Alabama

Alabama spans the southern Appalachians, sprawling river systems, and white-sand Gulf beaches, supporting hiking, paddling, freshwater and saltwater fishing, and birding. Little River Canyon National Preserve, Cheaha State Park (the state high point), the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, and Gulf State Park anchor it.

Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) bring the most comfortable temperatures for hiking and paddling, while summer is best for the warm Gulf beaches despite the heat and humidity. Winters are mild.

White-tailed deer, wild turkey, black bears, and alligators inhabit the state, and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta is one of North America's most biodiverse areas, with more fish, mussel, snail, and turtle species than almost anywhere on the continent.

Habitats range from Appalachian hardwood forest and longleaf pine savanna to bottomland swamp and Gulf coastal marsh; Alabama ranks among the most aquatically biodiverse states in the nation.

The state ranges from the worn ridges of the southern Appalachians in the northeast (2,407-ft Cheaha Mountain is the high point) to the Black Belt prairie and the coastal plain, with extensive limestone caves and the 600-foot-deep Little River Canyon — the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi.

The Muscogee (Creek), Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw peoples inhabited this land before forced removal in the 1830s. Alabama became the 22nd state in 1819 and was central to both the cotton economy and the civil rights movement.

Outdoor life centers on the rivers, the Gulf Coast fishing and beach culture, and a strong hunting and freshwater-fishing tradition rooted in the state's abundant waterways.

Protecting the imperiled aquatic life of the Mobile basin — among the richest freshwater ecosystems on Earth — and longleaf pine restoration are key priorities.

Birmingham and Mobile have the main airports; the Gulf beaches around Gulf Shores draw the heaviest tourism. A vehicle is essential to reach most parks and the delta.

Summer heat, humidity, and afternoon thunderstorms are the main concerns, along with alligators in southern waters and rip currents on the Gulf. Watch for venomous snakes and check for ticks.

State parks charge a fee, and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources administers licenses; Little River Canyon is a free National Preserve.

Watch alligator distance in southern waters, and heed Gulf rip-current flags.

Visit the Gulf beaches in late spring or early fall to dodge peak heat and crowds, and explore Little River Canyon and Cheaha for the state's best hiking and waterfalls.

Alabama borders Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi, linking the Appalachian foothills, the Florida Panhandle beaches, and the Gulf Coast.