Jefferson: Nature Trails and History

In Jefferson, experiences range from paths through forests and parks to places where the history of Birmingham and the county comes to life. Nature, art, and civil rights history can each be the focus of your trip. Activities vary, too: alongside hiking and cycling trails, you’ll find museums, historic sites, and offerings centered on metal art.

Trails, Parks, and Landscapes

The Red Rock Trail System is a network of trails, parks, and infrastructure following the “Complete Streets” approach in Jefferson County, Alabama. At Red Mountain Park, two specific figures add context: the site covers more than 1,500 acres and offers more than 18 miles of hiking and biking trails. This gives you both the expansive parkland and the length of its designated trails to consider.

Ruffner Mountain is a 1,038-acre nature preserve. Its trails wind through southern upland forests and are described as easy to moderate. Its flora and fauna include resident and migratory birds. Smaller tributaries in Jefferson County’s river system also offer scenic views and opportunities for recreation.

At Turkey Creek, the Boy Scout Trail follows the banks of Turkey Creek on a scenic route from the falls to Vermilion Run. In Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, Hanby Hollow Trail is one of five trails. Highland Trail stands out for its short, paved route along the preserve’s ridge. Thompson Trace can be linked with Hanby Hollow to form a loop. These trail descriptions provide different points of reference: a route along the riverbank, a short paved trail, and a possible connection between two trails.

The activities on offer vary as well. Narrows Ridge Loop Trail is open to mountain bikers and hikers. Red Mountain Park, meanwhile, has trails for both hiking and biking. If you’re looking for another way to enjoy the outdoors, there’s The Back Yard at Oxmoor Valley: a nine-hole, par-3 golf course played exclusively on foot.

History, Art, and Unique Experiences

Sixteenth Street Baptist Church was organized in 1873 under the name First Colored Baptist Church of Birmingham and was the first Black church in Birmingham. Historic Kelly Ingram Park was the site of civil rights rallies, demonstrations, and confrontations in the 1960s. A free mobile tour explains the historical significance of each sculpture and is available to anyone with a mobile phone.

The collection at Birmingham Museum of Art comprises more than 29,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and works of decorative art. It spans from antiquity to the present day. Bessemer Hall of History offers a different perspective on regional history: it is housed in a renovated Southern Railway depot and documents the history of Bessemer, Jefferson County, and Alabama. Hall of History is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

At Sloss Furnaces, four metal artists teach classes in iron casting and metal fabrication. Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is located next to Barber Motorsports Park, which includes a 2.3-mile racetrack. Experiences thus range from art and history to metalworking and motorsports—another possible focus for your time in Jefferson, alongside nature and trails.

Discover more destinations: Birmingham, Trussville, Bessemer, Fultondale, Hoover, Leeds, Irondale, Clay, Gardendale, Vestavia Hills.

For the broader travel overview: Alabama.