10 Outdoor Activities in Huntsville, AL Worth Exploring

Looking for fun ways to enjoy the outdoors in Huntsville, Alabama? Whether you’re planning a visit or just want to make the most of a sunny afternoon, it helps to have a list of go-to spots that are worth the time and enjoyable for the whole family.

As someone who’s lived in Huntsville pretty much my whole life, I can tell you this city makes it easy to get outside. There’s SO much green space! And it’s not just about walking trails (although we’ve got plenty of those too). From kid-friendly adventures to peaceful places to recharge, there are all kinds of ways to get outdoors in Huntsville!

In this post I’m sharing outdoor activities in Huntsville that my family and I genuinely love. These are spots we return to again and again and I hope they help you get outside, explore a little, and fall in love with Huntsville’s amazing outdoors.

Hike a Land Trust Trail

A stunning multi-tiered waterfall cascades over rocky ledges surrounded by lush green forest, showcasing one of the best outdoor activities in Huntsville, AL. This peaceful natural scene highlights the area's scenic hiking trails and hidden waterfall spots perfect for nature lovers. — The hike at Bethel Springs isn’t easy, but this waterfall is a great reward!

Hiking is one of our favorite outdoor activities to do in Huntsville! There are so many great hiking trails in the area, and a lot of that has to do with the Land Trust of North Alabama. Since 1987, the Land Trust of North Alabama has been working to protect and preserve our beautiful local landscapes.

They have created over 70 miles of public trails, so whether you are looking for a family-friendly hike or a challenging trail, you’re sure to find a Huntsville hiking trail that’s right for you.

During 2020 we did A LOT of hiking. So much so that I started to get a little antsy when we weren’t getting out on a trail every weekend. So we had lots of time to discover some of out favorite trails!

Some of our favorites include:

Alum Hollow Trail at Green Mountain Nature Preserve that takes you to Alum Cave (1 mile trail, relatively easy)
Wildflower Trail on Monte Sano Nature Preserve (an easy 1/2-mile trail along Fagan Creek)
Carpenter Trail to Falling Sink Trail to Mill Trail at Bethel Springs Nature Preserve (1.3-mile loop that’s a little more challenging but takes you to an amazing waterfall!)
Balance Rock Trail (.27-mile) and Rainbow Loop Trail (1.53-miles) at Rainbow Mountain Nature Preserve >> this is one of our go-to hiking spots!

You can find more information about Land Trust hiking trails here, including directions to trail heads and Land Trust trail rules.

The Land Trust of North Alabama also offers other activities, including guided hikes, educational activities for kids Find out more about their events here.

Visit Monte Sano Mountain State Park

A hiker explores a sunlit rock cave along a rugged trail near Huntsville, AL—one of the many adventurous outdoor activities in the region. Surrounded by towering stone walls and dappled light, the scene highlights the area's scenic hiking and natural rock formations. — I love hiking the Stone Cuts Trail at Monte Sano State Park

Monte Sano State Park offers a huge variety of family-friendly outdoor activities in Huntsville, from hiking trails to playgrounds to camping and more (like a disc golf course and a Japanese garden).

We love visiting Monte Sano for hiking, beautiful overlooks, and when my kiddo was younger the playground as an absolute hit.

There are 22 miles of hiking trails up here that range from easy to hard. My favorite is the Stone Cuts Trail! It’s a moderate hike that takes you through some really fun rock formations.

Monte Sano is also a great place for a picnic or outdoor family gathering. If you have a larger group, there are also event spaces available to rent (my husband had one of his high school reunions at a pavilion up here).

Plus, if you want to get away for the weekend, they offer campsite and cabins. There really is so much to explore here!

Day use passes cost $5 for adults and $2 for kids ages 4-11. Visit the park office when you arrive, and you can get a map for trails and other points of interest at Monte Sano. Or download the trail map before you go.

Hang Out in Huntsville’s Big Spring Park

A red pedestrian bridge spans over Big Spring Park in downtown Huntsville, AL, where people stroll and ducks swim peacefully in the pond—highlighting one of the most popular outdoor activities in Huntsville. Surrounded by city buildings and fall trees, the park offers scenic walking paths and tranquil views. — The Japanese Friendship Bridge at Big Spring Park

Big Spring International Park in central Huntsville provides a great outdoor space for a variety of activities — and it has for years! I have fond memories of visiting Big Spring Park as a child to see the ducks. And, if anything, the park has only gotten better in recent years, providing a larger and more usable space after recent refurbishments.

Big Spring Park is located across from the Von Braun Center, and provides a great space for walking, picnics, or just basking in the sun.

I honestly love when I have the opportunity to take an evening stroll around here! It’s one of those things we don’t do often enough, but every time we do we wonder why we don’t make time for it more often.

