Monte Sano, Spanish for “Mountain of Health,” rises more than 1,600 feet above sea level. The mountain has attracted visitors since the mid 1820’s with the establishment of the town of Viduta, a derivative of the Spanish word “Vida,” meaning life. Viduta was home to a sanatorium and a hotel resort, Hotel Monte Sano, which opened its doors in 1887 and closed in the early 1900s due to a declining economy. Located in the center of Huntsville, 2,500 natural acres provide 14 vacation cottages, camping, picnic areas and pavilions, hiking and biking trails, playgrounds and flower gardens.