Five-Star Trails: Birmingham: 35 Beautiful Hikes in and Around Central Alabama

by Thomas M. Spencer

Overview

Discover the Best Hikes in Birmingham, Alabama

Where railroads ran and mines once burrowed into mountains, the healed landscape is repurposed for beautiful hiking and biking opportunities. New and expanding venues around the city provide more chances to get outside and to appreciate the labor and industry that built the city. Explore 35 of Birmingham’s best, five—star trails, divided into six distinct areas in and around the city.

With the expert guidance of local author Thomas M. Spencer, you’ll find yourself on an Appalachian mountain peak or on the banks of the Cahaba River, as it broadens to snake through the Coastal Plain. Visit old—growth forest in the Sipsey Wilderness, or hike down into the “Grand Canyon of the East” at Little River Canyon. Across this landscape, you’ll find a diversity of plant and animal species—some rare and endangered—rivaling those found anywhere else in North America.

Book Features:

• Descriptions of 35 five—star hiking trails for all levels and interests
• GPS—based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads
• Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes
• Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children

Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634043076
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	11/17/2020
Series:	Five-Star Trails
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Born in Birmingham, Thomas Spencer grew up hiking and camping in his native state, and for two decades he crisscrossed Alabama as a reporter for The Anniston Star and The Birmingham News, specializing in coverage of the outdoors and the environment. During his reporting career, he covered the acquisition of the Walls of Jericho, the protection of endangered species, the development of recreational assets such as the Alabama Scenic River Trail and the Pinhoti Trail, and the movement to expand green space and trails in the Birmingham metro area. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Tom is now the senior research associate at the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, based at Samford University. An Eagle Scout, he is a founder of The Friends of Red Mountain Park and serves on the board of the Cahaba River Society.

Read an Excerpt

Oak Mountain State Park: Lake Tranquility Loop
Scenery: 5, Trail Condition: 4, Children: 4, Difficulty: 2, Solitude: 2

• GPS TRAILHEAD COORDINATES: N33° 21.431' W86° 42.288'
• DISTANCE & CONFIGURATION: 3.6—mile loop
• HIKING TIME: 2.5 hours
• HIGHLIGHTS: Abundant wildflowers and ferns, Maggie’s Glen, Lake Tranquility
• ELEVATION: Start at 600', climb to 800.5', descend to 554', and return to 600'
• ACCESS, MAPS, WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: See page 111.
• FACILITIES: Restroom and changing room at the trailhead; table and benches at Maggie’s Glen
• COMMENTS: Lake Tranquility is partially ringed by rental cabins. Use of the lake is restricted to guests who’ve paid to rent those cabins. Respect their privacy.

Overview

This hike, which starts on the Yellow Trail and returns on the White, covers rolling, wooded terrain for the first mile and a half until it reaches Maggie’s Glen. A mile later, you reach the shores of Lake Tranquility. Circle it and make a connection across the rental—cabin access road to the White Trail, which returns to the North Trailhead.

Route Details

From the North Trailhead, walk down the Red Road about 50 yards and turn right at the sign that reads MAGGIE’S GLEN 1.3 MILES. Not long thereafter, the White and Yellow Trails split—follow the Yellow Trail. For most of its course through the park, from the South Trailhead to the North, the Yellow Trail goes up and down. It never ascends the high ridges of Double Oak Mountain, but it does provide a vigorous walk in the foothills.

In this early stretch of trail, the forest is recovering from a pine beetle infestation. Thick patches of juvenile pine trees compete for sunlight; there are also a decent number of longleaf pines and saplings. In late September, the hike offered a wide variety of wildflowers. My daughter, Anna, worked the camera, and we took shots of everything we saw. I know a few flowers but not many. Though the colors were relatively consistent, in pinks, purples, yellows, and whites, the forms and combinations seemed unlimited.

From the pine—topped hills, the trail drops steeply into Maggie’s Glen, an open area by a creek where the White and Yellow Trails reconnect. It’s a nice place for a picnic and a romp in the mossy green rocks.

The hike continues across the creek, heading up a little draw. The White Trail diverges to the left, uphill toward the heights of Double Oak Mountain. We stayed on the Yellow Trail, gaining elevation again and then dropping into a moist valley where another feeder creek drains toward Lake Tranquility. The park’s No. 2—designated campsite is here. The trees here are well—watered and wide—trunked. Ferns, mosses, and mushrooms are abundant. Along this stretch and continuing once you get to the lake, you might notice some structures on the high ridges to your left (southwest). These were the original cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression. The CCC also built the stone dam that you’ll see a little farther on, the dam that makes Lake Tranquility, also known as Old Lake.

