Lake Guntersville hosts miles of hiking and biking trails. This hike combined the King’s Chapel trail and Terrell trails to take hikers from the parking lot around Graveyard Hill and back. The terrain is hilly, with a couple of good climbs as your make your way around Graveyard Hill. Starting at the parking lot, Kings Chapel trail can be accessed directly across the road. Blazed in red, the King’s Chapel trail is six tenths of a mile in length and well traveled by hikers and bikers alike. The trail ascents into the wooded forest passing several mid-sized boulders. At times, the path narrows down as vines and low vegetation encroach on the path. The path is mostly level with the exception of exposed rocks along the path in some areas. As you approach the end of the trail, you will come to King’s Chapel Cemetery. A pre-civil war family cemetery created by Andrew King in 1850. Many of the grave markers are missing and have been replaced with wooden markers by the park service.
The Terrell trail, with yellow blazes, continues from the south side of the cemetery. There is an alternative yellow trail which leads up the side of the mountain to the top of Graveyard hill. Hiking along the Terrell trail, you will encounter a couple of steeper climbs. At times, the path again narrows due to the luscious vegetation in the area. The trail passes several rock outcroppings as it make its way around the hill. For the most part, the hike is shady except for when you come to an area damaged by tornadoes in the recent years. As you near the 1.5 mile mark, the trail begins to descend towards a small creek. After crossing the bridge, you will turn turn north crossing another bride and the park road. Continuing across you come to the intersection of the Terrell and Taylor Mountain trails. Turning left (west), the Terrell Connector winds its way back to the parking lot following close to the park road. This last section is level and offers a peaceful stroll through a heavily wooded area.
This hike is a great trek with minimal steep climbs. The wildlife, especially birds during the spring and summer, are abundant. The lower areas near water host lots of insects so be sure to bring bug spray and enjoy this great hike.