Don’t miss the Japanese Friendship Bridge, which was a gift to Huntsville from the Japanese government. And if you’re visiting during the Spring you can also spot the stunning Japanese Cherry Blossoms!

During the year, you’ll also find special events at Big Spring Park, like the Panoply art festival in the Spring and the free Tinsel Trail during the Christmas season.

Visit the Huntsville Botanical Garden

A peaceful view from a wooden bench inside a circular arbor at the Huntsville Botanical Garden. The scene looks out over a reflective pond with small fountains, surrounded by vibrant green trees, blooming flowers, and a red-brick path leading into the lush garden landscape. — At the Aquatic Garden in the Huntsville Botanical Garden

The Huntsville Botanical Garden is maybe one of my favorite places in the city, with miles of walking trails and thousands of plants over their 112 acres.

If you have young kids, you’ll definitely want to check out the Children’s Garden, with interactive exhibits and play spaces. When my daughter was younger, this was our go-to spot to get out of the house on beautiful days! And on the other side of the garden, kids will love the model train.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden is also home to the nation’s largest open-air butterfly house, located at the Anderson Education Center in the Children’s Garden. I mean, honestly sometimes I can’t believe we have this right down the road from me!

We also now have our very own troll by artist Thomas Dambo! Her name is Mama Zelda and she is massive, with a nature maze at her base that leads up to her.

There are so many other outdoor spaces at the Garden we love too, from the Herb Garden, to the Fern Glade, to the beautiful Aquatic Garden. It is easy to spend a whole morning here exploring. Grab a map when you enter, and then just spend your time finding all the magic the Botanical Garden has.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden also offers special events throughout the year. Most notably is the seasonal Galaxy of Lights, a trail of thousands of holiday lights.

They also have semi-annual plant sales, a scarecrow trail during the fall, and other special exhibits from time to time (in the past our favorites have been the Chinese Lanterns and the dinosaur exhibit, so I’m looking forward to what they offer in the future!).

PLUS they offer educational classes for children and adults, including day camps for kids!

Admission the Huntsville Botanical Garden is $20 for adults and $13 for children ages 3-17.

If you are a local family, I highly recommending getting a yearly membership; it allows you free visits as well as discounts on specially ticketed events like the Galaxy of Lights.

Take a Tour of Outdoor Murals in Downtown Huntsville

A vibrant space-themed mural by artist Jessie Andrews on a building wall in Huntsville, AL, featuring 3D planet sculptures mounted over a painted cosmic galaxy of swirling blues, purples, and stars. The mural celebrates space exploration with bold textures and color, reflecting Huntsville’s space heritage. — Galactic by Jessie Andrews of Honey Blood Art

Huntsville has really developed a thriving arts community in recent years and this can be seen in the murals and street art that have popped up all over the city.

Honestly, I feel like every time I venture downtown I see a new work of art!

From art that pays homage to our place as the Rocket City to art that commemorates history, there are so many fun murals (and other mediums of art!) to see.

If you want to spend a morning or afternoon outside, you can start at Big Spring Park and take a walking tour of the downtown Huntsville murals. This is also a great way to get acquainted with downtown Huntsville if it’s your first visit!

Visit Burritt on the Mountain

Burritt on the Mountain is an open-air history museum on Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville.

It was once home to Dr. Burritt, a well-known Huntsville resident, who built his large house on the mountain in the 1930s. It burned down in 1936 (an event my grandmother says she remembers watching from her own yard at the base of the mountain!), but it was then rebuilt and now is a historic mansion open to the public.

Along with this mansion, other historic homes and buildings have been brought to the mountain to create a historic museum — from original log cabins to a Rosenwald school replica. There is also a barnyard, nature trails, and fantastic views of the city.

You can spend the day exploring these old-fashioned home and maybe meeting some historical reenactors or barnyard animals.

Burritt on the Mountain also offers educational opportunities, from field trips and guided tours to day camps for kids.

They also hold several special events throughout the year, including the City Lights & Stars Concert Series, Cocktails at The View and our favorite Huntsville Christmas event — Kris Kringle’s Candlelight Christmas.

Admission to Burritt on the Mountain is $12 for adults and $8 for children. Special events may include additional costs. See more information about admission prices and hours on their website.

Take a Walk or Ride Your Bike on a Greenway

Huntsville is serious about its outdoor space, and whether you are in Huntsville or Madison, taking advantage of the greenways in a great outdoor activity. Both Huntsville and Madison also have future visions to connect more of their greenways to add hundreds of miles of seamless trails.

I go walking on my local greenways ALL the time and absolutely love them!

