Geneva County: Rivers, Forest and Trails

When planning a trip to Geneva County, you can focus on Geneva’s forest, water and trails in different ways.

Longleaf Pine Forest and Wildlife Watching

Geneva State Forest is Alabama’s largest state forest and covers 7,200 acres. It consists mostly of longleaf pine forest. The mature, open longleaf pine forest north of Geneva County Public Fishing Lake is considered a good place to watch Bachman’s Sparrows, Common Ground Doves, Field Sparrows, Pine Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats and Eastern Towhees. Public hunting for big and small game is permitted in the Geneva State Forest Wildlife Management Area; hunting regulations apply.

Bald eagles are occasionally spotted at Geneva County Public Fishing Lake. An unpaved road circles the lake and also serves as a walking trail. Road conditions may change, so check them before your visit.

River Scenery and a Park in Geneva

The Choctawhatchee River in Geneva County offers fishing opportunities. Scenic cypress swamps and trees draped in Spanish moss characterize the river landscape.

Robert Fowler Memorial Park is located in Geneva at the confluence of the Choctawhatchee River and the Pea River. The park has a public boat launch and a canoe ramp. It also has a pier, a pond, RV sites, a playground, restrooms and showers, a pavilion for meals, a cook shack and picnic tables.

Trails and Getting Around Geneva

Geneva’s 0.5-mile walking trail starts at the former L&N depot on S. Greenwood Street. It follows the disused railway line to Robert Fowler Memorial Park and has a compacted gravel surface. One section of the trail leads to the park’s campsites.

A 0.25-mile section of the Geneva levee is paved and lit for walking. It starts behind the County Courthouse on Borland Street and connects to the walking trail. At half the length of the 0.5-mile walking trail, the levee section offers a shorter route option.

For directions as you approach the city: State Route 52 reaches Geneva from the east.

History and Hotel Planning

In the early 1820s, Henry A. Yonge founded Geneva as a trading post at the confluence of two rivers. In the early days of river traffic, log rafts were used first. Later, steamboats built in Geneva operated regularly there.

If you’re looking for a hotel in Geneva County, base your choice on your planned activities: trails and the park in Geneva, birdwatching at the lake, or river scenery and fishing on the Choctawhatchee River. For a specific listing, check its stated location and amenities, and choose which destinations fit your stay.

Discover more destinations: Black, Colbert County, Marion County, St. Clair County, Autauga County, Jefferson, Marengo County, Lauderdale County.

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