Red Mountain Park, Birmingham

Red Mountain Park is a sprawling 1,500-acre urban park located on a ridge that stretches 4.5 miles through Birmingham. Situated on former U.S. Steel property, this park sits atop land once bustling with ore mining operations-the last of which closed in 1971. Today, it’s a vast woodland filled with closed mine entrances and historical remnants, offering visitors both natural beauty and a glimpse into Birmingham’s industrial past.

Remarkably, Red Mountain Park is one of the largest urban parks in the U.S., covering an area about 78% larger than New York’s Central Park. Efforts to transform the site into a public space began in 2004. By 2005, the Freshwater Land Trust had launched a campaign to raise funds for its development, while the Friends of Red Mountain Park formed to support the initiative. Initially covering 1,200 acres, the park expanded to 1,500 acres by 2016.

In 2006, the Alabama Legislature designated the project as part of the state park system, creating the Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Commission to oversee its development. A year later, the commission became a state agency with full authority over the park. The park’s thoughtfully designed master plan earned recognition from the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2012-the same year the park opened to the public.

Visitors enjoy wooded trails, historic mining sites, and amenities like a 6-acre off-leash dog park. In 2015, Red Mountain Park welcomed about 11,000 visitors per month and even got creative with land care by employing a temporary herd of goats to control invasive species like kudzu and Chinese privet.

Red Mountain Park stands as a powerful blend of history, conservation, and community recreation-where Birmingham’s industrial legacy meets outdoor adventure.