Munny Sokol Park
Park
330 acres14.6 mi of trail
Sokol Main TrailMars TrailHolly Highway LoopTroll+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Foster Auditorium, The University of Alabama · Photo: Ttownfeen · Public domainBOutdoors
Outdoors in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa has 58 miles of mapped trails, 0.9 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Munny Sokol Park (14.6 mi), University of Alabama Arboretum (10.1 mi), Buddy Powell Pavilion Park (1.9 mi). 1,684 acres are parks and preserves, 15 per 1,000 residents. 3% of Tuscaloosa’s land is conserved, about 1,061 acres.
Ahead of 63% of U.S. towns · #20 of 187 in Alabama. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
1,061 acres · of 63.0 sq mi of land
Trails
58 mi
0.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,684 ac
15 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
64%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
28 mi
8.6 mi lanes · 18 mi paths
Highest peak
226 ft
River Hill
Lakes & rivers
17
1 beach · 7 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Tuscaloosa?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Tuscaloosa have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Tuscaloosa is ahead of 63% of U.S. towns, #20 of 187 in Alabama. Trail miles hold the grade up; conserved land pulls it down.
B
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Tuscaloosa’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical AL town 1% · U.S. 4%B−Trails0.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (58 mi) · AL 0.1 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land15 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,684 acres) · AL 8 · U.S. 13BParks close to home64% of residents within a half mile of a park · AL 36% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 63%
LessMore
Alabama towns of 2,500+ (187)Ahead of 90%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Tuscaloosa ranks #311 on Outdoors.
Few Alabama towns conserve much land (a typical one, 1%; the U.S., 4%), so Tuscaloosa’s 3% is ahead of 77% of Alabama towns, while its trails per square mile lead 94% of them.
Water is 14% of Tuscaloosa’s area (10 of 73 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 2%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to B+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Munny Sokol Park, with 14.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
University of Alabama Arboretum
Park
205 acres10.1 mi of trail
SumacPoplarPost OakBeech+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Buddy Powell Pavilion Park
Park
121 acres1.9 mi of trail
Pavillion Loop
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
The Park at Manderson Landing
Park
18 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hurricane Creek Park
Park
52 acres0.8 mi of trail
Trailhead ConnectorEagle Scouts Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Annette M. Shelby Park
Park
15 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 52 parks & preserves
Munny Sokol Park330 acres · 14.6 mi of trail
DirectionsUniversity of Alabama Arboretum205 acres · 10.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBuddy Powell Pavilion Park121 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
J Oviatt Bowers Park153 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsParker-Haun Park46 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsThe Park at Manderson Landing18 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsHurricane Creek Park52 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsAnnette M. Shelby Park15 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsMcDonald Hughes Field18 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsLake Nicol Park31 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Tuscaloosa
DirectionsRecreation Center Fields28 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsJaycee Park28 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
River Road Park West24 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Randall Family Park and Trailhead25 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Monnish Park9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsPal Park9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsQueen City Park22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPalmore Park59 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Founder's Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Community Center Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWest End Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCourtney Anna Square3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Peter Bryce Preserve38 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBobby Cardinal Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Capitol Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsC Snow Hinton Park32 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOliver Dam Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Tuscaloosa
DirectionsHarmon Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKaulton Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Alberta Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSokol North Complex75 acres
DirectionsTreasure Island County Park31 acres
Carrolls Creek Island County Park18 acres
Rock Quarry County Park15 acres
DirectionsThe Lakes Community Park10 acres
Redpoint Park9 acres
DirectionsWatermelon Rd. County Park7 acres
Green Arces Park6 acres
Marrs Spring Park4 acres
DirectionsGovernment Plaza4 acres
DirectionsBinion Creek Landing Park3 acres
Rosedale Park3 acres
DirectionsMcKinney Park3 acres
Springbrook Park3 acres
Phillis Stanley Memorial Park3 acres
Van de Graaff Arboretum & Historic Bridge Park1 acres
The Walk of Champions1 acres
DirectionsCrimson Promenade1 acres
1893 Park1 acres
DirectionsTuska Plaza1 acres
DirectionsMalone-Hood Plaza1 acres
KinderPrep Playground1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,061 conserved acres
3% of Tuscaloosa’s land. Water is left out: Tuscaloosa has 63.0 square miles of land and 10.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Tuscaloosa’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city364 ac
Other state land208 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits199 ac
State natural resources193 ac
County165 ac
