Local nature preserve popular with hikers
By Staff
Melissa Cason
There is a place just a few miles up the road where nature is untouched; a place that attracts researchers from across the nation, and hikers to enjoy nature's beauty. And, that place is Cane Creek Canyon Preserve, located on the edge of Franklin and Colbert County.
Dr. Jim Lacefield and his wife, Faye, began protecting a piece of property near their home many years, and today, that protected land is home to unique species of plants.
Lacefield was a guest of the Russellville Rotary Club Monday afternoon.
Lacefield was a geology professor at UNA, but has retired. Now, he puts much of his time and effort in preserving nature's habitat at Cane Creek.
"Cane Creek looks very different from other areas in Colbert County, and that's because the canyon protected it from development," Lacefield said. "While we try to make the area more accessible so that visitors can enjoy the natural area, we also work to protect it to keep it in its natural state until it can be studied more closely."
Lacefield said the preserve has different rock formations, and scenic landscapes similar to those in the Bankhead Nataionl Forest with one big difference: looters have destroyed a lot of archological findings in the Bankhead by taking items from the forest.
"We have rock formations in Cane Creek Canyon that date back to 10,000 years ago," Lacefield said.
Cane Creek Canyon has 15 miles of hiking trails with maps to guide hikers along the way. Lacefield has added different bridges so that more of the canyon can be explored.
"It's a self-service kind of place," Lacefield said. "We have maps to tell the history of the canyon, and to guide hikers."
Lacefield said the canyon is has visitors all through the year in every season, and each season brings about a different view from various places in the preserve.
"If you come at different times of the year, you'll see the canyon looks different during the different seasons," Lacefield said.
In addition to having many student groups and hikers visit the preserve, several shows for Animal Planet were filmed on the preserve, and the movie, " When I find the Ocean," starring Lee Majors was filmed on the preserve.
