Nick Werner, operations manager, has been at the marina for 20 years. “There are some big plans here. We’re owned by the city and county both and are run by a board of directors, and they have shown a lot of interest to develop and improve this area. We have about 700 acres of property here, but we sit on only about 35. Around us is a lot of farm land and hilltop land. We actually have a lot of property.”
Among the proposals are plans to expand the current marina and its dry storage building, add a restaurant, rental cabins and a motorized boat rental concession. There are also plans to expand the camping facilities and increase parking areas. “We are soon to have non-motorized watercraft, like paddleboards, canoeing and kayaking in the small creek that runs beside us,” Werner added. All these are part of the master plan for Ditto Landing.
Currently, there are RV sites and a tent camping area. The campground is equipped with electrical connections with 30 and 50 amps. There are also hiking and biking trails, a fuel dock, wet slips, heated dry storage and two large pavilions for hosting events. Werner added, “There are 18 slips for transient boaters, but we will never turn anybody away. We will use our open slips for transients if we have more than 18. We have diesel and mid-grade, non-ethanol fuel at 89 octane.” The transient dockage rate is calculated at $1 per foot per night, but transients get one free night with the purchase of 100 gallons of fuel.
Attractions Galore
Ditto Landing is in the city of Huntsville and is very close to shopping, grocery stores and any supplies a boater might need. According to Werner, “The Space and Rocket Center is a big attraction. Downtown is also a big attraction. There’s Twickenham [the historic district] and the Constitution Hall Village.” Actually, the U.S. Rocket and Space Center is the largest space museum in the country with huge rockets on display, including the Saturn V rocket, a lunar module and the actual Apollo 16 capsule.
Overlooking the city of Huntsville is the 1,000-foot Monte Sano Mountain, with a 2,140-acre state park on top. Located on Monte Sano near the state park, Burritt on the Mountain is a living history museum with restored buildings of the early 1800s; the main attraction is the mansion of Dr. William Henry Burritt, who donated his estate to the city.
The downtown area of Huntsville is located about 12 miles north of Ditto Landing. The U.S. Space and Rocket Center and the Botanical Gardens are located along Interstate 565, which connects US 231 and I-65. Besides Monte Sano, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and the Botanical Garden, there are plenty of other attractions that would be of interest, like the Historic Huntsville Depot, the Museum of Art and the Early Works Complex, which consists of a children’s museum and a city block of restored historical buildings called Constitution Hall Village. There’s also a relatively new attraction called Lowe Mill, which is an arts and entertainment district located entirely within a restored three-story textile factory. It’s billed as America’s largest independent center for the arts and has over 120 working artists, small businesses, restaurants and live musical performances.
Getting There
“Ditto Landing is almost exactly the mid-point of the Tennessee River at Mile Marker 334. It is the southernmost point of Madison County and Huntsville on Highway 231/431 South, which is also called the Memorial Parkway,” said Werner. “For boaters coming into Ditto Landing, the bridge, a Ditto Landing sign and an American flag are markers.”
Getting to Ditto by land is a little more complicated. From Huntsville heading south on US 231, at the last traffic light before the river, turn left turn onto Hobbs Island Road. The marina is then about a half-mile drive. From Hobbs Island Road, there is a Ditto Marina Road. Do not take that road, but go another 10th of a mile to the large sign for Ditto Landing on the right side of Hobbs Island Road. Follow the signs for the campground, boat slips, fuel dock or pavilions.
Author: James Richardson is a contributor to HeartLand Boating
Ditto Landing
N 34 34.588, W 86 33.594
293 Ditto Landing Road
Huntsville, AL 35803
(256) 882-1057 or (256) 883-9420
www.dittolanding.com
Dockage: 18 transient slips at $1 per foot per night
Water depth at dock: 10 feet at normal pool
Fuel: Diesel and non-ethanol, 89-octane gas
Electricity: 30/50 amp
Amenities: Water, ice, restrooms, pumpout, showers, laundry, ramp, limited marine supplies, refershments, snacks, camping, 24-hour security, free WiFi
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6p.m., Monday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday through Sunday (summer); 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (winter)
VHF Channel: 16
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