Length: 1.5 mile loop (with a bonus half-mile trail 1 mile down the road)
Distance from Mobile: 30 miles, just over the state line
Did you know that there is more biodiversity in one square meter of a wet pine savanna than in one square meter of a tropical rain forest?
Neither did we until we walked the Grand Bay Savanna Trail, which is actually in Mississippi, not in the town of Grand Bay, Alabama.
As evidence of that biodiversity, we found crawfish tubes and deer track on this short walk, which was a well maintained but squishy trail through tall sawgrass.
Scenery: Even if it has not rained in days, you will want to wear your waterproof hiking boots on this walk. As promised on the sign at the trailhead, the savanna has wet, nutrient-rich soil. That meant parts were squishy and parts were dry and parts were puddles. Two-thirds of the trail is through the sawgrass with no shade, which was fine for us on a nice winter day. There are pine trees, saw palmetto and gallberry. At about the one-mile mark, you get to a wooded area and then to a boardwalk that takes you to a view of Hawk's Marsh where needle rush and sweetbay magnolia make for a change in scenery.
Wildlife: We saw an osprey and there are obviously more as several nests can be spotted on the powerlines that run by the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Center. We saw crickets, a grasshopper and butterfly.
Highlight: The boys loved the puddles, or at least the boy wearing his waterproof hiking boots did.
Trail: Take I-10 to the first exit in Mississippi (#75) and follow your map app or the AllTrails app to the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. You will see the reseach center on your right. Park there and look for a sign to the right of the parking lot. The trail is a loop and is easy to follow. When you get to the boardwalk, take a right to see the marsh. When you come back toward the building, take a slight right and go around the front of the building back to the parking lot.
Bonus trail: For a complete change in scenery (Hello, biodiversity!) take a right out of the parking lot, travel 1.2 miles, and you will see a sign and a trailhead for Oak Grove Birding Trail on your left. This well-worn wooded trail is part of the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It is a half-mile loop trail that is not officially on the AllTrails app, but you can record your walk on the app and see a slightly inaccurate version of the trail on the app. Follow the brown signs with white arrows. There are two geocaches and some good climbing trees on this trail.
G says: This is a good hike for dogs because it is not that long. There are a few deep, muddy parts that your dog will probably like. You will just have to give him a bath later.
L says: It is a nice trail. Good scenery. Just bring your waterproof hiking boots.
About the trail. This trail is part of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, which includes more than 18,000 acres of salt marshes and pine savannas. These areas, according to the Grand Bay NERR website, are among "the most diverse, productive habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. They support a rich assortment of fish and wildlife, including brown shrimp, speckled trout, oysters, sea turtles, bottlenose dolphin, and on occasion, manatees. The Reserve works with local communities and partners to understand and protect these precious places, improve water quality, educate citizens, and enhance the science-based management of Mississippi’s coastal resources."
Scenery: Even if it has not rained in days, you eill want to we