Discover Anniston

Anniston brings together nature trails, exhibits, historic sites, and a seasonal farmers market. When planning, it helps to keep the themes and schedules distinct: some trails explore different nature topics, while the depot and the market each have their own hours.

Trails, Water, and Nature

The Mrs. Eugenia G. Brannon Trail is three-quarters of a mile long and has two main loops. The one-third-mile loop of the Longleaf Nature Trail features native tree species and the growth stages of the namesake longleaf pine. The two trails differ in both length and layout, as well as in their nature themes.

Native birds of prey live year-round along the Bird of Prey Trail at the Anniston Museum of Natural History. Anniston Museums and Gardens also serves as a Gateway site for the Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail. Birding enthusiasts will find two distinct connections here: the trail and its birds of prey, and the Gateway site for the regionally named birding trail.

McClellan in Anniston has miles of multipurpose mountain trails for biking and hiking. Fishing and paddling are possible at Lake Yahou. The Chief Ladiga Trail connects Anniston’s Multimodal Amtrak Station with the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia. The extension in Anniston brings the trail to a total length of about 39.5 miles. This means there are short nature trails alongside multipurpose routes and a long trail connection.

History and Exhibits

The Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot is open to the public Tuesday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It offers rotating exhibits, brochures, and NPS passport stamping. The hours were last updated on June 12, 2025; check them before your visit. The former Greyhound bus depot is part of the Freedom Riders National Monument; it was the site where segregationists attacked a bus carrying the Freedom Riders.

The West 15th Street Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. During its heyday from 1940 to 1950, it was the economic and social center of Anniston’s African American community. The district was described as a “city within a city”; its businesses served that community.

The exhibits at Anniston Museums and Gardens have different focuses: “Alabama: Sand to Cedars” features a 350-gallon freshwater aquarium and a 250-gallon saltwater aquarium. “Dynamic Earth” displays life-size casts of dinosaurs and aquatic reptiles. “Ancient Egypt” presents 2,300-year-old Ptolemaic mummies from the Greek era. The exhibit themes thus range from natural history and aquariums to ancient finds.

The Downtown Market Through the Seasons

The Downtown Market is an Alabama-certified farmers market serving the people of Calhoun County and the surrounding counties. Vendors sell products they grow or make on their farms, on leased land, or at home. The 2026 seasonal schedule calls for the market to run every Saturday from May through September and on selected Thursdays in October and November; exact dates may change. If the market is part of your plans, time your visit to coincide with the specific market days.

Discover more destinations: Jacksonville, Oxford.

Go to the main travel overview: Calhoun County.