Japanese Tea Garden Trail - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Japanese Tea Garden Trail
Country:	United States
State:	Alabama
Nearby Town:	Huntsville
Rating:
Directions:	From I-65, take exit to I-565 E also known as (ALT US-72 E, AL-20 E). Then continue on I-565 E approximately 19 miles. Exit onto the off-ramp at exit 19C onto Washington St NW. Bear left onto Washington St NW and travel less than a mile where you will then turn right onto Pratt Av NW and travel aproximately a mile. Then bear left onto Bankhead Pkwy NE and travel approximately 3 miles. Turn right onto Fearn St SE and travel less than a mile where you will turn left onto Nolen Av SE and travel a little over a mile to the park entrance.
Total Hike Distance:	1.00 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Easy
Permit Required:	No
Hike Type:	Roundtrip, Loop Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	on road that enters park close to the campground
Trails Used:	you can access this trail from the main park road or off the fire trail
Backcountry Campsites:	No
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams, Springs
Management:	State Park Service
Contact Information:	Monte Sano State Park 5105 Nolen Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801 Phone: (256) 534-3757 Fax: (256) 539-7069 http://www.alapark.com/montesano/Contacts/
Best Season:	Spring
Users:	Hikers, Bikers, Dogs, Horses, ATVs
Road Conditions:	Secondary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	Short trail approximately 1 mile in length starting out at the main park entrance road and it loops back to end within a few hundred feet of where it begins. This trail is easy with only a few small gains in altitude but the view is something else. There is a red bridge crossing a small creek on either side of the Japanese tea garden which is hidden from the park road by a small patch of bamboo. There used to be a small park bench to sit on and admire the tea garden however a storm has knocked down a tree on top of it. This Japanese tea garden is quite a treat you would not have expected to find in a state park.