The Best View In Alabama: Weathington Park Overlook

On a Friday in July, we were road tripping through the winding back hills of Alabama. After leaving the oh-so-popular DeSoto Falls and feeling accomplished, we headed towards our destination. (Shelbs parents live in Northern Alabama so getting in a quick hike on our road trip down from Kentucky is always our goal!) We came we saw and conquered our planned hike, but we didn’t expect to find one of Alabama’s best-kept secrets: Weathington Park.

Sitting at 1,300 feet is this tiny park in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. With a panoramic view of the Tennessee River Valley below, Weathington Park is a must-do detour on your next Southern road trip!

When you visit this park- make sure to give a special mental thanks to Scott and Patty Weathington for their donation of this land for public use! They have long loved this scenic stop at about 1,300 feet above the Tennessee River and Lake Guntersville. It was donated in 2012, and construction was complete with public restrooms and a walking path in 2017.

How To Find Weathington Park

Driving through the tiny town of Station near the Tennessee River, you’ll realize just how by accident it was that we found this place.

After stumbling upon this gem, we realized that many locals and casual passersby just don’t know it’s there. We look around for hidden gems everywhere we go and we’ve never heard of this place and neither had Shelb’s parents who live close.

Off of SR-35, overlooking the man-made Guntersville Lake sits this tiny park. On top of Sand Mountain, this 13-acre piece of land sneaks up on you while driving.

Weathington Park Address: 6230 Tammy Little Drive, Section, AL 35771

If you’re coming from the East after visiting DeSoto Falls or Little River Canyon National Preserve, you’ll drive about an hour through a peaceful scenic mountain drive along State Road 35.

If you’re coming from Huntsville, you’ll need to head East on Highway 72 for about 38 miles before taking a right on Veterans Drive/SR-35. You’ll then drive 6.6 miles before turning into the entrance to the park.

What To Bring With You

Whether you’re a casual day-tripper or you’ve come from miles around to visit this golden hour masterpiece, there are a few things we’d recommend bringing. (You’ll want to plan ahead because it’s about an hour out of the way from almost every major city and about 30 minutes from the nearest hiking attraction!)

If you’re wanting to sit and stay awhile – bring a few picnicking necessities and your camera to snap a photo! The sunsets at Weathington Park are incredible as the skies burst with colors over the river.

– picnic blanket ( we love this waterproof car-friendly blanket)

– camera {+ tripod if you want family pictures}

– water and snacks

– sunscreen

– sunglasses

There are tables, but when we stopped by they were in use by a couple of cute little older couples and families. You may not get a picnic table, but the views are epic no matter where you chose to sit. (For the best-uninhibited views – you’ll need to head towards the end of the walking path where a large tree grows out from the edge of the cliff.)

**The area around the tree is mostly gravel and some shattered glass. While this is the furthest you can walk – we wouldn’t recommend stopping for a picnic there. Setting back on the nearby grassy knolls would be much more pleasant!

Handicap Accessibility

The path itself is less than half a mile total, with benches along the path for taking a seat. There are less than 30 steps required total from the parking lot to see the panoramic views. If you’re considering taking an elderly parent or anyone in a wheelchair – this park is a great handicap-accessible excursion!!

The Best Time To Visit Weathington Park

The best time to visit Weathington Park is really any time for that spectacular view! Our personal favorite is at sunset, and in the fall. Alabama can be incredibly hot and muggy – so make sure you wear your sunscreen and take water! The sun sets directly opposite of Weathington Park so you’ll need to make sure you were your sunglasses to take it all in.

P.S. Small weddings are sometimes done at the park on Friday and Saturday- you may need to go on a weeknight to really have the place to yourself!

want to save this for later?

A few more Alabama posts:

• The Rattlesnake Saloon’s Restaurant In A Cave
• The Prettiest Lost Waterfall Outside of Huntsville

Make sure to subscribe to our blog, snag all of your road trip basics (below), get your travel insurance, and have fun jamming to a new playlist!

Until next time friends,

Thanks for sharing!