Where? 3906 Turkey Creek Rd, Pinson, AL 35126. It’s open from 7:00am-5:30pm Wednesday-Sunday. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday. On Friday and Saturday morning, there are hours for pedestrians only from 7-9. Park opens to vehicles at 9. This is their website: https://turkeycreeknp.com
Trail Length? The preserve is over 400 acres, but most people come for the recreation area, which is where you swim. You park your car on the side of the road or in one of the pull-outs and you walk down to the water. The whole preserve is a one way. The one way road isn’t long at all, so if you can’t find a parking spot, you can exit and loop back around. There are 5 trails, with 3 of them being less than a mile. The other two are 1.4 miles and one moderate trail that is a 3.2. Here is a trail map straight from their website.
How hard are we talkin’? Well, it’s hard to get a parking spot during peak summer months, but there’s not much walking involved unless you take a trail.
Can I swim there? That’s what it’s for! We typically stop near the entrance, let everyone out. They head down to the water with their tubes and one of us drives the car to a parking place and we meet at the bottom once they tube down the falls. It’s about 1/4 mile ride on the tube. The water is always cold and it’s moving pretty quickly. We sometimes pop a tube when sticks get lodged between the rocks that are jutting out of the water.
Any other details? For goodness sakes, wear socks or water shoes. There is more broken glass than dirt on the banks of Turkey Creek. There is no glass allowed, but years ago, that wasn’t a rule so don’t cut your feet! The rocks are very slippery as you can imagine. A friend suggested we were socks to keep from slipping on the rocks. It works! Weekends during the summer are crowded, so get there early or go during a week day. I have always seen a police officer checking coolers. He also makes sure everyone leaves on time (park closes at 5:30 even during the summer). No alcohol allowed. There are signs posted that say NO SMOKING/ NO FUMAR and you will be asked to leave if you don’t adhere to the rules.
