Tornado Loop
- 1.9 mi
- round trip
- 863 ft
- climb
- 387 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Oct–May
- best months
Tornado Loop is a 1.9-mile loop hike in Lake Lurleen State Park in Alabama, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail rises from a low point of 243 feet to a high of 387 feet, with a total elevation gain of 125 feet. The climb is rated easy, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.4 miles in, where the grade reaches 13 percent. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tuscaloosa show October highs around 79°F with lows near 55°F, while July highs average about 94°F. Several other trails sit close by. Storm Loop is about 0.1 mile away and Lightning Loop about 0.2 mile. McFarland Trail is roughly 0.4 mile off, and the Lake Lurleen State Park National Recreation Trail is about 0.9 mile away.
Best time to go · Oct–May
Best time to visit Tornado Loop
Best months: October–May. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
57° / 36°
10 wet
Feb
62° / 40°
10 wet
Mar
71° / 47°
10 wet
Apr
78° / 54°
9 wet
May
85° / 63°
8 wet
Jun
91° / 70°
9 wet
Jul
94° / 73°
11 wet
Aug
93° / 73°
10 wet
Sep
88° / 67°
7 wet
Oct
79° / 55°
7 wet
Nov
67° / 44°
8 wet
Dec
59° / 39°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tuscaloosa Acfd, AL, 7.7 mi away at 169 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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~1h 8m drive
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Storm Loop
Next door
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Flying Squirrel
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1.18-mile out-and-back trail in Alabama with 807 ft gain.
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Lightning Loop
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
