Longleaf Pine Treasure Forest Loop at Langan Park

Distance: 0.9 mile (loop)

Location: In the heart of Mobile/Spring Hill, off Zeigler Boulevard

We have walked on the sidewalks and around the lake here many times. But I had never walked this trail. It is a little more secluded from the rest of the park, but you do hear sounds of the city, aka traffic. Still, it was a nice walk, close to home, with loop options that allow you to make it two, three or even four times longer than the 0.9 miles. The sun was about to go down, so we did 1.6 miles for a nice evening stroll.

Scenery: The trail is through a pine forest. The boys found a beautiful big oak to climb. We loved the oak because his trunk looked like a face.

Wildlife: We looked for a gopher tortoise that the boys named Spiderman who had ventured into our yard one day about nine years ago. We dropped him off here for safety, and we hope he is living a good life. We did see ducks and white pelicans in the lake.

Highlight(s): This is an underrated treasure of a park close to home.

G says: It's a nice, short hike.

L says: It's a good hike for beginners as it is not long, but short. I love that it is in a local park that we live near and that we have cleaned up as part of the Alabama Coastal Clean-Up.

Trail markings: The trailhead is near the Mobile Botanical Gardens. The trail is not marked well, but it is a simple trail and it would be very difficult to get lost here. Use the AllTrails app if you need a map.

About the trail: Langan Park (also known as Municipal Park) is a 720-acre park that includes a lake, paved walking trails, a playground, a tennis center, disc golf, botanical gardens, an art museum, a playhouse, and more. This is a great hike to do after dropping off your recyclables at the municipal center on the south side of the park.