Looking for a quiet, riverside walk through the woods to enjoy nature and clear your head? Does one named Peaceful Easy Feeling sound just about right? While I am resisting the urge to slip into music references and just focus on the mood, this little-known hiking path near Helena, Alabama headlines the bill.
The Peaceful Easy Feeling and Lost Lake Loop is part of the network of trails at Shelby County's Cahaba River Park, which opened in 2019.
This three-mile loop is an easy route open to hikers and mountain bikers and takes an hour or less to complete.
While it is open to people on or off bikes, it's popular with mountain bikers, so stay aware as you pause to take in the pretty nature scenes. It's lush in the spring and summer and offers lots of colorful leaf peeping making way for better river views in late fall.
The trail meanders alongside the Cahaba River, which is one of the most biodiverse waterways in the world. Its headwaters are located northeast of Birmingham, from which it flows 194 miles to reach the Alabama River southwest of Selma.
The loop portion circles Lost Lake, where you should absolutely stop and admire the birds and other wildlife, reflect on the still water, and just breathe in the fresh air.
While leashed dogs are welcome, again stay aware of mountain bikers, as it is a single-track trail.
While people in the know definitely go, this park and its trails are less crowded than others because they are still relatively new, especially compared to others in the Birmingham metro area. I think this would make a perfect adventure before or after stopping in The Depot Deli and Grill, which is about 15 miles northeast of the park. You can find more images and trail user reviews on the Peaceful Easy Feeling and Lost Lake Loop entry on AllTrails.
Let us know if you've experienced the peaceful easy feeling of this little-known hiking path in Alabama. We'd love to hear your take and tips.
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