Alabama Outdoors Florence

Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve welcomes dogs and is free to the public. Trails, viewpoints, waterfalls, creeks, meadows, and a variety of flora and animals can all be found here. On the paths, leashed dogs are welcome, and the owners give water and directions at several spots.

Joe Wheeler State Park near Rogersville, Alabama, is a dog-friendly park divided by the Tennessee River, which creates the 69,700-acre Wheeler Lake. In the glittering seas where sailboats and yachts glide side by side, bass, bream, and catfish abound. In addition to easy access to the Tennessee River, the park offers hiking and mountain biking trails that allow you to reconnect with nature and view some of the best scenery that north Alabama has to offer. Dogs are allowed in most areas of the park if they are on a leash. For safety concerns, several bike and equestrian riding trails do not allow dogs. In stores, food service areas, bathhouses, pools, and swimming areas, dogs are not permitted.Dogs must not be left unsupervised, and if they are left in a heated car for more than 30 minutes, they will be confiscated.

At this memorial in Cherokee, AL, leashed dogs are invited to accompany you on your walk.

Your leashed dog is permitted to accompany you on the trails at Elk River Lodge State Park in Athens, AL. A public dock and boat launch are located at the property, which faces the Wheeler Reservoir, which feeds into the Tennessee River. There is also a group lodge on the property that is available for rent and is used by church retreats, fishing clubs, and large groups.

Tishomingo State Park is rich in history as well as natural beauty. Archaeological digs show that Paleo Indians lived in the region presently occupied by the park as early as 7000 B.C.! Chief Tishomingo, the Chickasaw nation's leader, is honored with the park's name. The park is bisected by the famed Natchez Trace Parkway, which was formerly the most important highway in the early 1800s and is now a modern scenic parkway. The same ageless natural beauty that charmed the Indians centuries ago enchants tourists to Tishomingo State Park today. Tishomingo has a terrain unlike any other in Mississippi, with towering rock formations and fern-filled nooks. Massive moss-covered boulders dot the slopes, and vibrant wildflowers line routes originally frequented by Native Americans.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization working to establish a countrywide network of trails from former rail lines and linking corridors, supports the Richard Martin Trail, which is one of 1600 rail-trails supported by the group. This "rail-trail," which was once an underused railroad line, is now a terrific spot to walk Fido in Elkmont! A parking lot with easy access to the Richard Martin Trail is shown on the map below.