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Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
4.7 ★★★★★ 203 Google reviews · Running trail in Gulf Shores, Alabama · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Beach refuge known for sea turtles, migratory birds & other wildlife offers trails & events.
What runners say about Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
“Centennial Trail isn’t as well maintained, and you need to be wary of some of the wood walkway sections as some are loose and slick as heck after a rain.”
“When we reached the end of the trail, we enjoyed the pristine sand dunes, white sandy beach, and beautiful green water(Gulf of Mexico).”
“Summer months are hot, but still lots of things to enjoy, not to mention the peace and quiet.”
When we arrived, we had no problem finding a parking space. There is no fee to use the hiking trails, but pets or bicycles are not allowed. We hiked the Pine Beach Trail(4 miles out and back). (A portable restroom is located along the trail). We really enjoyed walking through the maritime forest and scrub/dune habitat.
I love this place. I will return every time I'm in the area. Don't sleep on it, the mile hike to the look out is easy with the most beautiful view, lots of shade and an outhouse.
A beautiful place for a walk! Winding trails through scenic lake and dune views that lead to a gorgeous beach. Very clean and quiet area as well. We were there for several hours and only encountered a few other people on the trails.
Nice trail with a few caveats. I went here to run and found the summer shade quite nice. There were copious amounts of hand-sized spiders crossing eerily close overhead. Sadly, every single time I stopped more than 5 seconds, I was engulfed in mosquitos or flies.
Trail conditions & character
“Very Beautiful hiking trail that is great for kids and if you go early in the morning you might see some gators in the lake.”
“Summer months are hot, but still lots of things to enjoy, not to mention the peace and quiet.”
“The first mile of the trail was crushed gravel, the last bit was beach sand.”
Plan your run at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Websitefws.gov
- Phone+1 251-540-7720
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 9 am–1 pm |
| Tuesday | 9 am–1 pm |
| Wednesday | 9 am–1 pm |
| Thursday | 9 am–1 pm |
| Friday | 9 am–1 pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Running trails near Gulf Shores
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Pine Beach Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 60 reviews
Scenic sand dune trail through wooded swamps to a gulf beach, featuring observation towers.
Jeff Friend Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 153 reviews
Peaceful 1-mile loop trail through forests near a lagoon, popular for kayaking.
Wade Ward Nature Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 160 reviews
Charming, 12-acre park in a lush coastal setting featuring a variety of native wildlife & wetlands.
