University of Alabama Arboretum Trail

This easy collection of meandering trails is the best place I know of to practice your tree- and wildflower-identification skills. What a peaceful place this is. You can wander the 60-acre arboretum’s network of trails without really paying attention to where you’re going. This gives you the freedom to focus on the labeled trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. But the best plan is to have no plan and wander for as long as you want. Founded in 1958 by the Department of Biology at the nearby University of Alabama, the arboretum is as much a showplace as it is a research facility. The arboretum is divided into three main areas: a native woodland (the western area) that includes the Holly, Sweet Gum, Hickory, Poplar, Post-Oak, Pine, and Sumac Trails; an ornamental section (the southeastern part of the park); and a wildflower garden (in the center, near the pavilion).