Tag Archives: Shades Creek

Historic Preservation, Hoover, Parks & Recreation, Shades Creek, Shades Crest Road, shades mountain

Protecting a Preserve in Bluff Park

Birmingham may soon have an 18 acre natural preserve near Tip Top Grill in Bluff Park, thanks largely to Larry Rodick, President of Friends of Shade Mountain, who has been spearheading the effort. Birmingham City Council has approved an agreement to work with Hoover and the non-profit organization to protect this historic and scenic site. Plans include gaining permission to create trails from the top of the bluff through the valley and all the way to Shades Creek. Read more about Bluff Park’s history HERE and HERE.

Group of four individuals posing in front of a Birmingham City Council backdrop, smiling and standing together.
Left to right: Marjorie White: Birmingham Historical Society Director, Larry Rodick: President of Friends of Shade Mountain, and preservation advocates Peggy Cornett, and Tabitha Lacy at the April 14th COB Council Meeting.
From Friends of Shades Mountain FB
Birmingham Landmarks, Birmingham pioneers, Coal Mines, Parks & Recreation, Railroads, Red Mountain, Red Mountain Park, Shades Creek, shades mountain

Historic Hiking Trails in Birmingham

Are you a hiker? Do you enjoy nature trails? Are you interested in history? If so, there is lots to explore on Birmingham’s historic hiking trails as posted by AllTrails and available right on your smartphone.

The app provides driving directions, maps, points of interest, photos, and even plant identification with estimated times, length of trails, elevation changes, and difficulty. Abandoned mines and railroad tracks, along with associated structures, tell the story of Birmingham’s early industrial heritage. The topography and natural environment offer clues into why the area developed as it has.

Red Mountain, Full Loop by Randi Bechtel
Irondale Furnace Trail by Brian Cash

Want more? Check out the numerous Birmingham Historical Society publications that go into depth about Birmingham’s industrial history including:

And follow the posts on the preservation of Ross Bridge

The weather is beautiful! It’s time to get outside and HIKE