Outdoor Adventure Awaits in Tuscaloosa County

Don’t get caught in the summer doldrums. The long days of summer beg you to come out and play, and the sites of Tuscaloosa and surrounding county offer all you need to make the most of them. 

Need a little inspiration? Keep reading and check out our Instagram guide for more ideas! When you post that selfie from your own adventure, let us know with #VisitTCL. 

Make a Splash

The lakes of Tuscaloosa County offer hundreds of acres of water to swim, paddle, fish, tube and race around. Lake Tuscaloosa offers all the excitement of open water for wakeboarding, jet skiing and tubing to beat the midday heat. 

Lake Harris offers a popular swimming hole with a chute to ride below the dam for a little extra excitement, and while motorized boats are allowed on Lake Nicol, it’s the most popular spot around for kayaks, SUPs and canoes. 

If you prefer streams to lakes, Hurricane Creek Park has plenty of shallow wading and rope swings at nearly every swimming hole. It’s also a great place for a kayak as you wind your way to the Black Warrior River. 

Drop a Line

While the midday belongs to the thrill seekers on Lake Tuscaloosa, the quiet of morning and evening goes to the anglers. There are plenty of bass to be had for the taking along the shaded shores as you quietly drift with the waters. 

The Black Warrior River offers plenty of large species, including gar, bass, crappie and catfish, that can easily be found below the dams for fishing closer to town. But if you want to see the most diversity that the Black Warrior has to offer nearby, the Blue Creek Public Use Area holds the beauty of quiet marshes, a deep stream’s delta and the wide open access of the river — perfect for kayak fishing or a motorized boat. 

Take a Hike

Together, all of these waterways offer more than 300 miles of shorelines to be explored and trails winding around most. Within the city limits of Tuscaloosa and Northport, river walks hug both the north and south banks of the Black Warrior with benches, playgrounds and picnic tables along their pathways. 

Lake Lurleen State Park has the most comprehensive trail system nearby with trails set for hiking, running and mountain biking. Sokol Park has a run of trails for feet, bike tires and horse hooves that wind the ravine and skirt the park within city limits. However, if you need a purpose to your hike, Bowers Park has an intense disc golf course to leave you feeling challenged among the trees. 

We’re just scratching the surface of the many ways you can find yourself enjoying the outdoors while in and around Tuscaloosa. Enjoy the adventure ahead!

Thank you to our partners at Westgate Luxury Condominiums for sponsoring this content!