Exploring Alabama: Historic Eufaula, Fort Mitchell & Providence Canyon
Alabama turned out to be one of those states that surprised us.
We came into the state from Vicksburg, Mississippi, not entirely sure what we would find along the way. By the time we left, we’d explored historic homes, researched some of our family history, visited a living history museum and an early American fort, learned more about the forced removal of the Creek people, and even crossed into Georgia for an incredible hike through Providence Canyon.
And yes, somewhere along the way there was some really good garlic bread, too.
From Mississippi to Tuscaloosa
Our Alabama journey began with a travel day from Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
We followed part of the Natchez Trace Parkway on our way out of Mississippi before finally reaching Alabama.
Our first campsite was at Deerlick Creek Campground, an Army Corps of Engineers campground near Tuscaloosa.
This was actually the first campground we’d paid for during this portion of our trip. As we traveled farther east, free camping was becoming harder to find. Summer temperatures were also returning, and having electricity for the air conditioner was becoming increasingly important.
Fortunately, Deerlick Creek was beautiful.
Our campsite had a deck overlooking the lake, giving us a wonderful place to sit outside and enjoy the scenery.
There was just one problem.
Getting an RV Into Our Deerlick Creek Campsite
Getting into and out of our particular campsite was an adventure.
We had to negotiate nearly a 180-degree turn on a narrow campground road, and our site was located on a very small cul-de-sac.
When it was time to leave, things became even more interesting. We eventually had to ask our neighbor if he could move his vehicle so we could get the RV turned around.
It was a beautiful campsite, but this was definitely one of those situations where the size and maneuverability of your RV mattered.
Genealogy and Historic Tuscaloosa
Our main reason for visiting Tuscaloosa was personal. We wanted to spend some time doing genealogy research.
We did manage to fit in a little sightseeing, though.
Tuscaloosa has some beautiful historic homes, and while tours were available, we’d finished our research too late in the day to catch one. Instead, we enjoyed seeing some of the houses from the outside.
That’s one of the nice things about traveling slowly. Not every day has to be packed with major tourist attractions. Sometimes we can spend a day researching our family, wander around town for a little while, and call it a good day.
Ed’s Upgraded Garlic Bread
And then there was dinner.
Ed already makes some pretty awesome garlic bread, but this time he decided to take it up a notch.
He started with Italian bread and his homemade garlic butter, then added slices of provolone cheese, Roma tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Into the oven it went until the bread was browned and the cheese melted.
It was really good.
Sometimes the memorable parts of RV travel have absolutely nothing to do with where you’re camping.
On to Eufaula, Alabama
We would have liked to stay near Tuscaloosa for another day or two, but the weekend was approaching and we couldn’t find an available campsite in the area.
So we continued southeast to Eufaula, Alabama.
This time we stayed at Bluff Creek Park, another Army Corps of Engineers campground.
We found plenty to keep us busy in this part of Alabama.
Visiting Westville
One of our first stops was the Living History Museum of Westville.
The museum is made up of historic homes and buildings that have been brought together in one location. Costumed interpreters demonstrate traditional crafts and help visitors understand what everyday life was like in an earlier period.
Places like this are always interesting to us because they go beyond simply displaying old objects behind glass.
Seeing the buildings, tools and crafts in context makes history feel much more tangible.
Historic Eufaula
We also spent some time exploring Eufaula itself.
The town has some beautiful historic homes, making it a wonderful place to simply drive around and admire the architecture.
We also saw a beautiful Episcopal church dating from the 1830s.
We’d already encountered historic homes in Tuscaloosa, but Eufaula gave us another look at Alabama’s architectural history—and another reminder that there was far more to see in the state than we’d expected.
Fort Mitchell Historic Site
One of the most thought-provoking places we visited was Fort Mitchell.
The site includes a reproduction of the fort built here during the Creek Indian War in 1813, along with exhibits and other historic structures.
There’s also an interesting collection of antique carriages.
But the most important part of our visit was learning more about the Creek people who once lived throughout this region.
Remembering the Creek People
Fort Mitchell includes a monument and memorial dedicated to the Creek people and tells a much more difficult part of the area’s history.
The site explains how Fort Mitchell became one of the principal gathering points during the forced removal of Creek people from their homes along the Chattahoochee River in the 1830s.
