Monte Sano Nature Preserve

{{Short description|Nature preserve in Alabama, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Monte Sano Nature Preserve

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| iucn_category = V

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| map = Alabama

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| map_width = 200

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| location = Huntsville, Alabama., U.S.

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| coords = {{coord|34.738|N|86.543|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

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| area = {{convert|1107|acre|ha}}

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| established = 1987

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| administrator = Land Trust of North Alabama

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| website = [http://www.landtrustnal.org/ Land Trust of North Alabama]

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{{mapbox|type=shape|text=Map Highlighting Boundaries of Preserve|stroke-color=#00ff00}}

Monte Sano Nature Preserve is, at {{convert|1107|acre|ha}}, one of the largest urban nature preserves in the US and is located on Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville, Alabama. The Land Trust of North Alabama manages the nature preserve and Land Trust volunteers have created 23+ miles of public trails. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the multi-use trails for hiking, biking, running, bird watching, environmental education, and general recreation. The trail system was honored in 2011 by the Department of the Interior as National Recreation Trails{{cite web|url=http://www.americantrails.org/NRTDatabase/trailDetail.php?recordID=3783|title=Monte Sano Nature Preserve Trail System : National Recreation Trail Database|publisher=}} making them the first NRT trails in Madison County.

"Huntsville/Madison County's mountains form the final segment of the Great Appalachian chain and provide some of the southernmost habitats of broadleaf hardwoods such as the Sugar Maple. Monte Sano is home to several plant species important to the study of ecosystem stability referred to by scientists as "relics," because they provide clues to the climate of periods hundreds of thousands of years ago. Some of these species include the American Smoketree (Chittamwood), Morefield's Leather Flower, Price's Potato Bean, and Cumberland Rosinweed."

Special features of the Monte Sano Nature Preserve include a former limestone quarry known as Three Caves,{{cite web |title=Historic Three Caves: A Unique Huntsville Landmark |publisher=Land Trust of North Alabama |url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/238963_c50dd56bc3ae4ba6ad7e5b4f34179ccf.pdf |access-date=20 October 2023}} an historic spring named Trough Springs{{cite web|url=http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=80774|title=Trough Springs Historical Marker|publisher=}} which was the site of one of the last Alabama confrontations of the Civil War, and the remnants of the Monte Sano Railroad from the late 1800s. The Old Railroad Bed Trail is one of the first 500 Rails-to-Trails Conservancy projects.{{cite web|url=http://www.traillink.com/trail/old-railroad-bed-trail-.aspx|title=Old Railroad Bed Trail - Alabama Trails - TrailLink.com|publisher=}}