Palisades Park

In Blount County, Alabama, along with the Covered Bridges Trail there is a beautiful little park nestled on top of Ebell mountain in the Southern Appalachians. If you’re visiting some of the other sights in the area, this is the perfect place to stop a picnic lunch and to enjoy the sights. We had some time while travelling up to a wedding venue near Albertville from Tuscaloosa for the weekend, and it was the perfect mid-way stop.

One of the features of this park that really stood out to us is the wide range of recreational activities that were available. There was a small network of trails that took you under some really fantastic cliff overhangs and sculptures, as well as other trails that just took us through some brightly colored trees, losing their leaves and preparing for winter. There are many cliffsides, great for climbing, and we eve saw some people climbing while we were there. There are roughly 60 routes available, and range from 5.4 up to 5.12. It is also important to note that there is no sport climbing at Palisades, and no bolts are allowed. All in all, we are already planning to go back with our climbing gear and give a few of the routes a go.

The park has a few trails, rock climbing, plenty of picnic tables, swings, and playgrounds. It’s the ideal spot for a family to relax while kids are safely able to get their energy out. All of the amenities in the park, specifically the bathrooms, were very well maintained.

There are some older buildings on the campus as well as several older cabins that you are able to rent for special occasions and to camp in. There is also a 100ft fire tower that you are able to climb to the top of and really be able to take in the surrounding sights. Climbing to the top of the tower is incredibly rewarding and offers a gorgeous panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and area. The office requires permits for this experience, but they are free.

In the winter, they will even cover the park with lights and offer a drive through light exhibit. Being up in the mountains, they will even occasionally get blessed with some snow. We are planning on driving through in December once the light show is open to help put us in the holiday spirit.

Overall, Palisades Park was a pleasant surprise for a small park that we had stumbled upon during our explorations. We really enjoyed going to the top of the fire tower and taking in the views, and just walking around the mountain. Check out our video below to see some of the sights and things we did while we were visiting the park!