Length: The Kurt G. Wintermeyer Trail is 0.8 miles, out and back. The Weeks Bay Reserve Trail (at the visitor center) measures 0.7 miles, out and back.
Drive from Mobile: About 50 minutes along U.S. 98 in Baldwin County
If you are looking for nice, non-strenuous nature walks on boardwalks with great waterfront views that will remind you that we live in a really special place, then do both of the Weeks Bay trails. If you only have the time or energy for one, take the Wintermeyer Trail.
The Kurt G. Wintermeyer Trail takes you through a pitcher plant bog to a beautiful viewpoint of Weeks Bay. We love pitcher plants in my family because these are super cool carnivorous - yes, carnivorous! - plants that eat bugs. We took this hike just two weeks after a freeze, so the plants were not in great shape, but the scenery was awe-inspiring anyway. There are signs along the walk explaining the importance and rarity of pitcher plants
The Weeks Bay Reserve Trail takes you above the marshes to another great viewpoint of the namesake bay. Interpretive signs identify the dozens of varieties of trees and plants - with fun names like Woolly Huckleberry, Sparkleberry, Cinnamon Fern and Devilwood - and birds and animals you may see along the way. There is also a State Champion Tree, a sweetbay magnolia, which means it is the largest of its kind in Alabama.
Scenery: For these trails to be so close to each other, the views are very different. Both are marshy and lead to the waterfront. The Wintermeyer Trail had more grasses - one is called a toothache grass - as well as wildflowers and low shrubs.
If you are not familiar with pitcher plants, you should know that they are amazing and their habitat is endangered. So just the very fact that we have pitcher plants here at Weeks Bay as well as at Splinter Hill make our area very unique. (Read about Splinter Hill here). Pitcher plants can exist where pine forest meet wetlands. They attract bugs and digest them for nutrients! Varieties found here include white topped pitcher plants, purple pitcher plants, sundews, and my favorite, the trumpet pitcher.
The Weeks Bay trail, just about a mile away, had more bottom hardwoods leading to a salt marsh. This area was hard hit by recent hurricanes, Sally and Zeta, so many trees were down, uprooted and/or snapped in two. This was a reminder to us of just how powerful Mother Nature is.
Wildlife: We saw a squirrel, some buzzards and deer tracks. Signs at the Weeks Bay trail viewpoint say you can see birds of prey such as the red-tailed hawk, the barred owl, and my boys' favorite winged animal, the peregrine falcon. (Did you know the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world? It is while it is diving for prey). You can also see shorebirds such as terns and laughing gulls, waterfowl such as the brown pelican and ducks, and wading birds including various egrets and herons.
Highlight: These trails are easy and would be accessible for someone in a wheelchair or for someone pushing a stroller. There are geocaches. And we always love trails with interpretive signs.
Lowlight: We were sad to see that the nearby beloved Inspiration Oak is now nothing more than a stump.
Guest review: We were so happy to get to share this adventure with one of my favorite humans who was visiting from out-of-town and her family. Her precious 10-year-old daughter (known here as "I" is joining my boys in reviewing the trail below.
I says: It was a beautiful, short trail to the river. Don't forget the geocache.
G says: These are nice, short hikes that teach you some things about the environment.
L says: I liked these hikes because they were nice and short and they are a good way to see local scenery. I would get a Fairhope Float at Mr. Gene's Beans as you head back home.
Trail markings: These trails are boardwalks, so markings are not needed. There is a section of boardwalk at Weeks Bay that is closed due to hurricane damage. Across the street from Wintermeyer, where you park, are additional wooded trails marked Blue One and Blue Two that we would like to come back and do. We talked to a lady walking her dog there, and she said there is "about 30 minutes worth of good walking trails" there.
Getting here: The Wintermeyer Trail is off Fish River Road. Follow your map app to Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog. The Weeks Bay Reserve Trail is right off U.S. 98 behind the visitor center, just west of the big bridge. Note that the visitors center is closed on Sundays, but both trails are open. There is a port-a-potty in the parking lot of the Wintermeyer Trail.
About the trails: These trails are part of Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. These 9,317 acres are managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's research programs. It includes upland and bottomland hardwood forests, salt and freshwater marshes, submerged aquatic vegetation and bog. The visitor center is open Monday through Saturday. There is a boat launch nearby and a kayak launch is coming soon. To learn more, visit: https://www.outdooralabama.com/lands/weeks-bay-reserve
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