This 58-acre preserve includes nearly 1.7 miles of trails that wind through a wetland area.
Most of Huntsville’s hiking areas are on the eastern side of the city. But in the summer of 2020, the city of Huntsville opened its first nature preserve on the west end of town. The Dallas W. Fanning Nature Preserve is located south of I-565, just east of Wall Triana Boulevard, on Old Jim Williams Road. The 58-acre preserve includes nearly 1.7 miles of trails that wind through a low-lying wetland area.
The trails in the preserve are flat and primarily made of gravel covered in soft mulch, which provides a comfortable surface for walking, trail running and biking. People on the west side of town venture here to get exercise and enjoy a peaceful escape from the city. Plus, many people bring their young children here to take advantage of the stroller-friendly paths.
Many of the trails explore dense, shaded woods, but low brush occupies the heart of the preserve. This creates a broad area with open sky, and ample sunlight washes over the wide trails bordered by clusters of wildflowers. At the northern end of the preserve, a large grassy area dotted with trees provides a comfortable spot to relax in the shade or catch a few rays.
Before the preserve opened, builders harvested topsoil from this land and used it as a dumpsite for construction waste. It’s commendable that the preserve’s namesake, Dallas W. Fanning, led the effort to rehabilitate and preserve this plot of land. When Fanning was development director for the city of Huntsville, he championed the town’s western expansion. With Huntsville’s explosive growth, he recognized the importance of creating green spaces to provide a respite from the urban sprawl. As City Administrator John Hamilton said, this space not only preserves a slice of the local environment but also provides residents with a “sanctuary space to connect with nature.”
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