UPDATE: Riverfront Park in Sheffield and all municipal parks in the city are now
closed per Mayor Ian Sanford.
COLBERT COUNTY-As the days of social distancing and being stuck inside in the response to
COVID-19 add up, spending time in wide-open places outdoors is a way to
overcome cabin fever. We encourage you to practice social distancing while
spending time in the outdoors. Also, check the latest public health guidance
from the Centers for Disease Control and local and state governments for
updates before heading out.
Colbert County Tourism encouraging residents to step outside
Although many events have been cancelled and indoor attractions closed as
part of the nationwide effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus,
the outdoors remain open for activities that include fishing, birdwatching,
bicycling, hiking, hunting, camping, paddle sports and exploring. “We take
the COVID-19 safety recommendations very seriously, but we are encouraging
Shoals residents to step outside and discover the great outdoors,” said
Susann Hamlin, President and CEO of Colbert County Tourism and Convention
Bureau. “We are blessed here in The Shoals to have an abundance of places to
go and things to do in the outdoors. We just encourage anyone who spends
time in the outdoors, to do so safely.”
Hamlin urges everyone spending time in the outdoors to follow Centers for
Disease Control guidance for preventing the spread of infectious diseases by
maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet between themselves and others.
Among the outdoor recreational opportunities in Colbert County:
Muscle Shoals and Sheffield
– Go fishing. Pickwick Lake covers 47,000 acres and spans portions of three
states. Wilson Lake covers 15,500 acres. With that much water, there is
plenty of space to spread out while fishing. Public fishing piers are
located on Wilson Lake at the Wilson Dam overlook on TVA’s Muscle Shoals
Reservation and at Riverfront Park in Sheffield. By the way, big bass,
crappie, catfish and bluegill are biting now. The lakes, and streams in the
county, are also great places for kayaking and canoeing.
– Ride a bike. The Reservation Road Trail on TVA’s Muscle Shoals
Reservation, is the perfect place for a bike ride. The 2.6-mile long trail
runs from the nature trails trailheads in Sheffield to Wilson Dam in Muscle
Shoals. The trail can be accessed from the nature trails parking area or
Wilson Dam, both on Reservation Road.
In addition to the Reservation Road Trail there are 15 miles of other trails
on the TVA Reservation. The paved and primitive trails wind through
woodlands and grassy areas and along the Tennessee River. Numerous
wildflowers are now blooming along the trails,
Sheffield
– Go for a walk. The Old Railroad Bridge stretches 1,560 feet across the
Tennessee River. The historic double decker bridge, which was once used by
trains, streetcars, automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles, is now limited to
foot traffic and bicycles. The bridge offers spectacular views of Pickwick
Lake and Wilson Dam. It’s a great place to watch the sunrise or sunset. The
bridge can be accessed from 2100 Ashe Blvd.
– Bike lanes aplenty. Several streets in Sheffield, including Montgomery
Avenue and Avalon Avenue, have designated bike lanes.
– A park on the river. Riverfront Park, 1416 Alabama Ave., is a great place
to go for a walk, fish, birdwatch or have a picnic. Don’t forget the check
out the riverwalk that runs from near Cypress Moon Studios, 1000 Alabama
Ave. to Whippoorwill Hollow.
