New 1.4-mile Shades Creek Greenway Extension officially open in Homewood

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Shades Creek Greenway Ribbon Cutting 1/17/2025
The Shades Creek Greenway Extension is now open! (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

On Friday, January 17, representatives from the City of Homewood, the Freshwater Land Trust, Friends of Shades Creek and more gathered to cut the ribbon on the Shades Creek Greenway Expansion—a 1.4-mile trail project connecting residents to the ever-growing Red Rock Trail System.

Shades Creek Greenway Extension is now *officially* open

Homewood
Shades Creek Greenway Extension on February 18, 2024 (Pat Byington / Bham Now)

“We are very excited and humbled to officially open this trail. Rumor has it, the trail has been ‘open’ for a while—we actually saw a few people running the trail this morning. It’s exciting to cut this ribbon and get the trail officially open.”

Alex Wyatt, Mayor, City of Homewood

Friday morning’s special ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official completion of the Shades Creek Greenway Extension, a 1.4-mile addition to the popular 2.5-mile Shades Creek Greenway.

The Shades Creek Greenway is the paramount east-west connector in the growing Red Rock Trail System, a network of planned and established recreation and alternative transportation trails located throughout Jefferson County. Adding another 1.4 miles westward takes the user closer to Red Mountain Park, to which we will eventually connect.”

Jennifer Andress, Homewood City Councilor (Ward 5, Place 1) and External Affairs Director at Freshwater Land Trust.
Shades Creek Greenway Ribbon Cutting 1/17/2025
Trailblazing local architect Jane Reed Ross spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

While the Extension was announced back in 2021, the Shades Creek Greenway has been a project 35 years in the making.

“Any project like this takes many partnerships; people coming together and working together. That has certainly been the case with this trail.

We first started applying for Federal funds for this project in 1990—little did we know that it was going to grow into the Red Rock Trail System championed by the Freshwater Land Trust.”

Jane Reed Ross, Senior Landscape Architect, Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC)
Shades Creek Greenway Ribbon Cutting 1/17/2025
The Shades Creek Greenway Extension is now open! (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

The project was made possible by the work of dozens of local organizations, entities and passionate people, including:

  • Jennifer Andress, Homewood City Councilor (Ward 5 Place 1)
  • Friends of Shades Creek
  • The Freshwater Land Trust
  • The City of Homewood
  • Jane Reed Ross and Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC)
  • Homewood Chamber of Commerce
  • Samford University

Shades Creek Greenway now totals 3.7 miles

Don’t wait—check out the new section of the Shades Creek Greenway this weekend!

  • Shades Creek Greenway (Eastern Trailhead) — Brookwood Village Parking Area, Homewood, AL 35209
    • The original 2.5-mile section of the Shades Creek Greenway begins at the Target near Brookwood Village and continues along Shades Creek, ending at Columbia Road near the Homewood Soccer Fields.
  • Shades Creek Greanway (Western Trailhead) — 1248 Oak Grove Rd, Birmingham, AL 35209
    • The new 1.4-mile extension begins west of the Wildwood Shopping Center across from John Carroll Catholic High School and links up with the original section at Columbiana Road.

Another big step in the Red Rock Trail System network

Shades Creek Greenway Ribbon Cutting 1/17/2025
(Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

The completion of the Shades Creek Greenway Extension is a big step forward in the growing Red Rock Trail System—a network of planned and established recreation and alternative transportation trails located throughout Jefferson County.

Once complete, the Red Rock Trail System would complete a 36-mile loop around the Birmingham Metro, connecting Red Mountain Park to Ruffner Mountain and back.

“36 miles is not an easy task, but the Freshwater Land Trust and our municipal partners, business partners and nonprofit partners are dedicated to seeing its construction over the next 10 to 15 years. Where we stand today is the first phase of that vision.”

Carolyn Buck, Red Rock Trail System Director, Freshwater Land Trust

Have you tried out the new Shades Creek Greenway Extension? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know your favorite part!

Nathan Watson
Nathan Watson

Senior Content Producer + Photographer

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