Alabama Day Trip Chronicles: Visit The Tuskegee National Forest
Alabama Day Trip Chronicles: Visit The Tuskegee National Forest
Has the coronavirus pandemic gotten the best of you? About to go stir crazy? If you answered yes, it sounds like you need a day trip. If you are like me, I will get up on a Saturday morning and drive somewhere and explore. I will admit it is a tad bit harder in the middle of the pandemic, but you can be safe while exploring. I file “day trips” under self-care because it truly clears your mind and boosts your spirit.
A great day trip is to visit the Tuskegee National Forest which is located at 125 National Forest Road 949 Tuskegee, AL 36083. I always recommend the day before a trip or morning before you leave, be sure to check for weather conditions and updates, as those are ever-changing. Also, they have posted COVID-19 Forest Alerts, click here to review them. According to Google maps, from the Townsquare Media studios, it is only a 2 hour and 21-minute drive. Super easy drive while you are listening to your favorite Townsquare Media radio station. Click here for a map of the Tuskegee National Forest.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture – Forest Service, the Tuskegee National Forest offers “bicycling, camping, cabins, fishing, hiking, horse riding, hunting, nature viewing, and picnicking.” Also, it noted that it is “fully open, Uchee Shooting Range, Taska Picnic Area, and Bold Destiny Horse Trailhead.”
I can’t wait to go because the 11,000 acres sounds pretty massive to me, but the Tuskegee National Forest is actually the smallest U.S. national forest. You can find so many varieties of trees in this forest before you go, download this "Trees of the Tuskegee" guide. Keep your eyes open for the Sweet Bay Magnolia! It is so pretty, simple, and fragrant. According to Roots Rated, “wildlife enthusiasts, meanwhile, should certainly check out the Tsinia Wildlife Viewing Area, an interpretive trail that is off-limits to hunters and fishermen. Managed by the Forest Service, the 125-acre space includes several paths that weave through the area, with several species of hardwoods, low-lying areas, and many types of birds.”
Also, while in the area take in all the history that Tuskegee has to offer like the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, Moton Field, George Washington Carver Museum, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, Lake Tuskegee, John Emerald Distilling Company, and so much more! Enjoy your Alabama Day Trip! Let me know what you discover; reach out to me on Facebook.
(Source) For the Forest Alerts concerning COVID-19 Important Information, click here. For a map of the Tuskegee National Forest, click here. For the Trees of the Tuskegee National Forest guide, click here. For more from Roots Rated, click here.