STATE & NATION TRAVEL · alerts
Storm damage closes Dale County fishing lake and walking trail in Ozark
By Bob LePage · Published November 6, 2026
Alabama wildlife officials have closed the entire Dale County Public Fishing Lake property after damage to its concession building, power lines and trees. No reopening date has been announced.
Official announcement: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources · November 3, 2026
Source: Outdoor Alabama November 3 closure notice
Alabama wildlife officials have shut the Dale County public lake in Ozark after storm damage left the property unsafe for visitors. The November 3 notice applies to the full site, including its three-mile walking trail, and gives no estimated reopening date.
ADCNR says the October storm severely damaged the concession building, brought down power lines and damaged trees. The closure therefore removes fishing access as well as the boat ramp, pier, concessions and trail that normally support a day visit.
The department says reopening will follow cleanup and a safety determination. Travelers should treat the closure as indefinite until Outdoor Alabama or the lake manager posts a new status rather than planning around an assumed repair timetable.
What Travelers Need to Know
Do not travel to the lake for fishing, boating or the walking trail until the state posts a reopening notice. The November 3 announcement closes the whole property and does not identify a partial-access area.
For a substitute fishing trip, use Outdoor Alabama's current public-lake directory and then confirm the selected lake's status with its manager. Several Alabama public fishing lakes have separate closures, and schedules, permits and available facilities vary by property.
If the lake is the intended destination, check the Dale County lake page or call the City of Ozark lake manager at 334-774-0588 before departure. Do not rely on the page's older seasonal-hours table while the storm closure remains in effect.
About the Location
The 92-acre Dale County fishing property is also called Ed Lisenby Lake. It sits at 861 Myrtle Drive in Ozark, roughly a mile north of Roy Parker Road, and is managed for channel catfish, redear sunfish, bluegill and largemouth bass.
The site normally combines a boat ramp and accessible fishing pier with restrooms, a pavilion, concessions and a three-mile walking trail. That mix makes the storm closure broader than a boat-access restriction: it eliminates both shoreline recreation and the property's supporting visitor facilities until repairs are complete.