Photos by Lexi Coon
Guests at Red Mountain Park work their way around the Hugh Kaul Beanstalk Forest, a high ropes obstacle course offered within the park. Activities include a zip line, a slack line, a variety of bridges and balance beams, and webbing to crawl through. Other adventures offered at the park include the Vulcan Materials Zip Trip, the Mega Zip and the Kaul Adventure Tower.
Walk the trails of Birmingham’s Red Mountain and you can almost hear centuries of storied history whispering in your ear. It’s where men mined for not only iron and ore, but also for equality and the chance to build a better life for themselves, their family and their community.
Red Mountain in many ways represents the lifeblood of Birmingham. Its red dust blankets 1,500 acres of land that once held the raw ingredients needed to produce enough iron to help supply a war. Although Red Mountain’s mines have long been closed — the last active ore mine closed in 1962 — the site still plays a pivotal role in Birmingham’s story today.
THE PARK
Since its inception in 2007, Red Mountain Park has attracted countless individuals seeking respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Both nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers can enjoy a long list of amenities at Red Mountain Park, including trails, adventure attractions and breathtaking views.
Katie Bradford, director of community and public relations at Red Mountain Park, said the park has evolved to represent common ground where people of all walks of life can come and enjoy what nature has to offer.
“There is something here for everyone,” Bradford said. “Your visit to Red Mountain Park will feel like a big discovery of beauty, history and community all at once.”
ZIP INTO ADVENTURE
For first-time visitors, Bradford recommends the Vulcan Materials Zip Trip — a zip line tour that takes participants soaring 40 feet above Red Mountain, for an unmatched aerial view of the land where Birmingham began.
Lasting about one hour, the tour spotlights Red Mountain’s landscape, historical mining sites and surrounding valleys. It also includes an exhilarating rope swing and rappel for participants seeking an extra jolt of adventure.
Once visitors get a taste of the trails, Bradford said, they’ll likely want more.
“The park has become a ‘can’t live without it’ kind of place because it has such a mass appeal,” Bradford said.
ENJOY NATURE'S SPLENDOR
Walkers, joggers and runners alike can find a calming space at Red Mountain Park’s diverse trail system. Night hikes, nature-based children’s activities and group trail runs are just some of the free activities visitors can enjoy.
The 15-mile trail system boasts multiple pathways with different appeals. From the breathtaking view atop Grace’s Gap to Riley’s Roost Treehouse, the park has countless tucked-away trails and views worth taking the trek to find.
Plus, Bradford said, there’s no charge to enjoy the park’s trails — and furry friends are more than welcome to take part in hiking or the six-acre dog park, she added.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Tucked inside Red Mountain Park is the Susan Mott Webb Team Initiative area — a place where groups can enjoy a number of team-building exercises.
“Few know that we have an incredible facilitator on our staff who helps teams grow in everything from their communication to their trust and belief in their team goals,”Bradford said.
It’s not uncommon to see multiple groups out at Red Mountain taking advantage of the park’s team-building activities, Bradford said.
“[The park] has become a unifier for Birmingham because it contains our shared history and common ground in how our city came to be,” Bradford said. “And we are all building it together — this is truly acommunity-built park.”
Red Mountain Park, located at 2011 Frankfurt Drive, is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, visit redmountainpark.org.
