Black Belt | Lowndes | Best Seasons: Fall | Spring | Winter
Note: This is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Campground and is open only to those camping on site.
Prairie Creek Campground lies along the southern bank of the Alabama River in northern Lowndes County. It is situated between Holy Ground Battlefield Recreation Area and the nearby Henry Dam, making it a convenient midway point on a birding loop through Lowndes County.
Consider spending a short half day (2 to 3 hours) at the park to survey the birdlife comprehensively.
Begin by checking the grassy fields on both sides of the paved entrance road. Expect to see meadowlarks and bluebirds here in all seasons, with various sparrows in the cooler months. Check the shade trees lining the entrance road for Eastern Kingbirds in the warmer months, and raptors throughout the year. Look for a few shorebirds in spring and fall following periods of heavy rain.
Among the mature hardwoods along the main road, you should see numerous migrants in spring and fall and roaming mixed-species feeding flocks in winter. The dense understory away from the main road is particularly bird-rich. You will find Hooded Warblers, White-eyed Vireos, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Wood Thrushes, Pewees, and Indigo Buntings. The woods here are full of Summer Tanagers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Orchard Orioles, and Red-eyed and Yellow-throated vireos. Follow the paved road northward, and as you near the water, Northern Parulas, Yellow-throated Warblers, Prothonotary Warblers, and Acadian Flycatchers are common. There are multiple sites to look out over the Alabama River to the east from along the road; check for egrets and herons most of the year along the river banks. Look for Osprey, too; Bald Eagles nest in the vicinity and winter in the area. Check the banks, brush piles, and root balls for Winter Wrens from late September through April.
At the northern terminus of the paved park road, a broad trail continues northward to and through a primitive camping area. Hike along the level trail through the open canopy and moderate understory for excellent birding in all seasons, particularly in winter.
GPS: N 32.340829 W -86.771053
Prairie Creek Campground
582 Prairie Creek Road
Lowndesboro, AL 36752
(334)418-4919
From I-65 in south Montgomery, take exit 167 and follow US-80 W for 28.9 miles. Turn right onto Benton Road and continue for 2.7 miles. Turn left onto CR-40 (Jones Bluff Road) to Prairie Creek Road and follow Prairie Creek Road to the recreation area.
Amenities Available: Boat Launch, Camping (tent/RV), Gravel or Dirt Trails, Picnic Tables, Restrooms
Nearby Sites

Holy Ground Battlefield Park
Holy Ground Battlefield Park is a small Army Corps day-use area in northern Lowndes County. Trails proceed from an interpretive kiosk along and through mixed woodlands to views of Woodruff Lake and Cypress Creek. You will see a good variety of songbi …

Robert F Henry Lock and Dam
The Henry Dam on the Alabama River in northern Lowndes County is a “must-see” stop for birders in the area, as it provides extensive grasslands, rocky shoals below the dam’s spillway, and a deep-water impoundment above the dam – habitats difficult to …