Orange Beach debuts back country trail | AnnistonStar.com

Orange Beach debuts back country trail | AnnistonStar.com: "ORANGE BEACH — Eager to tap into the growing ecotourism market and show off the diverse ecosystems within its boundaries, the Orange Beach City Council has approved a resolution setting guidelines for paid tours of the Back Country Trail.

'We're just trying to expose our Back Country Trail to as many people as possible,' Mayor Tony Kennon said last week. 'It's just a great asset to have.'

Several years in the making, the Back Country Trail is a network of about 16 miles of paths that traverse a variety of ecosystems, from pitcher plant bogs and ancient maritime forest to pine savanna, swamps and scrub-covered dunes.

'There are places there where you're hard pressed to believe you're on Pleasure Island,' Coastal Resources Manager Phillip West said."