Directions: From Cherokee, AL, at the junction of US Hwy 72 and Natchez Trace Parkway, go north on the Natchez Trace Parkway for 7 miles. Turn left at the Colbert ferry sign and follow the signs to the picnic area and boat launch.

Description: Colbert Ferry provides access to a number of wooded habitats, including a Beaver pond with lots of standing dead timber. Check this area for Red-headed and other woodpeckers. Closer to the shore, search the trees for White-breasted Nuthatches year-round and Orchard orioles and Eastern Kingbirds in the summer. The park also provides excellent views of Pickwick reservoir; in summer, watch for Cliff and Barn Swallows foraging over open water. In winter, scan the open water of the reservoir for Double-crested Cormorants and Common Loons among the numerous diving ducks. Scan the trees along the shoreline for perched Bald Eagles. An evening stroll is usually accompanied by the calls of Barred Owls and Eastern Screech owls. The Natchez Trace Parkway stretches 444 miles from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN with 33 miles of this National Scenic Byway and All American Road in NW Alabama.