Local volunteer group building the Southeast’s first adaptive biking trail at Tannehill

A Birmingham-area volunteer group is working to make Alabama’s natural beauty more accessible than ever. 

BUMP, a non-profit focused on building and maintaining mountain biking trails in the Birmingham area, is constructing one of the first hiking trails in the Southeast built specifically to accommodate adaptive bikes, bicycles that have been modified to meet the needs of riders with a disability or mobility issue.

“There’s been some developments in adaptive bikes, and now, since the equipment is available, the riders are becoming more plentiful.

We believe we can build an entire network of trails of varying difficulty that will serve both adaptive and traditional mountain bikers.”

Chase Draper, President, BUMP

The project will create Alabama’s first hiking trail designed and built to be fully accessible to those with disabilities.

“As chair of the Alabama Trails Commission and Director of the Governor’s Office on Disability, I applaud BUMP’s efforts to create the first adaptive mountain bike trail in Alabama.  Their actions move Alabama at least one step closer to having a statewide system of trails that is universally designed.”

Graham Sisson, chairman of Alabama Trails Commission

New adaptive trail at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park

Over the past 30 years, BUMP, which stands for Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers, has developed, built & managed a 30-mile, multi-use trail system at Oak Mountain State Park, turning it into one of the premier mountain bike destinations in the South. 

When BUMP began searching for ideal locations for an adaptive bike-friendly hiking trail, they identified a good opportunity at Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. The 1,500-acre park recently added 1,000 acres of forest land through the Forever Wild Land Trust and provided the perfect canvas for BUMP to construct Alabama’s first trail optimized for adaptive bikes.

“Alabama has a ton of natural resources, but when we look at outdoor recreation for the state of Alabama, we trail every one of our neighboring states. So we’re working to increase opportunities for outdoor recreation here in the Birmingham area, at no cost to the taxpayers.”

Chase Draper, President, BUMP

First phase to be completed in 2025

The plan calls for a total of 14 miles of trail to be constructed, with the first 5 miles already under construction now and slated to be completed by early 2025.

BUMP has already applied for a grant to cover the construction of the remaining portion of the trail.

You can read about the full details of the plans for the Tannehill trail project here.

How you can support BUMP

BUMP is a volunteer-driven organization and is always in need of volunteers to help with trail construction and maintenance. You can sign up to volunteer here.

You can also make a donation to BUMP, which will help cover the costs of equipment rental to build the trail.

Finally, you can become a member of BUMP and join the group to get in on regular trail rides, group volunteering efforts, and even special discounts at several local cycling shops.

Have you explored one of Central Alabama’s beautiful hiking trails? Post your favorite hiking photos and tag us to share the fun.