Florence Area
The town of Florence is part of The Shoals Metro Area, a large urban area spread along the banks of the Tennessee River in the northwest corner of Alabama. Florence was named by an Italian surveyor, who decided that the name should be after the city of Florence in Italy. The town is an important point on the Tennessee River, which was dammed as Picwick Lake and Wilson Lake here.
The primary area for hiking and other outdoor recreation near Florence is William B. Bankhead National Forest, formerly named Black Warrior National Forest. It is located south of Florence near Russellville and Double Springs. The forest is one of four in Alabama ,and it covers the southwestern-most section of the Cumberland Plateau in Alabama. The forest is home to Alabama's only federally designated wild and scenic river: the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River. Much of the forest is the Sipsey Wilderness that protects the area around the Sipsey Fork. A well-constructed trail system allows access to dozens of waterfalls dripping down the walls of the gorges in the Sipsey Wilderness. A couple other areas, not as well-known, provide opportunities for hiking around Florence. The Dismals Canyon southwest of Russellville has some hiking trails. The Cane Creek Canyon Preserve near The Shoals has trails that lead into a deep canyon full of waterfalls and interesting rock formations. To the east of Florence, Joe Weheelr State Park is located on the banks of the Tennessee River. Lastly, Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge west of Florence protects a cave in a high hazard risk area.
The primary area for hiking and other outdoor recreation near Florence is William B. Bankhead National Forest, formerly named Black Warrior National Forest. It is located south of Florence near Russellville and Double Springs. The forest is one of four in Alabama ,and it covers the southwestern-most section of the Cumberland Plateau in Alabama. The forest is home to Alabama's only federally designated wild and scenic river: the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River. Much of the forest is the Sipsey Wilderness that protects the area around the Sipsey Fork. A well-constructed trail system allows access to dozens of waterfalls dripping down the walls of the gorges in the Sipsey Wilderness. A couple other areas, not as well-known, provide opportunities for hiking around Florence. The Dismals Canyon southwest of Russellville has some hiking trails. The Cane Creek Canyon Preserve near The Shoals has trails that lead into a deep canyon full of waterfalls and interesting rock formations. To the east of Florence, Joe Weheelr State Park is located on the banks of the Tennessee River. Lastly, Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge west of Florence protects a cave in a high hazard risk area.