Alabama Locations Guide

I am no geography guru, but I do really love to travel. This is an overview of locations in Alabama. When I know that I am going to be traveling to a specific destination, that’s usually when I begin my research to find the best places to visit there. There are state parks, non-state parks, nature preserves, national forests, gardens, trails, waterfalls, landmarks, & unique locations all over the state of Alabama. Aside from looking at amazing places to visit, it’s also important to look at health & travel advisories, note hours, and have proper permits/documentation, etc. - before planning a visit to any of these locations. Preparation matters, friend! May this page stir your curiosity & your soul to go to new places.

Please note there are locations that I may have missed or that were not included.
I did my best to give a compilation of all that I could find!

XO, Dakota

Before you start scrolling, start here.

While the source below is tailored to those eloping,
it can be used to determine what location you’d like to use for a session too!

How to Pick an Epic Location

Birmingham

I’ve been all over Birmingham & love to hand-pick + scout spots for my clients that perfectly fit them & their vibe. Some of the locations listed below are generalized, but have multiple spots within those locations. Most of my clients like to meet up at a safe location & either ride together or follow behind. We can explore & stop at spots as we go.

This information is exclusive to my clients only. The more known a location becomes, the more traffic that it sees. I really want to offer my clients privacy so that they can focus on their time together, which helps to yield a more intimate & meaningful experience.

Downtown & Nearby

Alabama Theatre
Avondale
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Birmingham Museum of Art
Crest Road South overlook
Elyton Hotel
Federal Building US Courthouse
Forest Park
Highland Park
Historic District
Jefferson County Courthouse
Linn-Henley Research Libary
Linn Park
Lyric Theatre
Morris Avenue
Pepper Place Entertainment District
Pizitz Parking Garage
Railroad Park
Redmont Hotel
Rotary Trail
Shoppe
Southside Baptist Church
Tutwiler Hotel

bridges that connect the north to the south side of Birmingham (please ask me about)
white wall (please ask me about)
white wall with ivy (please ask me about)
alley behind Collins Bar (please ask me about)
alley behind Alabama theatre (ask me about)
alley across from Alabama theatre (ask me about)
alley on 19th across from McWane center
alley behind Pizitz (ask me about)
street close to City Federal (ask me about)
old building strip on 1st avenue (ask me about)
overpasses (ask me about)
parking deck (ask me about)

note: Birmingham can be tricky for finding public parking decks for shoots.

Don’t forget some of the local coffee shops, eateries, & stores you frequent could make for beautiful photos too!

Outside of the City

Aldridge Gardens
Altadena Valley Park
Cahaba River Walk Park
Chace Lake Park
Downtown Mountain Brook
Dunnavant Valley Greenway
English Village
Hillsboro Trail
Homewood Forest Preserve
Hoover East Sports Complex Trail
Irondale Furnace Trail
Jemison Park Nature Trail
Lover’s Leap
McCallum Park
Moss Rock Preserve
Oak Mountain State Park
Old Slab at Cahaba River
Red Mountain Park
Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve
Sanford University
Shades Valley Greenway
Sicard Hollow Sports Complex Trail
Tannehill State Park
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve
Vulcan Trail

spot by Cahaba River off of HWY 280 (please ask me about)
field in Sterrett, AL (please ask me about)
hilly fields in Helena, AL (please ask me about)
spots along HWY 78 (please ask me about)

My Favorite Alabama Locations

Bankhead National Forest
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Cheaha State Park
Cherokee Rock Village
Dismal Canyon National Natural Landmark
Hoover East Sports Complex Trail
Hurricane Creek Park (Falkville, AL)
Lake Nicol Cliffs Trail
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Moss Rock Nature Preserve
Natural Bridge Park
Noccalula Falls Park
Oak Mountain State Park
Palisades Park
Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve
Shoal Creek Park
Sicard Hollow Sports Complex Trail
Weathington Park

spot by Cahaba River off of HWY 280 (please ask me about)
field in Sterrett, AL (please ask me about)
hilly fields in Helena, AL (please ask me about)

Alabama | National Forests

Bankhead National Forest
Conecuh National Forest
Talledega National Forest
Tuskeegee National Forest

Alabama | State Forests

Choccolocco State Forest
Geneva State Forest
Little River State Forest
Weogufka State Forest

Alabama | State Parks

Bladon Springs State Park
Blue Springs State Park
Bucks Pocket State Park
Cathedral Cabins State Park
Cheaha State Park
Chewacla State Park
Chickasaw State Park
Desoto State Park
Frank Jackson State Park
Gulf State Park
History Blakeley State Park
Joe Wheeler State Park
Lake Guntersville State Park
Lake Lurleen State Park
Lakepoint State Park
Meaher State Park
Monte Sano State Park
Oak Mountain State Park
Paul Grist State Park
Rickwood Caverns State Park
Roland Cooper State Park
Tannehill State Park
Windcreek State Park

Alabama | Non-State Parks

Black Creek Park
Flora Johnston Nature Park
Hurricane Creek Park
Natural Bridge Park
Noccalula Falls Park
Palisades Park
Red Mountain Park
Shoal Creek Park
Wilderness Park

Alabama | Preserves, Refuges, & Land Trusts

Bethel Spring Nature Preserve
Blevins Gap Nature Preserve
Bradford Creek Greenway
Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve
Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve
Graham Creek Nature Preserve
Green Mountain Nature Preserve
Harvest Square Nature Preserve
Hays Nature Preserve
Keel Mountain Preserve
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve
Monte Sano Nature Preserve
Moss Rock Nature Preserve
Rainbow Mountain Nature Preserve
Roy B. Whitaker Paint Rock River Preserve
Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve
Village Point Park Preserve
Wade Mountain Nature Preserve
Walls of Jericho
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

Alabama | Gardens, Orchards, & Flower Fields

Aldridge Gardens
Autaugaville Sunflower Field
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Scott’s Orchard

Alabama | Trails

Beaver Damn Nature Trail
Black Creek Walking Trail
Blue Ridge Nature Trail
Dunnavant Valley Greenway Trail
Madison County Nature Trail
Rock Springs Nature Trail

Alabama | Waterfalls

Bains Gap Waterfall
Caney Creek Falls
Upper Caney Creek Falls
Cheaha Falls
Coldwater Falls
Desoto Falls
Devil’s Den Falls
Falling Rock Falls
Grace’s High Falls in Fort Payne
High Falls in Grove Oak
High Falls in Lineville
High Falls & Tunnel Falls at Moss Rock
Kinlock Falls
Little River Falls
Lost Sink Falls
Noccalula Falls
Peavine Falls
Pisgah Gorge Falls
Rainbow Falls of Dismal Canyon
Salt Creek Falls
Sougahoagdee Falls
Thompson Falls
Turkey Foot Falls
Welti Falls
Yellow Creek Falls

Alabama | Natural Landmarks & Monuments

Dismal Canyon National Natural Landmark
Natural Bridge of Alabama
Neversink Pit
Russell Cave National Monument
Stephen’s Gap Cave

Alabama | Miscellaneous Locations

Camp Sumatanga
Camp Winnataska
Cherokee Rock Village
Horse Pens 40 Loop
Lake Nicol Cliffs Trail
Weathington Park

Alabama | Farms, Flower Farms, & Flower Fields