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Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge: A Step Back in Time

The next time you get to the beaches, see a piece of the coast as it was before it was "discovered."

By Bill ColemanPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge: A Step Back in Time
Photo by William Phipps on Unsplash

One of the largest undeveloped parcels of land on the Alabama Gulf Coast, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 7,000 acres on a peninsula that stretches down Fort Morgan Road (Hwy 180) from Gulf Shores all the way to Fort Morgan. It is on the "10 Natural Wonders of Alabama" list. "Bon Secour" is a derivative of the French phrase "safe harbor."

Hikers have approximately eight miles of trails to walk, most of them lined with saw palmettos. Almost as if they were planted, magnolias and live oaks seem to frame the palmettos. Hike all of the trails and you will see Gator Lake, Little Lagoon, and the Gulf of Mexico. Raised boardwalks scattered about will take you over wetlands and salt marshes.

By Clay LeConey on Unsplash

For saltwater fishing, the easiest place to access Little Lagoon in Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is from the Jeff Friend Trailhead. The water is shallow, so unless you have a small boat or canoe that you can carry to the water, you are going to have to do some wading. During the warm weather months this is a very nice way to spend a few hours, whether you catch any fish or not.

There are also areas within Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge where you can surf fish in the Gulf of Mexico. The easiest place to get to the Gulf is at Mobile Street about ten miles into the refuge coming from Gulf Shores. Just a few of the species that you might catch from the beach or in Little Lagoon are flounder, speckled trout, pompano, bluefish, redfish, white trout, and whiting. Stingrays are often caught, but most fisherman return them to the water even though they are edible.

By Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

Alligators are common in the refuge. They hang out in the wetlands, the lakes, and Little Lagoon.

Sea turtles are occasionally spotted at the beach areas. They nest from May until October and do most of their moving around at the beach at night. You are more likely to see turtle tracks than the turtles.

The creatures you are most likely to see on any given day in the refuge are birds. During the migratory seasons more than 370 birds have been identified within the boundaries of the refuge. Birdwatchers are always looking for birds that they can mark off their list; everyone else is more impressed with the big birds like the Great Blue Heron. These are huge birds and quite common in the refuge. Brown pelicans and ospreys are other large birds that are commonly spotted.

By Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

You are most likely to see other wildlife just after daybreak and just before dark. There is a short window during those times because you can only be in the refuge during daylight hours. Animals are generally going to want to see you a lot less than you want to see them, and they are particularly good at winning that game. However, you can be certain than your walk on the trails will take you awfully close to a lot of animals-- foxes, deer, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, armadillos, river otters, bobcats, and many more species.

By Andreas Schantl on Unsplash

On a recent trip to Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge my wife and I parked our car at the Jeff Friend Trailhead. It was a pleasant day with temperatures in the late 70's-- not bad for the first Sunday after New Year's Day. We walked the entire Jeff Friend Loop, along with part of Centennial and Pine Beach Trails. Though there was another car parked at the trailhead, we did not pass anyone else on the trails.

The next time you get to the beaches, see a piece of the coast as it was before it was "discovered."

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About the Creator

Bill Coleman

Hello! I am a traveler, outdoorsman, and writer.

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