walk the Old First Quarters Trail to see a profusion of wildflowers each spring. Search the forest floor for such species as Trillium, Jacob's Ladder, and Chickweed. The lush undergrowth along the trail abounds with ferns. Maiden Hair, Christmas, and Resurrection ferns can all be found.

History
On Top of its impressive natural beauty, this area is rich in history The taming of Muscle Shoals, the important research that put a stop to malaria in the valley, and the production of immeasurable amounts of electricity are just a few of the documented accomplishments of this area.
Details
HM NumberHM20C2
Tags
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017 at 10:02am PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16S E 442706 N 3850277
Decimal Degrees34.79310000, -87.62628333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 34° 47.586', W 87° 37.577'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds34° 47' 35.16" N, 87° 37' 34.62" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)256
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 330-398 Reservation Rd, Muscle Shoals AL 35661, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?