Trail Running @ Lake Guntersville State Park – Seales & Lickskillet Trails
As I continue to get off the roads and test trail running, my latest excursion at Lake Guntersville State Park (click here to see my other trail runs at LGSP) took me on the Seales Trail and the Lickskillet Trail. It was a bit of an adventure just to find the Seales trail-head and get this run started, and the adventure continued from some spots that were nearly impassible and to other areas that were straight uphill.
Nice view of Lake Guntersville as I was driving around trying to figure out where to start the Seales Trail.
The Seales Trail is at the northern end of Lake Guntersville State Park near the Town Creek Fishing Center.
Town Creek Fishing Center
I had to stop here and ask the attendant where to find the trail head. He was very helpful and even printed me a map for a whole set of horse trails that are not even on the main park map, as they are north of the regular park area but still open to the public.
I also discovered that there is another campground in the Town Creek area. Unlike the main state park campground, the town creek camping area is primitive and literally right on the water.
Camp right next to the lake in the Town Creek Campground at the north end of Lake Guntersville State Park. Just do not plan on needing running water or electricity since it is primitive.
The primitive campground does have a nice, small bathhouse.
The primitive campground bathhouse does have a shower.
This dock at the Town Creek Fishing Center points directly at the Seales Trail head across the bridge.
This is the view of the bridge looking from the north (Town Creek) toward the south (the main state park area). Notice the cars off road to the right of the south end of the bridge. This is where the Seales Trail head is located.
The red arrow marks the small parking area to the side of the bridge where the Seales Trail begins.
Notice on the map that the Seales Trail is blue, and the markings along the trail are also blue. This trail is not a loop, but it dead ends at the back of the state park campground. You can also begin the trail from the campground, but the campground is gated, meaning you can only enter the campground if you have paid for a site. You could park at the camp store just outside the gates, but it is a pretty good ways to the back of the campground where the Seales Trail is located.
This is where you pull off if you are driving north on Hwy. 227 toward Town Creek.
Ready to start running the Seales Trail. This was my 1st time running with my hydration pack.
The Seales Trail begins here, under the power line, ascending to the left of the bridge.
Like many of the trails at Lake Guntersville State Park, it is initially only marked with a small, beat-up sign that just says “Hiking Trail.” This is why it is good to have a trail map to make sure you are getting on the right trail.
The Seales Trail is more properly marked just a little ways up from the “Hiking Trail” sign, but this sign is not visible until you are already on the trail.
Another thing I have noticed is that many of the trail names at Lake Guntersville State Park have different spellings in different locations. The Seales trail is spelled “Seals” on the trail map. On the state park website is is spelled “Seale’s,” which is the official and correct name of the trail as explained on the website…
This trail is named for Rex and Ruth Seale, a couple who have worked hard hours building our extensive trail system and who have continued to mark and maintain trails through the years. They were awarded a Certificate of Merit from Alabama’s Governor in 1990.
CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE SEALES TRAIL ON THE NEXT PAGE