Minooka Park offers two very different ways to enjoy the outdoors. Miles of trails wind through 420 acres of wooded terrain, where you can ride ATVs and off-road motorcycles. The park also has a walking trail about a mile long that loops around the pond. Each activity has its own appeal: motorized rides through wooded terrain contrast with a walk by the water. This means you can explore the park in different ways, depending on your interests.
Lakes, Fishing, and Boating
Lake Mitchell is a 5,850-acre reservoir on the Coosa River and a premier fishing destination for bass, crappie, and catfish. These fish species give fishing there a distinct character, while the lake’s size offers a sense of how extensive the waterway is. Lay Lake borders Chilton County and is used for recreation. Together, these waterways offer both a specific fishing destination and broader recreational opportunities.
Higgins Ferry Park has a public boat launch operated by the state. The park also offers RV sites. If you’re planning to use a boat launch or stay at an RV site, you’ll find two specific options here. These activities may factor into your choice of where to stay, without requiring any particular itinerary.
Festivals and Local Producers
The Peach Jam Jubilee is a free outdoor festival. It also includes a farmers market, whose offerings may vary from one edition to another. The market and festival bring together two different reasons to visit: the event’s outdoor setting and a market with a changing selection of goods.
The Chilton County Strawberry Festival features arts and crafts and antiques. It also offers entertainment for all ages. Farmers and producers from Chilton County are featured there as well. The festival brings together local producers, handcrafted works, and historic objects, along with a program for visitors of different ages. Those interested in local producers or arts and crafts will find a different focus here than on an outing centered mainly on lakes and trails.
Museums and Historic Places
The museum at Confederate Memorial Park opened on April 28, 2007. It tells the life story of an average Confederate veteran from Alabama, from enlistment to old age. The museum also houses hundreds of wartime artifacts and items from the former home. The veteran’s life provides a biographical framework for the exhibits, while the artifacts add historical objects to the story. The park includes the original 102-acre grounds of the former home.
In Maplesville, the Old Southern Depot focuses on the town’s history: it houses a small photo museum about the history of Maplesville. The depot is also the centerpiece of the Maplesville Railroad Historic District, established in 2003. The museum in the depot and its role in the historic district bring together a local perspective on history and a site that is part of a designated historic district.
Forest Trails and Scenic Overlooks
Talladega National Forest is located in southwestern Chilton County and offers hiking trails and several scenic overlooks. This gives you another way to experience the outdoors beyond the waterways: depending on your interests, you can focus on hiking trails or scenic overlooks. Along with the walking trail at Minooka Park, these options offer two different ways to spend time outdoors—trails through the forest and a path around a pond.
Explore More Destinations
Explore more destinations: Clanton, Russell, Washington County, Clay County, Jefferson, Colbert County, Lee, Pike.
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