With spring in full bloom, the Auburn Floral Trail is open for its 19th year and showcasing Auburn’s floral scene.
The Auburn Beautification Council, Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau and the City of Auburn put on the trail each year, which will run until April 19 this year.
There are two main trails, a 3.5-mile northern trail just off North College Street and a 10.5-mile trail off South College Street.
There are also two smaller, optional trails. One runs through the Donald E. Davis Arboretum and another off North College Street that begins on Asheton Lane.
Catrina Cook, Auburn’s Environmental Services assistant director, said the trails present a multitude of Auburn’s native azaleas as well as pear trees, cherry trees and dogwoods.
“You’ll see a lot of our winter plants that are blooming, too,” Cook said. “You’ll also see tulips and pansies and late-blooming camellias.”
Cook said now is a great time to see the trails as the late winter flowers and all the spring flowers are blooming together.
The Auburn Beautification Council has planters that help set up some areas. Residents are responsible for most of the flowers along the trails.
“Our mission, primarily, is to promote the best interest of the residents of the city and to promote a cleaner, healthier and safer place to work and visit,” Cook said.
The two main trails move through residential areas and are accessible by car, bike or on foot so that people can view the blooms however they choose.
Organizers wanted to make sure that everyone would be able to see the hard work and time that everyone put into making the trail happen, Cook said.
“You get a chance to see just how much time everyone has put into their yards,” Cook said. “Especially in some of the more mature areas. These two areas have a lot of mature trees, so it is easy to enjoy those blooming.”
There is a large collaboration among the beautification council, the tourism bureau and environmental services to ensure that all the streets and sidewalks are swept and clean to make sure all the trails really shine, Cook said.
“The Auburn Beautification Council is responsible for planters downtown, and we (the City of Auburn) provide the signs that you see on the roads that direct you to the trail,” Cook said. “The tourism bureau funds the brochures that everyone can pick up.”
This year, the brochures also includes a QR code, which contains a map of all the trail.
“A big thanks to all the homeowners who get involved with setting up their yards earlier and putting so much effort into it,” Cook said. “I want to give a special thanks to all the homeowners that spend extra time in their yards to make it really special.”
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