Explore the River

Just downstream from Wilson Dam, a series of Tennessee Valley Authority trails begins at the Visitor Center, which introduces the history of Muscle Shoals and its central role in the development of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Rockpile Trail runs 2.7 miles along the river from Wilson Dam to the Old First Quarters Small Wild Area, crossing bluffs and woodlands. The Old First Quarters Trail is named for the World War I era building complex that housed officers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who constructed Wilson Dam. The paved Muscle Shoals Trail provides a route for bicycling or walking through the woods, with views of Pickwick Lake and frequent climbs and descents. The Southport Historical Trail follows a cross section of Tennessee Valley history from the Civil War to the Civilian Conservation Corps. The surrounding forested habitats are especially active in spring and early summer, when Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Swainson’s Warbler can be found, while Wilson Dam and the upper end of Pickwick Reservoir attract gulls, waterfowl, nesting wading birds, and some very rare Alabama birds. The Old First Quarters Trail also offers spring wildflowers such as Trillium, Jacob’s Ladder, and Chickweed, along with Maiden Hair, Christmas, and Resurrection ferns. Along with its natural beauty, the area is tied to the taming of Muscle Shoals, research that helped stop malaria in the valley, and the production of immense amounts of electricity.

Alabama · United States