Inaugural Hike at Red Mountain Park

[astepatatime]

With the launching of the new site, I'm not sure if a trail report goes here, or in Trail Journals, so apologies if it's in the wrong place.

I participated in the guided hike of RMP today and wanted to share a quick summary and a few pictures.

First - there is definately interest in this park.  There was approximately 200 people that showed up!   It was organized by Friends of Red Mountain and they provided a history of the park.  The land was one of the most productive mine areas for red iron - the fuel for the growth of Birmingingham in the late 1800's and first half of 1900's.

The park looks like what you'd expect from a place that has been unused for 40 or so years:  mature forest with heavy growth of underbrush.  A lot of diversity of plants and birds.  It'll be another beautiful, natural green space when it's opened to the public.   I haven't been to a lot of parks in Alabama, but it seemed a cross between Ruffner Mtn and Moss Rock Preserve - but bigger.

The hike was about 3.2 miles, from a parking area, to the crest of the ridge, and back, in a loop.  From the crest you could look north over industrial Birmingham and south to the Shades Crest valley and Shades Crest road.  We mostly followed old roadbeds or trainbeds, with one cut trail acting as a connector.  There is some elevation changes, as you'd expect, along with lots of rocks and dark red soil.   There are also remnants of structures and mine openings.

It's a decent size land area - we only touched a small portion.  If the roads continue throughout, it'll be a mountain biker's dream.

Here are a few pictures:

Following a roadbed up the side of the mountain towards the crest:

Inaugural Hike at Red Mountain Park

Looking north from the ridge crest:

Inaugural Hike at Red Mountain Park

Looking south:

Inaugural Hike at Red Mountain Park

Single file down the connector trail to the traintrack bed:

Inaugural Hike at Red Mountain Park

Partial opening of a mine - could feel the cold air rushing out of it:

Inaugural Hike at Red Mountain Park

Remnants of structues that carried ore cars to the train tracks:

Inaugural Hike at Red Mountain Park

[Chris]

Those are some great pictures.

[cwhiker]

sounds like you got to see some neat things nice photos thanks for sharing

[Joshua Szulecki]

Good to hear interest is high!

As a side note for the Birmingham park collection, I think that the boardwalk swamp trail they were building at Ruffner either opened last weekend, or is opening soon.