So, what is Horse Pens 40? Well, the simple breakdown, it is a privately owned outdoor nature park located in near Steele, Alabama. The park is situated on top of Chandler Mountain (Chandler is a mountain .... Friends reverence for anyone keeping track), in the foothills of The Appalachian Mountains. The park is known among the rock climbing community as a premier bouldering site. The site is also home to a "Bluegrass Park" where it hosts festivals showcasing the genre several times per year. The biggest of these festivals occurs on the Fourth of July. The park features both RV and primitive camping.
So, we were coming out to explore and play on the boulders, when a massive downpour hit. We were literally the only ones at the park (just driving in as the rain hit). We parked in the lot and sat there a few minutes. Now, here is where they get the 5 stars .... an employee came out in the downpour to make sure we were ok and didn't need anything. We felt so bad! Any place that treats customers like this is worthy of 5 stars. Thank you Horse Pens staff for caring about the people that come to visit and making sure they are safe and don't need anything. He even offered us a place to get out of the storm while it passed.
Looking forward to a time we can return and properly explore this cool site. read more