The Backcountry Trail is what’s left of old coastal Alabama, and it’s enormous: more than 28 miles of paved trail — 18 connected segments — running through Gulf State Park and threading between Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, with main trailheads off AL-161 and Canal Road. USA Today’s readers have voted it the best recreational trail in America more than once, which is a strange thing to be able to say about something that’s completely free.
The ride
Bring a bike if you can — 28 miles is a lot of walking. The named segments (Twin Bridges, Gulf Oak Ridge, Catman Trail) roll through distinct ecosystems: coastal hardwood swamps, freshwater marshes, live-oak ridge. Detours worth taking: the butterfly garden, Boulder Park, and Al’s Parkour Park if you’ve got kids with energy to burn.
Good to know
The wildlife is real, not brochure filler — white-tailed deer, otters, bobcats if you’re lucky, and alligators, which is your reminder to stay on the pavement and keep dogs leashed. Go early in summer; the shade helps but Alabama humidity doesn’t negotiate. The trail’s been building out since 2003 and it’s the best free half-day on this stretch of coast.
