Blevins Gap Nature Preserve is 971.12 acres of scenic vistas, rock overhangs, trails, and pristine forest. It features a 10.5 mile trail system. Called Huntsville's own “Little Applachian Trail,” the Preserve contains the southernmost remnant of the Space Walk Trail created by Boy Scouts in the 1960's that ran from Monte Sano State Park to the south end of Green Mountain. The northern portion of the Preserve holds the first piece of property donated to Alabama's first land trust (now the Land Trust of North Alabama) in 1988. These acres now feature the Stevenson and Fanning trails named for the first land donors.
A well-used trail system for passive non-motorized recreation, this Preserve is a favorite of runners, mountain bikers, and hikers. The trails are valued for their variety as well as their scenic vistas. The Preserve is part of the Cumberland Plateau with a large sandstone mountain cap and huge sandstone bluffs. It is home to bobcat, deer, coyote, fox, turkey, raccoon, opossum, and armadillo. In addition to mature forests, pockets of endangered Price's Potato Bean and Morefield's Leather Flower have been found. Also found is the American Smoketree (also called Chittamwood and once used for making yellow dye), Ovate Flycatcher, Yellow Lady Slipper, and Alabama Snow Wreath.
The Land Trust works in partnership with Alabama's Forever Wild program to manage the Preserve. Both Forever Wild and the Land Trust own land that comprise the Preserve, with the Land Trust providing management and trail development/maintenance. The Land Trust is responsible for identifying, prioritizing, planning, implementing, and maintaining all recreational development including trail development and trailheads on properties opened to the public. In addition, this committee works closely with the Volunteer Coordinator to recruit, develop, and nurture volunteers needed to support their efforts.
The Land Trust offers environmental outreach programs along with seasonal hikes and events on the trails. Environmental education events on the trails help foster appreciation of nature and the need to preserve the places we love. This is vital in raising the next generation of land preservationists.
The Land Trust of North Alabama is celebrating 30 years! To help celebrate, we are placing new geocaches on our 7 Land Preserves and on properties we maintain for The Nature Conservancy.
June 24, 1987 the non-profit incorporation papers were signed to establish the first Land Trust in Alabama. Since that day, we have preserved over 6,200 acres and maintain over 62 miles of trails. If you have geocached in Huntsville, you’ve likely found a geocache on one of our properties BUT did you know it was Land Trust property? We are hoping this “tour” will help you put our face to the properties you know and love and show you what’s in the works to get newly donated or purchased properties ready for public use.
Provided in our photo is a passport to print and in each geocache you will find a self-inking stamp to use on your passport. We hope you find all our geocaches, but you need to only find 5 to receive our oval Land Trust pathtag. When you have stamped at least 5 on your passport, please bring in your passport to our office at 2707 Artie Street Suite 6 Huntsville, AL 35805 or N 34 42.400 W 86 35.548
This tour will give you an idea of what’s happening at the Land Trust of North Alabama. We are diligently working to preserve green space in North Alabama for public use now and for future generations.Our hope is this tour will educate you on what the Land Trust has been doing for 30 years and our plans for the next 30 years.
