Hays Nature Preserve: Guide and Homes Nearby
A City of Huntsville nature preserve along the Flint River near Hampton Cove with trails, greenways and oxbow lakes. Below: what to know before you go, the trails, a map, and homes for sale nearby.
Know before you go
- The City of Huntsville lists more than 10 miles of trails and greenways.
- 538 acres along the Flint River, donated to the city by the Hays family in 1999.
- Good for biking, hiking, birding and picnics, with restrooms, accessible areas and a viewing area. Horses are allowed on designated trails, and dogs must be on a 6-foot leash.
- Part of the North Alabama Birding Trail. An accessible fishing pier on Bar Lake opened in 2024.
Where: 7153 Hwy 431 S, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763 (City of Huntsville listing)
Official page with current maps, rules and notices
Trailheads on the city map nearby: Hays Preserve (about 20 parking spaces), Flint River (about 49 parking spaces), Big Cove Creek (about 10 parking spaces), Goldsmith Preserve North (about 10 parking spaces), Goldsmith Preserve South (about 10 parking spaces).
Trails
Trails the City of Huntsville maps here, longest first.
| Trail | Miles | Difficulty |
|---|
| Flint Trail | 0.9 | Easy |
| Horse Trail | 0.7 | Easy |
| New Growth Wilderness Loop | 0.7 | Easy |
| Tupelo Tree Path | 0.6 | Easy |
| Skip Rock Wilderness Trail | 0.5 | Easy |
| 100 Acre Loop | 0.5 | Easy |
| Deer Run Loop | 0.4 | Easy |
| Whitetail Haven Trail | 0.4 | Easy |
| Little Big Woods Trail | 0.3 | Easy |
| Bobcat Thicket Loop | 0.3 | Easy |
| Terrame Natural Playground | 0.3 | Easy |
| Duck Weed Basin Trail | 0.3 | Easy |
| Beaver Dam Run | 0.3 | Easy |
| Animal Track ID Trail | 0.2 | Easy |
| Split Trail | 0.2 | Easy |
| Deer Run/100 Acre Loop | 0.1 | Easy |
Mileage is measured from the City of Huntsville trail map (6.8 mapped miles here) and can differ from the managing organization's published total. Trail names and segments change; use the official trail map on the trail.
Map
Homes within 2 miles of Hays Nature Preserve
A snapshot from Valley MLS as of October 2026. The live listings below update every day.
50homes for sale now
$435Kmedian list price
190sold in the last 12 months
$468Kmedian sold price
Towns: Owens Cross Roads, Hampton Cove, Huntsville, Gurley, Madison.
Neighborhoods with homes for sale or recent sales: Hampton Cove, Carrington, Hampton Ridge, Oak Meadows, Creekstone, Natures Cove, The Lakes At The Meadows, Flint Crossing, Liberty Park, Hampton Station, Southgate, Southampton Place.
Living close by means you can be on the trail before work or after dinner. Before you buy, drive to the trailhead you would actually use, check parking at busy times, and ask whether the lot backs up to preserve land, which usually means no building behind you but also trail users nearby.
More: all hiking trails, greenways, every park and homes whose listings mention a trail.
Questions
Are there homes for sale near Hays Nature Preserve?
As of October 2026 there were 50 homes for sale within 2 miles of Hays Nature Preserve, and 190 sold in the last 12 months. The listings on this page update daily.
Want to live close to the trails?
We are a local, family-owned brokerage. Tell us what you like to do outside and how close you want to be, and we will send homes that fit, from walk-to-the-greenway neighborhoods to land near the mountain preserves.
Search homes for saleCall or text (256) 808-6861Sources: City of Huntsville - Hays Nature Preserve; Wikipedia - Hays Nature Preserve; City of Huntsville GIS open data (parks, greenways, trails, trailheads, launches).
Trail, park and launch locations come from the City of Huntsville GIS open data and the official sources listed on this page, as of October 2026. Hours, fees, rules and trail conditions change, so check with the land manager before you go. Distances are straight-line miles. Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Wyze Realty is not affiliated with any park, preserve or organization named here.
