Alabama’s Coastal Connection Scenic Byway serves as a door to enjoying wildlife and exploring the wonders of nature. Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, located in Fairhope, is one of the byway’s many opportunities to learn about protected habitats.
Weeks Bay Reserve is a public and research facility that was founded in 1986. The reserve is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System.
Weeks Bay comprises 9,317 acres consisting of hardwood forests, salt and freshwater marshes, submerged aquatic vegetation and bog habitats.
To learn about coastal habitats, the Visitor Center provides exhibits, live animal displays, collections of animals and local plants, and self or guided nature tours through the trails.
The Resource Center is open for communal needs such as meetings, community workshops and scheduled public events.
Visitors are welcome to use the outside area of the Resource Center, which includes decks, pavilions with picnic tables and a fishing pier, during the daylight hours. (Buildings are off limits unless attending a scheduled event.)
For more information about Weeks Bay Reserve, check out their mission and activities.