Visitors to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach now have a free new option for exploring the beauty of Gulf State Park. Thanks to a new bike-share program recently implemented, visitors can borrow a bike instead of renting one or bringing their own on vacation.
Gulf State Park visitors may use the bikes for up to eight hours at a time to ride across 28 miles of paved trails situated in more than 6,100 acres of state park land. The bikes must remain within the park at all times. There will soon be additional drop-off stations throughout the park.Gulf State Park is a haven for hiking, biking, exploration and education about nature.
With two miles of beaches, Gulf State Park is one of the most beautiful spots in Alabama.
A fishing and education pier that juts out into the Gulf invites anglers of all ages to try their luck. Anglers typically reel in flounder, sheepshead, pompano, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, blue fish, red fish, speckled trout, whiting and croker. Live bait is the most popular bate on the pier. Fishing is allowed on Lake Shelby also, where you’ll find redfish, bream, speckled trout and catfish.
A beach pavilion provides picnic tables, the nature center is a great place for children to learn about the coastal Alabama environment, and Lake Shelby is a perfect spot for picnicking, kayaking and canoeing. There is also a dog park at Lake Shelby with an agility course to challenge your pups. Dogs can also take a dip in the lake to cool off.
The Nature Center is a living museum of native plants and animals and offers guided nature walks, beach walks, pier walks and nature time. Check with the center for times and days.
The park’s Backcountry Trail winds through Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and features a butterfly garden, bald eagle and osprey nests, freshwater marshes and coastal hardwood swamps. You might even see a bobcat, a white-tailed deer and other creatures along the way.
You’ll definitely encounter other nature lovers walking, jogging and biking along the paved trails throughout the year.
A two-bedroom, gulf-front condo capable of accommodating up to six or eight people in Gulf Shores is an ideal spot to stay when Gulf State Park is in your vacation plans and you have a small group. Or, when you need to accommodate a big crew, consider a house with five or more bedrooms.
