Cahaba River Park in Shelby County is Birmingham area’s newest nature preserve

Thanks to the visionary leadership of Shelby County Commission and Forever Wild Land Trust, the Birmingham area has a new nature park in Shelby County.

Located at 2793 River Road off Shelby County 251 in Helena, the Cahaba River Park will be operated by the Shelby County Commission.  The land for the park was made possible by the Forever Wild Land Trust.

The park officially opened last month on April 22, 2019.

According to Shelby County Tourism, this scenic natural wonder is located at the confluence of the Cahaba River and Shades Creek with 1,527 acres including a combined 1,339 acres in the North Sector (1,212 acres Forever Wild Property and 127 acres of Shelby County) on River Road (County Road 251) off County Road 13 west of Helena and 188 acres located in the South Sector at the end of County Road 251 off of County Road 10 in the west of Montevallo.

Cahaba River Park Features

Cahaba River Park – Fall 2017 from ShelbyAL on Vimeo.

The new park has something for everybody.

For example, the 1,339 acre north sector features 17 miles of professionally designed and constructed trails for hiking, mountain biking and trail running enthusiasts.

Other activities include places for canoeing, fishing, kayaking, bird watching and swimming.

The park also has a picnic Pavilion, restrooms and outdoor shower.

From a conservation standpoint, the 1500 acre park is a green and recreational oasis surrounded by some of Alabama’s fastest growing communities.  The park also benefits water quality and preserves stunning views of the Cahaba River.

4th 1000+ acre park in the Birmingham Metro area

The addition of the 1527 acre Cahaba River Park in Shelby County makes it the 4th public park in our region topping 1000 plus acres. The include:

Oak Mountain State Park – 9940 acres
Red Mountain Park – 1500 acres
Ruffner Mountain Park – 1040 acres

Support from river protection advocates

Along with the establishment of the park, river advocates such as the Cahaba River Society are excited about Birmingham’s newest park.

“At the Cahaba River Society, we are so excited about the opening of the Shelby County Cahaba River Park,” said Randy Haddock, longtime Field Director at CRS. “This beautiful area will now enjoy greater environmental protection and greater accessibility to hikers, bikers, and paddlers. The Park will help a lot of people to better enjoy the Cahaba River.”

All the Details

Cahaba River Park is a destination for nature lovers everywhere. Visit Shelby Tourism – for all the details including access to all the trailheads.