The Nature Conservancy in Alabama

Splinter Hill Bog Preserve

Splinter Hill Bog
© Keith Tassin

Why You Should Visit

Located in the headwaters of the Perdido River along Dyas Creek, this preserve and the surrounding landscape is forested by longleaf pine savanna/seepage bog communities with interspersed sandhill habitats. Much of the site is occupied by some of the largest and most visually impressive white-topped pitcher plant bogs globally.

Location
The site is located in the low rolling hills of the East Gulf Coastal Plain ecoregion in south Alabama (near the community of Perdido in northern Baldwin County). The site includes portions of the headwaters of Dyas and Bushy Creeks, tributaries of the Perdido River.

Hours
This preserve will be open dawn to dusk from March 1-October 15. Area can be accessed only by written permission between October 15 and March 1. Preserve may also be closed periodically while prescribed burns are being conducted.

Conditions
Splinter Hill Bog Preserve contains a variety of habitats from sandy upland longleaf pine forests to seepage bogs to inundated small stream swamp forests. Dress with the idea that you will likely get you feet wet. Long pants and insect repellant are recommended. Temperatures from March-October can range from 30's in early March to mid-90's by June and July.

Directions
From Exit 45 on Interstate 65 (Perdido/Rabun) travel west on County Rd. 47 for approximately 2.5-3 Miles. Parking area and trailhead (under construction) is located on the left (south) side of the road approximately 200 yards past Dyas Creek.

What to See: Plants
This preserve is known to contain over 12 species of carnivorous plants from including 5 species of pitcher plants, 2 sprecies of butterworts and several species of sundews. Nearby on the Forever Wild Preserve is one of the largest know populations of the globally imperiled Panhandle lily (Lilium iridollae). Some of the unique and rare plants known from the site include: Chapman’s butterwort, white-topped pitcher plant, Wherry’s sweet pitcher plant, purple pitcher plant, parrot pitcher plant, yellow trumpets, sundews, Chapman's butterwort, spoonflower, pineland bogbutton, Drummond’s yellow-eyed grass, Chapman’s yellow-eyed grass, and many others.

What to See: Animals

Several rare animals are potentially present including Bachman’s sparrow, Florida pine snake and the gopher tortoise. Eastern Cottonmouths can be abundant in the small stream drains so proceed with caution. During the spring and summer the most common birds observed are summer tanagers, indigo buntings, prairie warblers,yellow throated warblers, pine warblers, eastern towhees, and prothonotary warblers (swamps).

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The Splinter Hill Bog Preserve and the adjacent state owned Forever Wild Preserve contain some of the most intact seepage bog communities remaining on the Gulf Coast. Numerous rare and declining species associated with seepage bogs, upland longleaf forest and coastal blackwater streams are known to occur within this site.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Conservancy is working in cooperation with Alabama's Forever Wild Program to acquire and manage a significant portion of the remaining natural habitat in the Splinter Hill Bog site. To date the State of Alabama and The Nature Conservancy have acquired over 2,100 contiguous acres and will work cooperatively to manage this property using periodic prescribed fire and working to control non-native invasive species such as cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica)