The U.S. Forest Service announced enhancements to area recreational sites in the Conecuh National Forest, and is now offering a mobile app that visitors can download to help better assist with trip planning.

The site improvements in the Conecuh National Forest include:

• Open Pond Recreation Area — adding new picnic tables, fire rings, a septic system at the bathhouse, making several plumbing repairs/maintenance at campsites and bathhouses, improved lighting at Loop-D bathhouse, hazard tree removal and new gravel installed at campsites.

• Blue Lake Recreation Area — improvements include general operations and maintenance, new life preserver ring and hazard tree removal. The site will open on April 1.

• Conecuh Shooting Range, improvements include new toilet installation and drainage issue resolved on 100-yard side of shooting range.

The app is in its initial phase and it has been created for outdoor enthusiasts, Forest Service Public Affairs Officer Tammy Truett said.

Truett said the mobile service provides a listing of recreational activities, as well alerts to news and information.

-Andrew Garner

 

 

“The GPS feature lists the national forest that’s in closest proximity to your location,” she said.

The Forest Service announced the opening of its recreation season for outdoor enthusiasts to explore public lands in Alabama’s Bankhead, Talladega, Tuskegee and Conecuh National Forests.

To download the “Great Escapes” mobile app in the Google Play Store, visit http://bit.ly/greatescapes.

Truett said the app is only available for Android users, but the Forest Service will announce the iPhone version in the next couple of weeks. Additionally, the app allows users to share their memories on Facebook and Twitter.

The Forest Service manages 28 recreation sites and more than 363 miles of trails throughout Alabama’s national forests. Group picnic shelters, shooting ranges, developed campgrounds, fishing ponds, sandy-white beaches, and trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and off-road vehicles are available for the public.

Truett said the public is welcome to provide feedback on the new service by emailing the forest service at pa_alabama@fs.fed.us.

Last year, more than 1.25 million recreation visitor days were recorded with approximately $216,000 in recreation user fees collected and applied to site improvements, according to a press release.

For information about recreation sites in the Conecuh National Forest, call 334-222-2555.