Drost Park aka "Dead Children's Playground"…read more I watched an episode of a paranormal show once and this location piqued my curiosity. I googled to see its location and we included it in our itinerary when we visited the South. The area is somewhat hidden and if you're not looking for it you won't be able to find it. We drove past an old cemetery to get to the area and the first thing we noticed is a covered section with picnic benches... like a picnic area. The playground area is in a little cove, not very deep, just slightly below, and there are steps to take you down. The locals call it Dead Children's Playground. There are rumors of the playground being home to spirits, dead children spirits. It's been investigated by many paranormal groups, from amateurs to pros. I can't remember the show I saw this episode from but if you search YouTube for "dead children's playground" you'll find other people's video clips and "investigations" posted on there. Supposedly, (from the paranormal show and internet stories) that in 1960's, a series of child disappearances cases were reported in Huntsville. With none of them turning up, it was suspected that an unknown person from the neighborhood killed the children. According to the local legend the spirits of children buried in the cemetery come out late at night to play on the playground. Swings move on their own, ghostly figures are seen on the equipment, and disembodied voices, laughter, and screams can be heard. They're especially very active between 10p to 3a which was well past most kids' bedtimes. Is it haunted?? The verdict: So far, I have not been able to document or find any proof that there is activity in the playground because none of the children came out to play with me. I'm sure Ryan M (San Antonio TX) can! Still fun to visit, though. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Happy "ghost" haunting! Review #1859

Dead Children's Playground is a small playground that is just east of the Maple Hill Cemetery and…read moreadjacent to the cemetery. It is a sparse array of playground equipment, mostly swings. If you park near section 40 of the cemetery, it is a short walk up a low-ish hill. I've read where the children's ghosts come out to play between 10 PM and 3 AM and that the ghosts were either ghosts of Huntsville children abducted in the 1960s or who died from influenza during the Huntsville flu epidemic of 1918 and are buried in Maple Hill Cemetery, right around where the playground is today. The ghosts of these children are said to come out and play on the equipment. Some people who have visited Dead Children's Playground have witnessed some very strange things, including swings moving on their own, and many also reported hearing the sounds of laughter and children calling out. Some people have discovered orbs of light in their Dead Children's Playground photos after having them developed. I'm not a paranormal fan and this playground is, as my sister would say, a "nothing burger" in my opinion. I've been to this playground in the daylight, since the cemetery closes at dusk, and I never saw the swings swinging themselves, or heard children's voices and laughter. If you are a paranormal fan or an expert in paranormal, this playground may be interesting to you. For me, it is a "been there a couple of times and don't need to return" place. The times I went to this playground, there were no living children playing on the small playground and no paranormal activity.

This is a really nice park and the sportsplex of which this playground is a part, is very nice,…read moretoo! One of our grands had her 4th b'day party at the pavilion at AKP yesterday. The park features: "1 Pavilion, Slides, Swings including a wheel chair swing (how cool is that?!?!), Climbing Pole, Xylophone, drums, Merry go all, Expression Swings." I was really impressed by the playground area! So cool to have wheel chair accessible playground equipment! There is the covered pavilion and other tent-like (my words) covered picnic table areas (meaning heavy duty overhead coverings, not side coverings) for ample shade and lots of shade providing trees, with unprotected picnic tables, too. There's a nice looking (from the outside, since I don't go in) restroom (not porta potties thank the Lord!), plenty of trash cans and recycle cans, and ample parking. It appeared to have plenty of lighting, too. The children had a BLAST! Why no 5th star? There were wasp/hornets nests in the pavilion ceiling and the playground proper had some undesirable trash in it (don't ask). I think the pavilion rents for $30 a day for a limited, fairly expansive series of months, making it a great value for something like a kids party. Someone mentioned they have electric outlets in the pavilion to plug in fans, cell chargers, etc., but I didn't notice any. A very surprisingly nice park (as is Sportsplex) in Athens. Be sure to bring your own waters/gatorades as I didn't see any snack or drink machines and there are no onsite food/drink vendors. There is a gas station right across the street if you needed to pick up a quick drink or snack.