Local Park · 689 acResource Management Area · 193 acUnknown Easement · 128 acPrivate Conservation · 71 acLocal Recreation Area · 47 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 63 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| State-owned Submerged Lands Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 193 | Open |
| The University Of Alabama Arboretum Local Park | Other state land | 160 | Open |
| J Oviatt Browers Park & Belk Activity Center Local Park | Town or city | 143 | Open |
| Munny Sokol Park Local Park | County | 118 | Open |
| Alabama Land Trust Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 71 | Closed |
| Plamore Park Local Park | Town or city | 68 | Open |
| Hurrican Creek Park Local Recreation Area | County | 47 | Open |
| Queen City Park Local Park | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| C Snow Hinton Park Local Park | Town or city | 32 | Open |
| University Recreation Fields Local Park | Other state land | 26 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
88 places to go in Tuscaloosa
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Tuscaloosa
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Tuscaloosa
Field of Dreams
DirectionsNick's Kids PlaygroundIn River Road Park West
DirectionsOliver Dam PlaygroundIn Oliver Dam Park
DirectionsWillow Ridge Playground
Directions73 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Tuscaloosa
1 dog park without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Tuscaloosa
Rock Quarry Park Boat Landing
DirectionsSharpes Landing
DirectionsPlus 5 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Tuscaloosa
4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Tuscaloosa
River Hill226 ft elevation
DirectionsChildress Hill223 ft elevation · In Capitol Park
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 17 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 15.6 miUnpaved · 24.4 mi
Sokol Main Trail2.2 mi
Mars Trail1.8 mi
Pavillion Loop0.8 mi
Holly Highway Loop0.7 mi
Troll0.7 mi
Brutality0.6 mi
Trailhead Connector0.6 mi
Bunny0.6 mi
5 Bridges0.5 mi
Lower Psycho0.4 mi
15 more trails
Upper Psycho
0.4 miCemetery Loop
0.3 miCrreek
0.3 miSumac
0.2 miTrolley Trail
0.2 miCreek
0.2 miEagle Scouts Trail
0.2 miTuscaloosa City Walk
0.2 miPoplar
0.2 miFamily
0.2 miPost Oak
0.2 miBeech
0.2 miCedar
0.2 miLower Creek
0.2 miHydrangea
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Canyon Lake LowerlakeEast LakereservoirFire Fighter Memorial LakeHarris LakereservoirLake ForestreservoirLake NicolreservoirLake TamahalakeLittle ReservoirreservoirMarrs SpringreservoirMimosa LakereservoirPalmer LakeShelton State LakepondSmith LakepondSpringhill LakereservoirWilliam Bacon Oliver LakereservoirWoodland LakereservoirBlack Warrior River
Biking & sports
28 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
8.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
18 mi
off-road bike paths
1.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Sokol Mountain National Recreation TrailBike route
11.2 miHurricane Creek MTB TrailsBike route
0.6 miCourts & fields
111Tennis
43Baseball
31Tracks
15Basketball
14Soccer
14Football
10Softball
9Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →32 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 33 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Foster Auditorium, The University of AlabamaNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 2005
About itCollier-Overby HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itGorgas-Manly Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1971
About itBattle-Friedman HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itOld ObservatoryBuilding · listed 1972
About itPresident's MansionBuilding · listed 1972
About itJemison-Vandegraaff HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itGuild-Verner HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itDruid City Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1975
About itSearcy HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itAlabama Insane HospitalBuilding · listed 1977
About itOld Tuscaloosa County JailBuilding · listed 1979
About it20 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Tuscaloosa: April and May
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.2 | 11.0 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.3 | 14.1 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.4 | 10.0 |
| High (°F) | 55 | 60 | 68 | 76 | 83 | 89 | 92 | 91 | 86 | 77 | 66 | 58 |
| Rain (in) | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 5.2 |
October is the driest month (3.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 92 °F). 5.5 inches fall in February, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 92 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Tuscaloosa →
Next door
Tuscaloosa and its neighbors
Tuscaloosa has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa | 3% | 0.9 | 15 | 64% | B |
| Holt | under 1% | under 0.1 | 1 | 39% | D |
| Northport | under 1% | 0.1 | 6 | 33% | C− |
| Cottondale | under 1% | 0.1 | 9 | 54% | C− |
| Vance | under 1% | 0.4 | 14 | 15% | C |
| Brookwood | under 1% | 0.2 | 11 | 12% | C− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Tuscaloosa
Where can I hike in Tuscaloosa?
The longest trail networks: Munny Sokol Park, 14.6 miles; University of Alabama Arboretum, 10.1 miles; Buddy Powell Pavilion Park, 1.9 miles; J Oviatt Bowers Park, 1.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Tuscaloosa is conserved land?
3% of its land, against a typical 1% for an Alabama town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Tuscaloosa’s trails?
Munny Sokol Park and University of Alabama Arboretum don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Tuscaloosa?
28 miles of bike routes are on the map: 8.6 of painted or protected lanes, 18 of off-road paths and 1.0 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Sokol Mountain National Recreation Trail and Hurricane Creek MTB Trails.
Is there public land near Tuscaloosa?
30,932 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Tuscaloosa or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,867 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Tuscaloosa have?
Ahead of 63% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #20 of 187 in Alabama. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Tuscaloosa neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →