How to Enjoy Park and Recreation Month in Huntsville, AL
Community parks are some of the most enjoyable places to spend a beautiful day. In honor of Park and Recreation Month, why not spend time discovering the local parks in your neck of the woods?
“Parks are at the center of so many happy memories and experiences, especially in summer,” says Allison Yancey, Executive Director of Residences at Wellpoint, an Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care community in Huntsville, Alabama. “For many of us, local parks were our first introduction to nature and the role it can play in our lives. Here in the Huntsville area, local parks are such an important aspect of our daily lives, and during Park and Recreation Month, it allows for an excellent opportunity for us to take advantage of the natural beauty we have in our area.”
Allison says that nature plays an integral part in the life at Residences at Wellpoint. “We chose our location for its proximity to green space and how we can integrate the beauty of nature with our modern, one-of-a-kind community,” she says. “We’re just about one and a half miles from Big Cove Creek Greenway, which means that our residents have natural beauty practically outside their front door. Being in nature provides so many health and wellness benefits, and we’re thrilled to be able to provide area seniors the opportunity to get out and explore nature in the Huntsville area.”
We’ve put together a list of the best parks and natural areas in and near Huntsville, as well as some ideas of activities for seniors at those parks. Grab your sunscreen and some sturdy shoes, pack a picnic lunch and enjoy these amazing natural wonders!
Big Cove Creek Greenway
The Big Cove Creek Greenway (only a short walk or drive from Residences at Wellpoint) is a paved and maintained utility (sewer line) right of way along the creek, which provides nearly three miles of paved surface to explore. It travels through eastern Huntsville, connecting the Hampton Cove and Cove Creek communities with the natural habitats surrounding Big Cove Creek. Trail-goers can enjoy scenic views of the fields, swamps, creek and forests. Travel the entire three miles to the Hays Nature Preserve, a sprawling city park with miles of trails through swamps and wooded areas.
Fun activities for seniors at the park:
- Take a scenic bike ride
- Gather a group of friends and stroll along the path
- Spend a day walking to and from the Hays Nature Preserve
Big Spring International Park
Big Spring International Park lured settlers to Huntsville over 200 years ago, and the city has celebrated it ever since – growing up around this green space and preserving it for its citizens. This park is located in the center of town and hosts numerous events during the summer, including Panoply Arts Festival, Concerts in the Park and many more. The park is home to water features, friendly ducks and geese and a famous bridge and cherry trees, which were gifts to the city from Japan.
Fun fact: Big Spring International Park was also a filming location for the movie Constellation, which starred Billy Dee Williams and Zoe Saldana.
Fun activities for seniors at the park:
- Feed the geese and ducks
- Discover all the international treasures gifted to the city (lighthouse and fob bell from Norway, a bench from the United Kingdom, a sundial from Germany, and the iconic cherry trees and red bridge from Japan)
- Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a gorgeous summer day
- Attend a free Concert in the Park on Mondays from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Monte Sano State Park
Rising over 1,600 feet above downtown Huntsville is the southern Appalachian peak of Monte Sano. One of North Alabama’s natural treasures, this park contains thousands of acres preserved for nature and recreation. Just 15 miles from Huntsville’s downtown, Monte Sano State Park offers 14 miles of trails contained inside the park for hiking, running and mountain biking of varying difficulties, plus facilities for other outdoor activities like picnicking, rock climbing and disc golf.
Fun activities for seniors at the park:
- Explore the twenty miles of hiking trails and 14 miles of biking trails
- Enjoy the scenic vistas at the North Monte Sano Overlook
- Go camping (in a tent or cabin) at the Monte Sano Campgrounds
Sharon Johnston Park
Located just 20 minutes from downtown Huntsville, the 250-acre Sharon Johnston Park lies nestled in the rolling hills of northeast Madison County. The forested park with its stone and cedar fencing reflects the early settlement look of New Market, the pioneering community of Alabama.
Fun activities for seniors at the park:
- Host a summertime cookout in one of the 12 picnic pavilions
- Take a walk along the track and marked 5K circuit
- Practice your aim at the covered shooting range with skeet and trap fields
- Swim some laps at the Olympic pool (and grab some lunch at the full concession stand)
- Grab your fishing pole and cast off in the 12-acre fishing pond stocked with catfish, bream, bass and crappie
Other Fun Ways To Celebrate Park and Recreation Month in Huntsville
Submit your photos. Huntsville’s Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating the month with the hashtag #GoPlayHSV, and they want your photos and stories to illuminate how parks are an essential component of the community’s physical and mental well-being.
Get your recreation on. Play a round of disc golf, splash around at Huntsville’s aquatic facilities, find a recreation center and start a new hobby, play ball (or whatever sport you like) at one of the Huntsville sports complexes or channel your inner tennis pro at one of the 24 clay courts at the Huntsville Tennis Center. Visit the Parks and Recreation site to learn more.
Find your favorite park. The parks we’ve listed are just a small sampling of the area’s more than 65 parks. Take a look at all the green spaces available in the Huntsville area and find your new favorite location for summer outdoor fun.
Where It All Comes Together
At Residences at Wellpoint, we provide an exceptional experience for those who desire Independent Living, Assisted Living or Memory Care in the Huntsville area. As part of the broader Wellpoint Community “campus,” we cultivate an engaged, intergenerational community unlike any other. Here, we celebrate well-being with an array of social programs; innovative, on-site medical technology; a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle and so much more.
Here, our residents enjoy complete freedom of choice as well as the ability to plan their days however they choose. This is because we take the tedious routines of everyday life off your hands so that you can enjoy your life any way you wish. Go on an outing, enjoy the community, get fit in the fitness center, enjoy our dining bistro or shoot a game of pool in the sports/billiards bar. It’s all waiting for you.
No matter what your needs are, we can meet them. Our lifestyle philosophy supports every need along your journey, whether you desire Independent Living, need the assistance of our Assisted Living program or begin to need Memory Care. However your needs may change, we offer on-site medical assistance and supportive services so you can continue enjoying the engaging lifestyle you love. Contact us to learn more!
Call us at 256.274.5312 for more information or to schedule a personal visit today.