Recent developments at Bethel Spring Nature Preserve bring us one step closer to opening this southeast Madison County property to the public.

District 3 Commissioner Craig Hill contributed a team from Madison County to construct a trailhead parking area and a half mile crushed-stone trail circling the flat agricultural portion of the preserve.

Grant funding from the Alpha Foundation supplied the gravel and other materials needed to create this accessible loop, which features two bridges crossing an environmentally-significant, spring-fed creek and a valley view looking up toward Keel Mountain. This will be the Land Trust’s second property to offer increased accessibility. The trail system at Harvest Square Nature Preserve currently includes similar crushed-stone trails.

The future trail system will climb the adjacent mountainside toward one of the area’s most impressive waterfalls.

When opened, this will be Land Trust of North Alabama’s eighth public nature preserve. All Land Trust preserves are free and open to the public from dawn to dusk daily. Find trail maps and information about each location at landtrustnal.org/explore.

There is currently no scheduled opening date for Bethel Spring Nature Preserve but work continues to make preparations for future public access.