Freshwater Land Trust ‘Too Hot to Hike’ tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail

Has there ever been a more appropriately named fundraising event than this past Saturday’s Freshwater Land Trust Too Hot to Hike: A Beer and Bus Tour of the Red Rock Trail? With temps in the low 90s and stifling humidity, the air conditioning and beer on the bus made for a pleasant afternoon that was educational and fun.

Bham Now joined approximately 60 participants on the tour, which included three popular trails within the Red Rock Trail System – High Ore Line Trail, Enon Ridge Trail and the new Kiwanis Vulcan Trail.

“We always encourage folks to get out and explore a different trail they haven’t seen before – that is the purpose of this bus tour,” said Carolyn Buck, Freshwater Land Trust Red Rock Trail Director.

Below is a photo gallery of the two hour bus tour.

High Ore Line Trail

The High Ore Line Trail is a two-mile walking and cycling trail constructed as part of the Red Rock Ridge & Valley Trail System connecting Red Mountain Park on Red Mountain to the Jones Valley Trail. The trail was dedicated and opened for public use in May 2016.

The High Ore Line Trail begins at U.S. Highway 11 in Midfield near the Jefferson County Department of Health’s Western Health Center. Right of way for the trail corridor from there and through West Brownville is the former High Ore Line Railroad which formerly connected the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company’s Wenonah mines along a continuous downhill slope to Fairfield Works.

Enon Ridge Trail

This trail project, converted the old Enon Ridge Railbed into the off-street multi-use Dorothy Spears Greenway and connects Parker High School to East Thomas Park.

Kiwanis Vulcan Trail

The newest trail in the Red Rock Trail System, the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail located alongside Vulcan, stretches out across Red Mountain to Green Springs Avenue. More than 7700 people walked the trail in the first month and a half since its opening in March, according to the Land Trust.

The “Too Hot to Hike” tour raised monies that will be used to develop new trails and match federal grants.

Do you have a favorite Red Rock System trail?  Please tell us Bham Now.