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

FullSizeRender 368 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Freshwater Land Trust participants at the High Ore Trailhead. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.

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.

FullSizeRender 366 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Freshwater Land Trust’s Libba Vaughan addressing participants in the Too Hot to Hike Bus tour of Red Rock Trails. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.

“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.

FullSizeRender 364 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.
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.

FullSizeRender 365 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Company houses lining the road to the High Ore Trail. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.
Screen Shot 2018 06 16 at 7.42.53 AM Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Aerial view of the High Ore Trail. Photo by AirFowl.
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.

FullSizeRender 363 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Enon Ridge Trailhead. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.
FullSizeRender 361 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Enon Ridge Trailhead. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.
FullSizeRender 362 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Enon Ridge Trail. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.
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.

FullSizeRender 367 Freshwater Land Trust 'Too Hot to Hike' tour explored three trails last Saturday, including the High Ore Line Trail
Freshwater Land Trust at the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail trailhead at Greensprings Avenue. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now.
Kiwanis Birmingham
Walkers on the Kiwanis Vulcan Trail – March 2018.

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.

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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