Second Pass (Re-exploring Montgomery, AL)

Our route south this year brought us back through Montgomery, AL so we decided to spend two weeks in the area this time. Montgomery was one of my favorite stops last year because of its historical significance, especially for the Civil Rights Movement in 1965.  Both Tim and I are history buffs so we like touring historical sites and museums.  Since we are avoiding indoor activities this year, I knew we would not want to visit the museums again but felt we could still find enough to do outside.

River view from campground

I read about Gunter Hill Campground in a few RV travel blogs that I follow and wanted to stay there last year but it was fully booked. This campground is run by the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) which is a plus for us since Tim gets 50% off with his Access Pass from the National Park Service. We haven’t stayed in any COE parks for quite a few years but remembered that we typically had good experiences at them. The COE builds and manages dams so their campgrounds are always on water and typically in beautiful natural settings.  This one is situated on the Bob Woodruff Lake which stretches along 80 miles of the Alabama River. It feels like we are beside a river instead of a lake. I believe we are on the Catoma branch off of the Alabama River. I haven’t seen the dam so I guess it isn’t close to us. When I checked out online reviews, most said Gunter Hill was their favorite COE campground.  Luckily this time I booked two months in advance and was able to get two weeks.

View from the observation deck

Gunter Hill has definitely lived up to its reputation. It is a beautiful campground with large wooded sites many which offer water views. Our site is long and level with our back and side windows facing the woods.  It is so nice to look out and not be staring at another RV. A large gravel patio area with a picnic table, fire ring and grill are outside our front door. This definitely is the largest site that we have had at any campground. Even though the campground has been mostly full during our stay, it is quiet and peaceful. 

Our long back in site

The gravel patio was surrounded by woods and very private

While Gulf Shores State Park is still my favorite place for walking, this place is a close second. It doesn’t have as many trails to walk but the campground roads offer water and wooded views as you walk. The viewing platform at the end of the road overlooks the water and I can’t resist stopping to watch the birds for a while on every walk. I have seen many birds, mostly egrets, and once a hawk dove for a fish right in front of me.  I enjoyed watching him fly off with his breakfast.   The roads are paved so a good place to ride my bike. Overall, I have to say this is a wonderful place to stay and I highly recommend it. 

This nature trail went behind our site so it was a great place to start out on our daily walks.

Although we spent most of our time just enjoying the campground, we managed to visit a few tourist attractions. Our first visit was to Selma, AL. The campground isn’t far from US 80, the route taken by the Civil Rights marchers from Selma to Montgomery to protest for the right to vote. Our first stop in Selma was at the Civil Rights Memorial Park which sits at the end of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.  After reading the memorials, we walked across the bridge to experience it ourselves. Traffic is a bit too close to the sidewalk for comfort but I am glad we walked the bridge. You get a good view of Selma from the bridge and it is surprisingly a small town; at least to me it was, when you think of the impact it and it’s citizens had on US history in the 1960’s. We then drove into town and stopped at Brown Chapel AME Church, and then went to the Interpretive center run by the National Parks Service. 

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This was a small park with quite a few memorials

A close up of some of the memorials

This mural was on the side of a gift shop beside the park

Brown Chapel AME Church

I liked this memorial in front of the church

While the bookstore and gift shop were open, due to COVID, the interpretive center was closed which was disappointing.  Even though it was indoors, we wanted to tour it.  The ranger provide us with a pamphlet that describes all of the events that occurred in March, 1965 and the following few years so we could read about all that occurred there. He also recommended a local barbecue restaurant for takeout lunch and a few places to stop along the historic drive back to Montgomery. One thing that struck me as we drove through town to the restaurant was how poor the area appeared. Even though many victories were won over the struggles to gain freedom and voting rights, the lives of many in the area has not improved economically over the past 55 years. 

We found the history of Tent City very interesting. It is one of the stops along the march route to Montgomery.

The Montgomery Zoo was recommended by some fellow RVers that we met last year, so we decided to check it out this year.  It was a typical zoo and while I enjoyed our visit since I like to see the animals, it wasn’t anything to rave about.  A few of the displays were closed for remodeling which was a little disappointing. There is one area of the zoo that is situated along the river with some nice views of natural habitats. I also like the nature museum and was happy we went in to see it. Masks were required in the museum and there was only one other person inside so we were very comfortable. There is so much to see and do in  Montgomery that I would put the zoo lower on the list unless you really love zoos. 

When I took this shot these birds were standing so still that I wondered if they were statues. Then they moved which startled me.

The birds were definitely entertaining me. This one decided to photo bomb the picture of the giraffes.

My favorite spot in the zoo - a walk along the river and seeing this Egret in its natural habitat.

We were very moved last year by The National Memorial for Peace and Justice so we decided to visit it again.  We both thought during these trying times, it warranted another visit. Reading the stories of many of the lynching victims and reading the many names inscribed is overwhelmingly sad. It is a good place to visit and reflect on the legacy of racial terror in America’s history, especially this year. We found ourselves praying for peace and unity for our nation as we walked through this sacred space.  

This statue really impacted me. you can just feel their emotions and the terror of being forced into slavery.

These large plaques list names of lynching victims by county and state. Some only have one name and others have many names.

Do you feel their despair?

This plaque summarizes the feelings that perpetuated our visit. Even though the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s brought many improvements, much more needs to be done to assure freedom and equal justice for all. Please join us in praying for healing, unity and peace.