This is one of my very favorite parks!! It's vast, clean/well taken care of, and just lovely. I…read morecould spend hours watching the ducks, and I LOVE feeding the fish :) Be sure and bring some quarters for fish food when you visit! It's really convenient having so many fun places to eat and shop within walking distance. Highly recommend this park (and the surrounding area)

Love, love, love! Such an absolutely beautiful park! Great views, so fun watching and feeding the…read morefish, and lots of seating. The only thing missing... a community feel. Restaurants, bars and stores are all a walk away from this beautiful space. Hopefully these places are integrated into the space in the future.

Jones Farm Park has a flat, paved path that winds around two large ponds. One section running along…read moreone of the ponds is gravel, but it can be avoided. There is always a pretty good sunset, as it reflects off the still water! There are a few pavilion coverings with picnic tables, as well as a few benches around the ponds. I quite often see people fishing. There are a numbers of ducks, so sometimes you have to watch your step to avoid their droppings. There are no bathrooms and the parking lot is pretty small. Although, there is a short pedestrian bridge connecting the path to the parking lot of the shopping center nearby (with Handel's ice cream and Peppered Pig). Also, on the far side of the park (behind the second large pond), the path connects to the sidewalk on Carl T Jones (close to Yogurt Mountain). You can also cross 4 Mile Post at a crosswalk with flashing lights to get to a section of the Aldridge Creek Greenway.

This is a nice park that I have driven by 1000s of times and never really noticed…read more Out during COVID, after a long work day and then afternoon errand day, my best friend and I enjoyed a lightly sprinkling afternoon break under the pavilion at Jones Farm Park. Since it was sprinkling out, there were only a few people out. A man BF knew walking his beautiful pup, Lilly and a man and his son who were fishing. I asked them what they caught and they caught a turtle! I was happy they caught and released the little critter. Or maybe it was big, I didn't get a chance to see it. Tom and Lilly were a delight to talk to - well Lilly didn't talk or bark either. And the pavilion and two ponds were a nice respite from the long day both BF and I had. There were ample garbage cans, nice walking/running paths, maybe (I wasn't sure) a free little library (it was empty making it hard to tell what it was), the pavilion with picnic tables and plenty of seating and lots of geese. Why no 5th star? Tom told us the goose poop was cleaned up recently, but it really was not cleaned all that well under the pavilion. Do check out Jones Farm Park, it is really pretty and peaceful. Looks like a decent spot to fish, too!

Trail blazing in Madison? Even minor scrambling (the use of your hands for balance and pulling up)…read moreoff small slick rocks? Who would have thought we could do this just a few miles from home?! Hubby and I have been blazing this gem for over 2 yrs now since relocating to the south, and never once have we not enjoyed Rainbow Mountain nor have we left w dry clothing on our backs no matter what season we're in. PARKING Recently developed by the Land Trust is a 12-spot parking lot right near the entrance to Stoneridge Park. It's free. Once the lot is full, your alternative would be street parking which, of course, is also free. TRAILS The main trailhead is located next to the water tower. The trails here on Rainbow Mountain are relatively easy but can be strenuous depending on your experience, speed, and which direction one starts off with. So at an average, I'd say this is an easy to moderate trail to hike. Covering about 4 miles of single-track trails across 130 acres with a peak elevation of 1,150 and an elevation loss/gain of 388 ft, you are sure to break a sweat here. There are 4 trails that interconnect some how or another. And if you plan your route in advance, you can get a good 5 miles out of these. Rainbow Mountain Loop 1.5mi Ja Moo Ko Loop 0.9mi Spring Trail 0.3mi Wild Trail 0.34mi On a good Saturday morning after some light down pour, we usually cover 2.35 miles in about an hour hiking across damp ground and with minor scrambling through slick rocks on the Rainbow Mtn Loop and Ja Moo Ko Loop Trails. This hour timeframe also includes about a few quick pauses to quench our thirsts and another short break by the stream below. Most peeps prefer starting off on the leisurely southern route and taking in the panoramic views of Madison and the awe'ness of Balance Rock. We prefer starting off on the northern route. This IMO eliminates being caught in the crowd which often slows our pace. If I don't carry my DSLR, I tend to hike at a fast speed so don't get in my way! ;D It's a relatively quick hike for us but we're always drenched with sweat and ready for a shower by the time we're done. GEOLOGY and POIs Rainbow Mountain, known to be part of the Southern Appalachian Plateau, has many beautiful rock outcrops. Even the nearby homes have them as part of their natural landscape beauty. Here you'll find the Hartselle Sandstone formation which consists of sandstone, limestone, and shale. The erosive resistance of these rocks have resulted in what you'll see here - bluffs, very small seasonal waterfalls, and caves. Balance Rock is a must see. If you're trekking too fast, you just might miss it. It's located on the southern route of Rainbow Mtn Loop. I always find it interesting to see the wavy line features and pebbles in the sandstone on Balance Rock which supposedly was caused by the actions of water from long ago seas. There are also two caves here - Rainbow Pit (a 65 feet deep vertical cave), and Belly-Up Cave. These are known to be the result of water leaching the limestone rock. We've yet to search these out and explore these caves ourselves in fear of possibly falling in. However, I've heard that people have rappelled these in years past. It's also suspected that the nearby subdivision developer will seal the cave (if they haven't already) by placing a large boulder over the entrance to avoid potential lawsuits from ignoramus'. Funny but sad. Sad that such a beautiful piece of land can't be preserved for those of us that appreciate it and the history and features it holds. RECOMMENDATIONS & VERDICT Hike in the mornings especially if the forecasts includes humidity in the afternoon. Bring a minimum of 16oz bottled water per person, a snack (if you prefer), sunblock, hat/cap, hiking stick (if you have one), and a smile. And don't forget to stretch before & afterwards. That's the norm if we lead a hike here. This is close to home so we'll be back as often as our schedule permits, and weather permitting too. Check it out yourself! These trails are worth exploring!!

