Home › Alabama › Owens Cross Roads › J.D. & Annie S. Hays Nature Preserve
J.D. & Annie S. Hays Nature Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 696 Google reviews · Running trail in Owens Cross Roads, Alabama · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- 10 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from J.D. & Annie S. Hays Nature Preserve'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.
Sprawling parkland featuring a variety of wildlife & terrain, plus over 10 mi. of hiking trails.
What runners say about J.D. & Annie S. Hays Nature Preserve
“Great playground for the kids, clean bathrooms, nice trails, well-maintained areas for fishing, a lot of great photo opps.”
“We had so much fun playing on the playground and when we finally decided to go hiking we saw many beautiful flowers mushrooms and a few animals including a deer.”
“There is a kayak take out that works great and the trail is nice and quiet following the river.”
“Easy trails and a nice playground make this fun for kids as well!”
We went for Earth Day! It was my first time going. I really enjoyed this park, I will definitely be going back. Very nice kids park in the "woods". Beautiful lake and walking area. It was beautiful all around! Highly recommend for quite couple time, or take the family for a fun afternoon.
This was my first time at Hays after living within 15 minutes for the past 2 years. The playground is somewhere I would have loved to hang out when I was younger. They even have a little library! Walked on a few trails and they were in good shape other than a tree down.
Kids love this place. It's very peaceful as well. The Greenway is a great place to run. It's like escaping from reality for a few moments. Fishing is better down by the river. In almost 20 years, I've never caught anything in that pond.
There is a great park for the kids and the tree swing is big enough for adults. They have fishing available with live bait boxes close by. The trail we did this time was the paved one and it was lots of fun next time we will bring our bikes for sure!! Great place for hiking or just a stroll.
Trail conditions & character
“We had so much fun playing on the playground and when we finally decided to go hiking we saw many beautiful flowers mushrooms and a few animals including a deer.”
“Great place for an easy and safe hike or bike ride on a paved path through nature and views of the golf course and Flint River.”
“There is a kayak take out that works great and the trail is nice and quiet following the river.”
“Great playground for the kids, clean bathrooms, nice trails, well-maintained areas for fishing, a lot of great photo opps.”
“There is always many people but the area is so large that it isn't crowded and this is a lot of parking.”
“My dog and I enjoy walking the greenway and she really enjoys playing in the water or rolling in the wet grass.”
“There’s paved trails (probably 6-8 feet wide), which is great for strollers and bikes.”
Plan your run at J.D. & Annie S. Hays Nature Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- Distance10 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Trail mapOfficial trail map
- Websitehuntsvilleal.gov
- Phone(256) 427-5116
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–8 PM |
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