Clarke County: Rivers, Wetlands, and History

The Tombigbee River runs along the western edge of Clarke County, and the Alabama River along the eastern edge. U.S. 43, running north to south, and U.S. 84, running east to west, are the county’s main transportation routes. This orientation helps you understand the region’s different river and landscape areas.

Explore River Landscapes and Nature

Several landscape features converge at Old Lock 1 Park: an old pecan grove, a hardwood swamp, and an old river bend, along with cottonwoods, willows, and smaller cypress trees. The main channel of the Tombigbee is accessible year-round from the park’s boat launch. Since water access conditions can change, check them before setting out.

Paddling options also vary by season and destination. From Parker Lake, you can reach Kimbell Lake and other smaller lakes by canoe or kayak in winter, spring, and early summer; water levels can change. At Kimbell Lake, the trees in the RV park offer opportunities for birdwatching, while tupelo and bald cypress swamps surround the lake. Parker Lake itself is lined with dense tupelo and bald cypress forest and also offers opportunities for birdwatching.

Another paddling trip can begin at Silver Creek Park: from there, a 2.4-mile route leads to Claiborne Lake Dam Site East. Water conditions can also change on this trip, so check them before setting out.

At Claiborne Lake Dam Site West Park, the sandbars below the spillway attract shorebirds year-round. In spring, and especially in fall, they serve as a stopover for migratory birds. The edges of the adjacent mixed pine and hardwood forest are used for birdwatching. The park has restrooms, accessible access, parking, camping facilities, picnic areas, hiking trails, gravel or dirt paths, picnic tables, and an observation platform. Check information about the facilities before your trip.

At the Darrell Overstreet Nature Boardwalk, a wooden walkway passes through local wetlands and wooded areas. The walkway makes it possible to explore them; the site is also suitable for walking, photography, and outdoor educational activities. Pearce Memorial Park has picnic areas with pavilions, a bathhouse with showers, and designated walking paths. The Fred T. Simpson Wildlife Sanctuary is a 5,500-acre protected area near Jackson where hunting is prohibited.

Places and Stories from Clarke County

In Grove Hill, the Clarke County Historical Museum is located on the grounds of the historic Alston-Cobb House. The Creagh Law Office, built by Judge John Gates Creagh in 1834, is also on the museum grounds. Demonstrations of syrup making are part of the annual Pioneer Day program. Dates and programming for the Forestry Festival, a recurring Clarke County event with food stalls, market stalls, and a lumberjack competition, can change. Check the information for the year of your visit before your trip.

The Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum traces Windham’s early childhood in Thomasville, her career as a journalist, and her rise to national recognition as a storyteller. Exhibits include the costume from her one-woman performance about Julia Tutwiler. The museum preserves Windham’s legacy as a journalist, photographer, and storyteller. Another way to explore the region’s history is the Kimbell House, a historic home built by Isham Kimbell around 1848.

Fort Sinquefield combines a historic site with tangible traces in the landscape: the park has interpretive panels, a stone monument, and a reconstructed section of the fort wall. A trail leads to the spring associated with the battle. Fort Sinquefield was attacked by Red Stick forces on September 2, 1813. In Grove Hill, the Alston-Cobb House, Bush House, John A. Coate House, Dickinson House, and Grove Hill Courthouse Square Historic District are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Jackson, Whatley, Grove Hill, Houston, Franklin County, Sumter County, Marion County, Jefferson.

Return to the main travel overview: Alabama.