By By Chandler Myers
Atmore has to be one of the best locations in Alabama.
A large city on both sides of this small city and the beach anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on where you want to go.
Coming from Birmingham, it was easy to get use to the hussle and bussle of all the activities that it has to offer and all of the traffic that comes with it.
The great thing about Atmore is that there is not anywhere near as much traffic, but it is still easy to enjoy the activities that Pensacola and Mobile each offer.
The area around Atmore also has some hidden treasures that really give the area some recreational fun.
A few weeks ago, fellow Advance columnist Lowell McGill wrote about Little River and how it has been around for years to provide fun for visitors from all over the country.
Well, the area also has the Poarch Band of Creek Indians owned Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve.
Magnolia Branch is still in its early stages, but it already offers a lot of fun in the sun for anyone who happens to grace its grounds.
A couple of visits have shown me that it does have some popularity with people who enjoy getting into the creek or walking along its trails.
The great thing about Magnolia Branch is the plans that they have for it.
If you read the story on this page about the reserve then you know exactly what is going to happen.
Six development companies are competing for the chance to help the grounds at Magnolia Branch improve with cabins, a pavilion and a lodge that could be used by corporate clientele.
The addition of these amenities should only heighten that attraction that Magnolia Branch already has.
As it becomes closer to reality after the project receives the funding it needs, which could take a couple of years, according to general manager Billy Smith, the park could have the good trouble of overflowing its 5,000 acres with people.
Personally, the plans could not become a reality sooner.
The more the park has to offer the easier it will be to convince family to come down and visit Atmore.
In the next few weeks, I plan to visit Magnolia Branch and take a tubing trip down the creek to relax and get away from it all.
Look forward to a day where I can just lay back and let the water take me down stream.
Chandler Myers is sports editor of the Atmore Advance. He can be reached at 368-2123 or by e-mail at sports@atmoreadvance.com