Tucked away in a scenic spot just off County Road 146 in Jemison is Minooka Park, an outdoor retreat intended to be out of sight but not out of mind.

Minooka staff and the city of Jemison are working with the Alabama Department of Transportation to place signs for the park in Jemison and on Interstate 65.

Park Manager Gerald Arrington said Minooka must meet certain conditions from ALDOT in order to obtain the interstate signs.

“One of their stipulations is a Trailblazer sign,” Arrington said, explaining that this type of sign would simply point toward the park. “It will just be a basic sign. That one will maybe go up within the next 2 or 3 weeks because it will be good to have that sign regardless of the signs going up on the interstate.”

In a meeting Jan. 2, the Jemison City Council approved a letter from the city on behalf of Minooka Park to ALDOT granting permission to place a Trailblazer sign on County Road 42 and U.S. Highway 31.

“We’ve been trying for quite some time now to get a sign on the interstate at Exit 219,” Arrington said. “I think it will really help us draw traffic off the interstate and just let more people know that we’re here. We’re getting close to getting approval.”

The interstate signs would be under “attractions,” similar to the lodging, fuel and food signs, and would be near the north- and southbound ramps for Exit 219.

“Also on that sign there will be an RV symbol,” Arrington said. “We’re trying to design something to let people know what the park has to offer.”

Arrington said the next step is finishing the logo design and presenting it to the Chilton County Commission for approval.

“It will be good to have that sign up as soon as possible,” Arrington said. “That’s the one that will get more information out there on the interstate.”

Minooka Park has been open for four years, and according to Arrington, is “still going strong.” It is located at 1922 County Road 146 in Jemison.