Big Spring International Park, located in downtown Huntsville, Alabama, is a large public green space built around the natural water source that led to the city's founding. Visiting this historic site allows you to explore the largest limestone spring in North Alabama, an underground karst spring with a daily flow between 7 and 20 million US gallons. The park stretches from the courthouse square down southwest, featuring a spring basin, canal, and a lagoon across Church Street.
As you walk through the grounds, you can visit on-site cultural institutions like the Huntsville Museum of Art and the Von Braun Center. You will also discover international gifts scattered throughout the park, including a red Japanese friendship bridge, cherry trees, a Norwegian 1903 light beacon, a 1929 fog bell, a German sundial, a bench from the UK, and a restored marble lion. Historically, the area hosted the 19th-century Fearn Canal, dynamic water pumphouses, and eventually served as a filming location for the 2005 movie Constellation.
The park hosts vibrant events like the annual Panoply Arts Festival in April and the Battle of the Buffalo competition.
What to see at Big Spring Park
- The Big Spring limestone spring
- Iconic red Japanese friendship bridge and cherry trees
- Huntsville Museum of Art and Von Braun Center
- Norwegian light beacon and fog bell
- Site of the annual Panoply Arts Festival
Visiting tips
Visit during the last full weekend in April to experience the Panoply Arts Festival hosted right inside the park.
How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Late April
How to get there & what’s nearby
Big Spring Park is easy to reach on Huntsville’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Episcopal Church of the Nativity. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Huntsville travel guide.
See the full Huntsville travel guide for where to stay, the best time to visit and the top things to do.