Exploring This Lakeside Recreation Area In Alabama Is The Definition Of An Underrated Adventure
By Lisa Battles|Published December 12, 2023
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Lisa Battles
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Lisa has traveled the U.S. for over a decade, seeking out and sharing the stories of its most interesting places, people, and experiences. A journalism graduate of Auburn University, she has been a content strategist, editor, and writer for more than 25 years. Lisa has worked in community news, PR, and marketing with a focus on tourism, hospitality, and economic development. Besides following her curiosity around every corner, she's a devoted dog mom of two and advocate for animal welfare.
For an underrated adventure in Alabama, slip away to Aliceville Lake on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. The Pickensville Recreation Area and Campground are situated on opposite banks and await your exploration into their nature, history, and fun.
The US Army Corp of Engineers manages the Tenn-Tom Waterway, which opened to commercial traffic in 1985. It connects the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf of Mexico with a 234-mile system of 10 lakes, 10 locks, and several dams. Since many types of boats use the waterway, many people enjoy simply relaxing and watching the traffic glide past.
In Pickensville, you can learn all about the waterway's history, design, and functions at the Tom Bevill Visitor Center and Museum. The namesake for this replica of a Greek Revival plantation home, former US Rep. Bevill chaired the committee that passed funding for the waterway.
The site includes the snagboat Montgomery, built in 1925. Snagboats got their name because their purpose was to clear snags – logs and other things blocking waterways. It is one of only two remaining boats of its kind and became a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
Close by is the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam, which impounds Aliceville Lake. It's a few miles from the campground and a perfect destination for a bike ride.
Of course, there's plenty of natural beauty to take in here, too. The Pickensville Recreation Area is part of the Alabama Birding Trails and welcomes a range of species in all seasons, including bald eagles who are drawn to the deeper waters.
You're likely to see herons and egrets in more shallow spots and along the banks. Between the boats and the birds, be sure to bring a good set of binoculars.
Each of the campsites has a concrete pad, electrical and water hookups, a picnic table, a grill, lantern posts, and a fire ring. Available shared amenities include laundry facilities, restrooms, hot showers, picnic shelters, hiking trails, a playground, game courts, and fish cleaning stations.
For more recreation, there's the Day Use portion of the park just across the waterway. It has a swimming beach, two picnic shelters, and a fish cleaning station. There are fishing piers and boat ramps on both the campgrounds and day-use sides of the water.
Even with 176 campsites and a popular day-use area, people say their stays here are quiet and peaceful. It's helpful that the sites are large and strategically spaced. The sounds of nature and the feeling of having a place to yourself – even for a few moments – is hard to beat. Especially in scenes like you'll find here, which include stands of cypress cloaked in delicate moss.
If you’re down for a rural road trip, tack on a visit to the White Cliffs of Epes, one of Alabama’s natural wonders and just an hour south. Are you ready to go on this underrated adventure in Alabama? Let us know if you go and pass along tips if you’ve already been.
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