Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is the wild, undeveloped counterpart to the beaches our Gulf Shores guests already know, a quiet 7,000-acre stretch of dunes, maritime forest, and coastal marsh set aside for migratory birds and native wildlife. It sits just a short drive west of town, and it’s the spot we point guests toward when they want a slower morning outdoors that isn’t about umbrellas and beach chairs.
The Jeff Friend Trail and Gator Lake Trail are the two easiest walks for most guests, both flat, well-marked loops under a mile and a half that wind through pine flatwoods and along freshwater ponds where alligators, herons, and songbirds are regular sightings. Spring and fall bring the heaviest bird migration through the refuge, so early morning visits during those seasons tend to be the most rewarding, but the trails are pleasant most of the year if you go before the midday heat sets in.
There’s no entrance fee and no visitor center to check in at, just gravel parking areas at each trailhead, so it works well as a spontaneous stop on the way to or from the beach. Bring water, sun protection, and bug spray, especially in warmer months, and expect sand and some soft footing on parts of the trail. For guests staying anywhere on the Gulf Shores side of our collection, it’s an easy way to add a couple of unhurried hours of real Alabama coastline to a beach week.