In Huntsville you can find greenways in almost all parts of the city:

Aldridge Creek Greenway (this was a favorite of ours when we lived in Southeast Huntsville!)
Atwood Linear Park Greenway
Big Cove Creek Greenway
Flint River Greenway
Gateway Greenway
Indian Creek Greenway
Little Cover Road Greenway
Tennessee River Greenway
Wade Mountain Greenway

In Madison, there are two major Greenways:

Mill Creek Greenway
Bradford Creek Greenway

Although Indian Creek Greenway is technically a Huntsville greenway, it’s actually on the border of Huntsville and Madison and connects to some Madison neighborhoods. When our dog was a little younger and more spry, we loved taking him to Indian Creek Greenway and letting him wade around in the water.

All greenway trails in Madison and most greenway trails in Huntsville are paved, meaning they are great for walking, running, or bike riding.

Attend an Outdoor Concert

An outdoor evening concert at Stovehouse in Huntsville, AL, with people seated at tables enjoying live music under string lights. The stage is backed by tall, rust-colored industrial silos, blending the site’s historic factory roots with a lively, modern social scene. — Summer is a great time to catch live outdoor music in Huntsville!

During the warmer weather months (i.e. a large chunk of the year here in the South) Huntsville offers a variety of outdoor concerts on different nights throughout the city, making great outdoor activities. These are all hosted by different organizations, and some are free while some charge admission fees.

The concerts listed here are just some of the regular concerts put on in Huntsville. But with the city expanding and new venues being built, the future will likely see even more entertainment options.

Concerts in the Park

Concerts in the Park is put on by the City of Huntsville in Big Spring Park. They are held on Monday evenings during the summer from 6:30 to 8:30, usually beginning the first Monday in June and ending the first Monday in August. Admission is free and the music ranges from country to Celtic to jazz and more.

805 After Five

Campus 805 offers once a month free outdoor concerts! Campus 805 is an entertainment venue that was once a middle school ! It features restaurants, entertainment, and anchored with the breweries Straight to Ale and Yellowhammer Brewing.

Their 805 After Five concert series takes place on the third Thursday of every month from May to October, and it’s free!

Thursday Summer Concert Series at Stovehouse

Stovehouse, a mixed-use venue with restaurants, shopping and more, offers regular Thursday concerts on their large outdoor space. You can grab a bite to eat at one of their many restaurants to enjoy while you listen to the music.

City Lights & Stars Concert Series

Burritt on the Mountain hosts the City Lights & Stars Concert Series, which usually takes place on various Friday nights in the summer. The music covers a wide variety of genres, and you can listen to music with some of the best views in the city. A ticket must be purchased either in advance or at the gate (they are usually more expensive at the gate). There are also drinks available for purchase at the event.

Concerts on the Dock

Concerts on the Dock are hosted by Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment where music is offered from the loading dock of the building. These concerts are hugely popular and offered on Friday evenings in the Spring and Fall. The concert itself is free, but parking costs $10 per vehicle (so be sure to carpool!).

Find a Playground

Huntsville is first and foremost a family-friendly city, which means we have an abundance of playgrounds!

So many neighborhoods have their own local playgrounds or parks, but there are also city parks and playgrounds that you should check out. These are just a handful of some of the best ones, but you can find even more details about playgrounds near you here!

Kids Space is a large playground off Airport Road that has been popular for years (it was one of my favorite when I was a kid!). It’s been recently remodeled too so it is truly state-of-the-art!

EveryBody Can Play Playground at Brahan Springs is a playground made to be handicapped-accessible.

Kid’s Kingdom at Dublin Park is similar to Kid’s Space and is by far the most popular playground in Madison and it’s recently been completely reconstructed with new equipment and better sightlines for parents!

Hays Nature Preserve in Owens Cross Roads/Hampton Cove has a playground made of natural materials with lots of outdoor space to explore!

Go Kayaking

A person paddles a bright orange kayak down a calm, tree-lined river surrounded by dense green foliage under a blue sky. The peaceful waterway creates a tunnel-like canopy of leaves, offering a serene and scenic outdoor escape. — I absolutely love a peaceful float down the Flint River!

During the summer when it is about a million degrees here in Huntsville, getting out on the water always feels nice!

We love floating down the Flint River, which is a popular spot for kayaking. It’s perfect for the family because it’s very gentle. And there are several outfitters you can use to rent equipment and that will shuttle you to put-in and take-out spots.

NACK (North Alabama Canoe & Kayak) offers trips on the Flint River. They are self-guided and last about 3 1/2 hours. The river is easy, so perfectly fine for all skill levels.

Brown Bear also offers trips on the Flint River, but further north. These trips are also self-guided and appropriate for all skill levels.

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A promotional graphic for outdoor activities in Huntsville, AL, featuring two scenic photos: the top shows a lush garden view through a circular arbor at the Huntsville Botanical Garden, and the bottom shows a person kayaking on a peaceful, tree-lined river. Text in the center reads “Best Outdoor Activities in Huntsville, AL – flyingoffthebookshelf.com.”