The rustic cabins had fallen into disrepair until local Boy Scout troops took an interest. A series of Eagle Scout projects has restored many of the cabins, which are once again used for Scout camping.

Before you actually emerge on the banks of the lake, you’ll first see a swampy backwater formed by a beaver’s dam. The 28—acre lake is cupped by the mountains and surrounded by dense forest. Turning left across a wooden bridge, the Yellow Trail travels along the lake’s southwestern shore. The trailside is rich in wildflowers and ferns and offers several spots where you can look out over the expanse of lake and appreciate the timbered mountainsides or the fall colors, depending on the season. You may see people riding horses along this stretch.

As you make your way around the lake, you’ll come upon the rock dam. Excess water spills over it and into a creek below. You’ll see a dirt road on the opposite side of the dam—you want to get there. Follow the Yellow Trail as it crosses the dam and descends to the creek below. In drier times, it’s easy to rock—hop across the creek and climb the opposite bank to the dirt road, but sometimes the water is high and there’s really no good place to cross. In that case, follow the Yellow Trail another 0.1 mile and exit into the pavilion and picnic area. From there, turn right on the gravel road and continue past the BMX track to a small building with a soda machine. Walk downhill behind the building and you’ll hook up with the dirt road.

Follow the dirt road along the creek and around the lake to the rental cabins. Go left on the paved road past a playground until you see a medium—sized rectangular building on the right. Turn right and pass the long side of the building to head into a grassy field. On the opposite side of the field, following white blazes, continue straight into the woods and intersect the main White Trail. Bear northeast for the final mile of the walk toward the trailhead and parking lot. This stretch of the White Trail follows a creek through a moist, low—lying valley. On our jaunt, we saw multiple varieties of colorful mushrooms. You’ll reconnect to the Yellow Trail and retrace your path toward the parking lot.

Directions

From I—65, follow the directions on page 111. After entering the park, you’ll drive almost its entire length to get to the North Trailhead. From US 280, follow the directions on page 111. About a mile past the back entrance to the park, the North Trailhead parking lot will be on your right, along the main park road.

Table of Contents

OVERVIEW MAP

OVERVIEW—MAP KEY

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREFACE

HIKING RECOMMENDATIONS

INTRODUCTION

City Center

• Civil Rights Heritage Trail: Birmingham’s Walk to Freedom
• Oak Hill Cemetery
• Railroad Park
• Vulcan Trail–Southside Loop

Suburbs

• Aldridge Gardens
• Irondale Furnace & Mountain Brook Trails
• Shades Creek Greenway & Homewood Forest Preserve
• Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest

Moss Rock Preserve

• Moss Rock Preserve: Boulder Field
• Moss Rock Preserve: Boulder Gorge Loop
• Moss Rock Preserve: Waterfall Loop from Sulphur Springs Road

Oak Mountain State Park

• Oak Mountain State Park: King’s Chair Loop
• Oak Mountain State Park: Lake Tranquility Loop
• Oak Mountain State Park: Peavine Falls
• Oak Mountain State Park: Shackleford High Points Hike

Red Mountain Park

• Red Mountain Park: Birmingham Mineral Railroad Loop
• Red Mountain Park: Grace’s Gap
• Red Mountain Park: Mine History Hike

Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve

• Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve: Ridge & Valley Loop
• Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve: Tree House to Hawk’s View
• Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve: Wetlands Retreat

The Cahaba River & Points South

• Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge
• Perry Lakes Park & Barton’s Beach
• Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park

Cheaha & Points East

• Cheaha–Cave Creek–Pinhoti Trail Loop
• Cheaha State Park: Bald Rock & Pulpit Rock
• Chinnabee Silent Trail
• Flagg Mountain: The Southernmost Appalachian
• Pinhoti Trail: Lower Shoal Shelter Section

The Sipsey Wilderness & Points Northwest

• Big Tree Loop
• Hurricane Creek Park
• Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

Little River Canyon & Points Northeast

• Little River Canyon National Preserve: Eberhart Trail
• Palisades Park & the Bridges of Blount County
• Turkey Creek Falls

APPENDIX A: SUGGESTED READING & REFERENCE

APPENDIX B: OUTDOOR RETAILERS

APPENDIX C: HIKING & OUTDOOR CLUBS

APPENDIX D: ADVOCACY & VOLUNTEER GROUPS

INDEX

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MAP LEGEND