Village Point Preserve

Some of the history is unseen. Evidence of its presence long ago vanished from the countryside. For example, treading through this land you will be tracing the footsteps of the Union army during the Civil War as they landed and camped along Yancey Creek before moving up Mobile's eastern shore to Spanish Fort and Blakeley (see "Redoubt Trail") where they engaged the Confederate Army in the last major battle of the war.

Other bits of the area's history are hard to miss, such as one of the highlights of the trip, Jackson Oak, that towers over the park and is draped in majestic and flowing Spanish moss. It was in the boughs of this massive tree in 1812 that General Andrew Jackson gave a rallying speech to his troops before moving out for the famous Battle of New Orleans. Today a boardwalk leads visitors around and up to the tree. A kiosk here features an audio recording that recounts the story of this famous tree.

Nature forms a wonderful backdrop throughout the trip which eventually makes its way to Alligator Lagoon. Here you will walk on a boardwalk through beautiful wetlands with Mobile Bay glistening alongside. While not a certainty, there is a chance you may glimpse an American alligator or two swimming or sunning themselves. Remember that while alligators are not a natural enemy of mankind and would rather run than fight, attempting to feed or taunt them changes the rules. Keep your distance if you encounter one!

Soon you will arrive on the beaches of historic Mobile Bay, famous for the naval battle during the Civil War in which Admiral Farragut uttered those now famous words, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" Large egrets and the once endangered brown pelican will be seen swooping into the wetlands and the bay in a quest for their daily meal, with the Mobile skyline towering on the horizon.