A young girl runs along a smooth path, laughing and hiding behind tall bamboo stalks growing on both sides. Her mother calls after her daughter, imploring her to stay on the trail. The girl giggles as her crimson shirt, emblazoned with an elephant and the Alabama logo, peeks out between branches of bright green bamboo leaves in the Wilderness Park.
Though it may look like central Asia, this bamboo forest is actually less than two hours from Tuscaloosa. It is located at 800 Upper Kingston Road inside the 25-acre Prattville Wilderness Park. Visitors drive past downtown Prattville and several suburbs then park their cars in a small gravel lot directly off the highway. Alabamians and out-of-state visitors alike can walk through an unassuming iron archway to enter the park, which initially seems no different than any other woodland area in Alabama. Just past the first turn in the gravel path, bamboo stalks appear, growing on either side of the trail and stretching up to 60 feet above the path. Multi-colored stalks reach across to create a canopy that filters the sunlight through the thick sections of bamboo leaves, keeping the trail cool and shady.
The trail through the park is only half a mile long. It gently slopes down and around a small pond in the center. A wooden bridge connects the path on the opposite side of the pond, and several small offshoots offer more areas to explore. A small stream runs along the back of the area, providing a quiet bubbling soundtrack as visitors stroll and gaze up at the massive timber bamboo around them.
The park has plenty of natural variety, boasting four types of timber bamboo and over 16 other types of trees and plants, including one of the largest beech trees in Alabama. Each section of the park features differently colored bamboo stalks: grayish brown near the park’s entrance, bright yellow by the stream and classic green surrounding the pond.
The park is particularly popular among families, as the easy trails and unique scenery can be a fun and manageable activity for children of all ages. Additionally, the area is usually quiet and relatively empty in the afternoon, making it a good spot for a unique, easy date. Photographers also regularly visit the site to take advantage of the exceptional opportunities it provides.
The bulletin at the Park’s entrance details the history of the forest, which began in 1940 with Floyd Smith, a lover of exotic plants who planted the first bamboo shoots here when he owned the area.
The Park passed through many hands over the years, including the United States Air Force Survival Program during the Vietnam War, which used the area for troop survival training due to the similarities between the climate and environment of the bamboo forest and Vietnam. It is now owned by the City of Prattville, which designated the land as a wilderness park in order to protect the now extensive bamboo growth. The park is open from dawn to dusk each day and is free for all.
The park is breathtaking but also relatively small. Though visitors can spend as much time as they like, most finish exploring in a few hours or less. Luckily, nearby historic downtown Prattville offers several ways to spend an afternoon once the park’s activities have been exhausted.
Downtown Prattville features a picturesque Main Street that runs parallel to Autauga Creek, a small river with a dam that runs daily, creating waterfalls that can be seen from downtown. Spectators can also stop and look at a large old cotton mill located across the creek. A wide landscaped alleyway leads to the river walk, where visitors can stroll along the river’s edge or relax on a raised patio overlooking the entire area. A thin metal fence surrounds this patio, and on the bars are dozens of padlocks. These are all locks left by pairs of lovers, inscribed with a date, the two names and occasionally a heart or short quotation.
Main Street has several shops and restaurants, including among others a pizza place, a salon, a boutique and a seasonal “holiday shoppe.” The colorful storefronts and families walking on the sidewalks give the street an appealing small-town charm. The entire area is easy to navigate on foot, so it is a great option for anyone who wants to spend a few more leisurely hours in Prattville.
