Buck's Pocket State Park

Buck's Pocket State Park is public recreation area located on Sand Mountain in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Alabama, 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the community of Grove Oak. The state park occupies 2,000 acres (810 ha) surrounding a natural pocket (canyon) of the Appalachian Mountain chain along South Sauty Creek, an upstream tributary on the east side of Guntersville Lake.[2] The park is known for the sweeping views of its rugged, seemingly untouched landscape provided from the heights of Point Rock.[3][4]

Buck's Pocket State Park
Map showing the location of Buck's Pocket State Park
Map showing the location of Buck's Pocket State Park
Location in Alabama
LocationDeKalb, Jackson, & Marshall counties, Alabama, United States
Coordinates34°28′52″N 86°05′17″W[1]
Area2,000 acres (8.1 km2)
Elevation594 ft (181 m)[1]
DesignationAlabama state park
Established1971
AdministratorAlabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
WebsiteBuck's Pocket State Park

History

The park's origins date from 1966, when the Sand Mountain Booster's Club organized the Tri-County Park Authority and purchased land from a local farmer. Additional acreage totalling some 700 acres was contributed by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The park opened in 1971.[2][5]

In 2015, Buck's Pocket lost its campground and its staffing as part of the closing and curtailment of services at several Alabama state parks enacted following severe budget cuts.[6] The park reopened in 2020.[7]

Park lore

The origin of the name "Buck's Pocket" has been variously attributed to the presence of large herds of deer, the legendary death of a buck who leapt from Point Rock after being trapped by Cherokee, and a man named Buck Berry who used the area to hide from the draft during the Civil War.[5]

A persistent story dating from the 1940s holds that unsuccessful Alabama politicians go to Buck's Pocket after being defeated at the polls. When specifically they go and what activities they pursue while there is not specified, but left to the imagination.[5]

Activities and amenities

The park offers 10 miles (16 km) of trails for hiking[8] as well as the scenic view from atop the Point Rock Overlook.[4] The park's picnic area has a canyon rim vista into the pocket below. A boat launch and fishing area are provided seven miles downstream at Morgan's Cove on Lake Guntersville.[9]

References
  1. "Bucks Pocket". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. Thomas V. Ress (August 12, 2010). "Buck's Pocket State Park". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Alabama Humanities Foundation. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  3. "Point Rock". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  4. "Overlook". Buck's Pocket State Park. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  5. "Buck's Pocket losing allure for defeated politicians". Gadsden Times. June 10, 1986. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  6. Moseley, Brandon (December 26, 2015). "State to shut down Outdoor Alabama magazine". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  7. "Buck's Pocket State Park". Alabama State Parks. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  8. "Hiking Trails". Buck's Pocket State Park. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  9. "Fishing". Buck's Pocket State Park. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
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