Tons of trails and options while hiking here. The trails are moderate to difficult, with steep…read moreinclines and lots of stuff to trip on. I'd recommend bringing a walking stick, especially if it has been raining. The trillium were just coming out, not quite in bloom when we visited. I can see this being a very popular local destination to hike on the weekends.

Clean, and beautiful! Lots of fun activities for the kids, and fun for a wide range of ages! We…read morewere also grateful for the shade options.

This place is pretty magical as far as kids playgrounds go. The park used to be a dive. But the…read morecity has really invested well in the design and execution of putting the new grounds together. Our kids LOVE coming here, but unfortunately so does every other kid in the city . A bonus is the skate park that is adjacent to the playground. A trifecta would be a splash pad, but maybe that's asking too much. The kids would probably never want to leave.

This is a cute little park in Decatur. A nice place to eat lunch. There's a splash pad in the…read moresummer for the kids to play in. The landscaping is beautiful. The sidewalks make it easy to access. My aunt and I got soaked just walking through the park though since the sprinklers were on. :-| Oh well just went back to work with a wet behiney. There are lots of neat art work pieces throughout. We ate at the picnic tables near the tennis courts which were clean and nicely shielded from the sun.

My kids love this park. Everytime we're in Decatur they ask to come here. It's beautifully designed…read moreand very safe.

This is a nice enough park overall and was a nice place to unwind for a bit after a long day and…read morebefore an almost two hour road trip.

I really like this greenway, probably my favorite now after trying them all out in the year that…read moreI've been here. It is a lot farther from home, but worth it. I ride a recumbent trike on an almost daily basis. The long stretches make for a good work out

Rhodes Ferry Park is a nice park in Decatur, Alabama that offers a nice water view and is overall a…read morevery nice park to spend a bit of time at. I would definitely recommend a visit here. It has a lot to offer and I genuinely enjoyed my time here. Communities need parks like this where that community can gather in respite and recreation. Rides Ferry Oark is a great park that serves this community well. Go check it out. I give here five stars overall.

Very nice to watch the trains and I highly recommend it! Right off Highway 20/72 alternate that…read moregoes from Memphis to Chattanooga.

Indian Creek Greenway is a pleasant little oasis that allows you to escape the ever growing…read morepresence of the city of Huntsville, Alabama. This was a part of a nice enough park and all in all, it was a cool place to spend a bit of time before climbing in my car and dealing with a couple hour drive. Our communities need parks and greenways. We need places that we can escape to and get away from modern living and get a glimpse of nature. Overall, I would definitely recommend here.

The best venue around, Huntsville Madison. 2 huge dog…read morefenced areas (1 for small dogs & 1 for large dogs ). People are so friendly & polite. Walking areas are paved say 4 miles going south to Madison PIKE and another 3 miles to north where new homes were built. You can go past Blue Horizon the Amazon facility where they build rockets. For folks just visiting Huntsville This is the Rocket City! Really growing, now the largest city in Alabama! Up from 168,000 to over 233,000 residents and still building