Spring breakers often flock to beaches along the Alabama Gulf Coast in search of sand and sun, landing them on the sugar-white beaches at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores.

Alabama’s rich outdoor recreation scene took center stage on February 27, 2025, as the Alabama Tourism Department officially launched the Year of Alabama Trails campaign at Vulcan Park. The initiative, which will run through 2026, highlights the state’s diverse trail systems and their impact on tourism, conservation, and economic growth. Attendees gathered at Birmingham’s iconic […]

Most people are aware of the stunning natural beauty, the hiking and biking trails, and upgraded accommodations at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Alabama State Parks, but some Alabamians and visitors may not be aware of one of the recreational opportunities at three of the system’s parks.

To say 2024 was an outstanding year for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) would border on an understatement, and plans for 2025 will continue that trend, according to ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship.

Jacks Benton, a 5-year-old hunter from the Salem community in Lee County, squeezed the trigger on his .243 Remington rifle to fire at the buck standing about 40 yards away. The 10-point buck didn’t run. “No, he flopped,” Jacks said.

When the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) staff scheduled AFWA’s annual Wildlife Diversity Program Managers Meeting at Lake Guntersville State Park, they didn’t realize the potential distraction just outside the meeting room windows.

With over 12,000 employees and an annual economic statewide impact of $1.1 billion, Alabama's fishing industry is vital to the state's overall well-being. The high level of success, however, is under threat from outside sources that could severely damage one of Alabama's key industries.

Alabama’s most beautiful homes and gardens share one common theme: impeccable landscape design. Whether driving through the state’s most prestigious neighborhoods or stumbling upon

Every 10 years, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) is required to update its State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) to be eligible for federal funding that is crucial to many endangered and threatened species in the state. ADCNR staff members are currently in the process of […]

The Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp on Lake Guntersville officially reopened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. Representatives from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and the City of Guntersville hosted the event. The renovation, completed in January 2025, included the installation of a new three-lane launching slab and a 150-foot floating […]

Alabama State Parks honored this year’s Eagle Award winners on Saturday, Feb. 1, during Eagle Awareness Weekend at Lake Guntersville State Park. The Eagle Awards, sponsored by the Alabama State Parks Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

To say 2024 was an outstanding year for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) would border on understatement, and plans for 2025 will continue that trend, according to ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship. Through a variety of funding sources, ADCNR has utilized more than $218 million for Alabama State Parks improvements, has facilitated […]

Nature lovers are blessed with abundant recreational and travel opportunities offered by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in north Alabama, like Joe Wheeler State Park, Monte Sano State Park, and several wildlife management areas. But the possibilities don’t end there.

The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has designated Saturday, February 8, 2025, as the second of the 2024-2025 hunting season’s Special Youth, Veteran, and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days. The first of the two special waterfowl hunting days took place on November 23, 2024. On […]

Herb Lewis is living some kind of retirement. He’s combined his childhood interest in birds, his talent for gardening, and his passion for photography to create a backyard wildlife habitat that attracts birds and insects as pollinators.

Nature lovers are blessed with abundant recreational and travel opportunities the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources offers in north Alabama, like Joe Wheeler State Park, Monte Sano State Park and several wildlife management areas. But the possibilities don’t end there. For those who love to explore new territory, I’ve got a perfect place […]

The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) wants to celebrate the unbreakable bond that exists between a dog and its owner by reviving the Best Black Belt Sporting Dog Photo Contest. The contest is open to any dogs out on a sporting adventure in the 23 counties of Alabama’s Black Belt. The contest will feature dogs […]

This weekend’s mandatory chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling for Lauderdale, Colbert and Franklin counties has been postponed due to inclement weather and has been rescheduled for next weekend, Jan. 18-19. Also, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division has added an incentive to encourage hunters in the […]

Alabama is home to an incredible range of state parks that have something to offer adventurers year-round. Our Alabama State Parks Passport series highlights all of the stunning outdoor spaces throughout the state that make for the perfect seasonal getaway. The tenth in our series is Lakepoint State Park. According to Alabama State Parks, “Picturesque Lakepoint […]

The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has reopened the Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp in Guntersville, Alabama, after the completion of facility upgrades. 

With the goal to connect the state’s regional and local trails with economic and recreational opportunities from the mountains to the gulf, the Sweet Trails Alabama team has released its statewide comprehensive trails plan. It started with a Swing Around the Tour State just over a year ago, and after involving thousands of stakeholders and residents […]

A white-tailed deer recently harvested by a hunter in Colbert County in northwest Alabama has been confirmed positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The detection of CWD in Colbert County has resulted in an expansion of the state’s CWD Management Zone (CMZ) to include all of Colbert, Lauderdale and Franklin counties in the CMZ. A […]

If you weren’t able to attend one of three public meetings recently, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) wants your input.

Adventure enthusiasts across Alabama are invited to lace up their hiking boots and make a difference by participating in the 2025 Make-A-Wish Alabama Trailblaze Challenge. This one-of-a-kind endurance hiking event, presented by America’s Thrift Stores, offers an incredible opportunity to test your limits while helping grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Registration for […]