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Best Lake Hikes in Alabama

The directory currently contains 6 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Alabama. Their average mapped distance is 17.1 km and average recorded ascent is 373 m (1,224 ft); the longest route in the set is 50.1 km.

This subset represents 7% of the 90 quality-checked routes in Alabama. Its average distance is 17.1 km, compared with 12.4 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 373 m (1,224 ft), versus 130 m (427 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set carries a lake tag in the directory. Whether the mapped line reaches the shore and whether swimming is allowed must be checked locally. Within this set, 2 routes (33%) are rated easy, 3 (50%) are rated hard or expert, and 2 (33%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.6 km

Smith Lake Park National Recreation Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Lake Jackson Scenic Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

2 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Moderate

Alabama · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Lake

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Wade Mountain Nature Reserve National Recreation TrailsAlabama15.7 km358 m3 hr 50 minHardApril to October
Lake Guntersville State Park National Recreation TrailAlabama50.1 km1,360 m13 hrExpertApril to October
Lake Lurleen State Park National Recreation TrailAlabama31.4 km451 m7 hr 43 minHardApril to October
Coleman Lake LoopAlabama3.0 km67 m43 minModerateApril to October
Lake Jackson Scenic TrailAlabama2.0 km0 m25 minEasyApril to October
Smith Lake Park National Recreation TrailAlabama0.6 km0 m8 minEasyApril to October

Wade Mountain Nature Reserve National Recreation Trails, Lake Guntersville State Park National Recreation Trail, Lake Lurleen State Park National Recreation Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

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