Water lilies floating on shimmering waters are part of the view in the wetlands on the Hugh S. Branyon Trail.
Waterfront Park is a perfect spot for trail walkers, anglers and picnickers.
City boat ramps and piers are convenient ways for residents and visitors to access local waters.
Great sunset views of Wolf Bay may be seen from the pier at Waterfront Park.
oaks and towering pine trees are commonly found. If you walk or ride the Catman Trail, look for directional signs to the Butterfly Garden to view vibrant flowers and the butterflies they attract—seasonally from spring through autumn. If you hike the Rattlesnake Ridge portion of the backcountry trail on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., schedule a break to step inside Orange Beach Indian and Sea Museum. Vintage photographs, rudimentary fishing gear and Indian artifacts reveal details about the lifestyles of Native Americans and anglers who were early inhabitants of the area. Museum admission is free and one of the few available restrooms for backcountry trail users is located nearby. On a quiet day, you might cross paths with animals on the trails. Sun-seeking alligators, white-tailed deer and foraging armadillos are observed frequently. Light- footed bobcats, gopher tortoises, coyotes, otters and wild boars are more elusive. For the Birds The Branyon backcountry trail doubles as a designated portion of the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail. Maritime
forests that surround the trail serve as stopover spots for millions of migrating birds. So cast your eyes on the treetops and waters and keep your binoculars handy to see feathered species such as hummingbirds, wading herons, bald eagles, and soaring osprey. Picnic in the Park Orange Beach Waterfront Park, a wooded recreational haven off Canal Road on Wolf Bay, is popular with local residents as well as tourists. The city park features easy-does-it walking paths, a well-appointed children’s playground and spacious picnic shelters outfitted with grills. Multicolored flowerbeds brighten the grounds and occasional palm trees lend a tropical twist to the landscape. On Waterfront’s 400-foot pier you can go for a power walk while taking in outstanding views of Wolf Bay. How about reading a good book in the covered pavilion or casting a fishing line over the pier railing? A speckled trout, flounder, or redfish could be swimming into your future. Whatever you choose to do, keep looking up to see Orange Beach’s idyllic blue skies. They assume a mesmerizing glow and reflect luminously on Wolf Bay as twilight sets in. To balance your outdoorsy day with a cultural encounter,
SWEET HOME ALABAMA
COAST TO COAST SUMMER MAGAZINE 2020
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