Thousands were forced west toward what is now Oklahoma.
The story presented at the site describes people who had already suffered starvation and loss of their lands and possessions before being forced to make that journey.
It’s painful history.
But history doesn’t stop being important because it’s painful.
Visiting places like Fort Mitchell gives us an opportunity to learn about the people who lived here before us and to better understand events whose effects continued long after they occurred.
An 1840 Log Cabin
There was also an original 1840 log cabin on the Fort Mitchell property.
The sign outside asked visitors to imagine what it would be like to live in such a small house.
Ed and I looked at each other and basically had the same reaction:
Sure. Give it to us.
After living in an RV, the cabin didn’t seem particularly tiny at all!
In fact, we thought it was a pretty nice little house.
There was also a small museum with additional information about the Creek people and a timeline of local events.
Fort Mitchell Needed Some Help
As interesting as Fort Mitchell was, we were sad to see that the site appeared to be struggling with maintenance during our visit.
We spoke with an employee who told us about some of the difficulties they were facing, including limited funding and even problems keeping basic lawn equipment operating.
That was unfortunate because this is a place with an important story to preserve.
We still enjoyed our visit tremendously, but we certainly hoped the site would receive the support it needed to maintain the property and continue sharing its history with future visitors.
A Side Trip to Providence Canyon
Our final adventure in the area actually took us just across the Alabama state line into Georgia.
We headed to Providence Canyon for some hiking.
And we were excited about this one.
After spending so much time exploring historic sites and towns, it was wonderful to get back outside and see something completely different.
The canyon immediately reminded us of some of the landscapes we’d seen out West—only on a much smaller scale.
Colorful canyon walls, unusual formations and hiking trails made this a completely different experience from the green landscapes we’d been traveling through in the Southeast.
The Surprising Story Behind Providence Canyon
What makes Providence Canyon especially interesting is how the landscape developed.
At first glance, it looks like the kind of canyon that must have taken nature an enormous amount of time to create.
But human activity played a major role.
Poor farming practices and severe erosion contributed to the dramatic gullies that eventually became the landscape visitors see today.
It’s a strange combination: environmental damage ultimately created something people now travel to see because of its beauty.
Whatever its origins, Providence Canyon was an incredible place to hike.
Hiking Providence Canyon
We thoroughly enjoyed our hike.
It gave us a chance to get out into the landscape rather than simply viewing it from the road or an overlook.
The canyon scenery was beautiful, and after traveling through so many different landscapes on our journey, it was fun to find something in this part of the country that reminded us—at least a little—of the American West.
Apparently General thought it was quite a hike, too.
By the end, he was worn out.
That’s usually a pretty good sign that we’ve had a successful hiking day.
Alabama Surprised Us
Looking back, we really enjoyed our time in Alabama.
There wasn’t one single attraction that defined the trip.
Instead, it was the combination of everything we found along the way.
We camped beside beautiful lakes. We worked on our genealogy. We explored historic architecture. We wandered through a living history museum. We learned about the Creek people and a painful chapter of American history at Fort Mitchell. And we crossed into Georgia to hike through one of the most unusual landscapes we’d seen in the Southeast.
Alabama was simply a pleasant place to travel.
Planning Your Own Alabama Road Trip
If you’re traveling through this part of Alabama, Tuscaloosa and Eufaula can make good stopping points, especially if you enjoy history and historic architecture.
Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds can also be worth checking if you’re traveling by RV. Both Deerlick Creek and Bluff Creek gave us convenient bases for exploring their surrounding areas.
Around Eufaula, allow time for the historic district, Westville and Fort Mitchell.
And if you enjoy hiking, consider crossing the Georgia state line for a trip to Providence Canyon.
It made a wonderful finale to our Alabama travels.
Would We Return to Alabama?
Definitely.
We found beautiful scenery, fascinating history and some very nice places to camp.
There was also something we appreciated about the variety. One day could be devoted to genealogy or historic homes, another to an important historic site, and the next to hiking through a canyon.
If you’re heading through Alabama in your RV, don’t assume there’s nothing to see between the bigger destinations.
Slow down and explore a little.
You may be surprised by what you find.
We’ll see you down the road…and Over the Hills!
Continue the Journey
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