Most People Don’t Realize These Alabama Spots Are Full of Gators

It seems almost every other month, there is a sighting of a scaled beast somewhere in the state of Alabama. Some people didn't even know the state of Alabama had these creatures around.

Did you know alligators were in Alabama?

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It may sound crazy, but there are a lot of people who think that alligators are only in places like Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi. Not only are alligators in the state of Alabama, but the state also ranks within the top 10 states where alligators are found the most. 

If you'd like to avoid these creatures, there are some places you'd need to avoid in the state. Here's the list of the top 5 most alligator-infested waters in the state of Alabama, according to World Atlas. 

Tennessee River

According to World Atlas, Northern Alabama was largely gator-free until 1979 when Fish and Wildlife relocated about 50 of the alligators from Louisiana to the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge along the Tennessee River and til this day, the population remains steady.

Walter F. George Lake

Located on the Alabama-Georgia line, this place is well known for alligators. According to World Atlas, A 12-foot, 600-pound gator, said to be born in the 1970s, was pulled from the lake in 2024. Nine years earlier, the lake yielded a 13-foot-6, 920-pound monster. However, the Eufaula record-holder is believed to be a 14-foot, 1.75-inch behemoth hunted in 2019.

Alabama River

The word is, this river yielded Alabama's largest known alligator, which was determined to stretch 15 feet and weigh 1,011 pounds after being hunted in 2014.

Mobile Bay

According to World Atlas, big gators bagged in the area include a 12-foot-9, 524-pound specimen from 2023. Big gators saved in the area include 13-footers displayed at Alligator Alley in Summerdale.

Gulf Coast

You'd think that alligators are only in freshwaters, but according to World Atlas, gators are less willing to swim in saline seas (but they do it probably more often than you think). These reptiles love Gulf Coast marshes that occupy the Coastal Management Area.