Day Trippin' › Alabama › From Birmingham › Best hikes
Our picks for the best hikes within 3 hours of Birmingham: 47 places, 4 under an hour away, 19 between 1 and 2 hours and 24 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 35203.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, 27 min northeast of Birmingham.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Waynersnitzel, CC BY-SA 3.0
#1 · State park · 2 hr 16 min northwest
Rocky hills, a 1938 CCC swinging bridge over Bear Creek and some of the best trails in Mississippi.
Heads-up: Rocks are slick when wet.
Photo: RBharris, CC BY-SA 3.0
#2 · Hike · 1 hr 45 min northwest
A deep, mossy sandstone canyon with waterfalls and old hemlocks, famous for glowing Dismalites on night tours.
Heads-up: Register at the Country Store. Phone line was down; email or visit in person.
Photo: Dallas Epperson, CC BY-SA 3.0
#3 · Cave · 1 hr 55 min northeast
A cave with one of the widest entrances in the world and Goliath, a stalagmite about 45 feet tall. It stays about 60 degrees all year.
Heads-up: Reserve tours online ahead. No pets in the cave or buildings.
Photo: Richard A. Weaver, CC BY-SA 4.0
#4 · National park · 1 hr 56 min northeast
A deep canyon on top of Lookout Mountain with a scenic rim drive, overlooks, Little River Falls and spots for paddling and climbing.
Heads-up: Pets on a 6-foot leash. Swift water and cliffs; swimming can be dangerous.
Photo: Ronmacal at English Wikipedia, Public domain
#5 · State park · 2 hr 7 min northeast
A big canyon on Lookout Mountain with waterfall stairs, rim views and bike trails.
Heads-up: The waterfall trail has hundreds of steps. Rim overlook is short and easy.
Photo: Thomsonmg2000, CC0
#6 · Garden · 2 hr 38 min east
A big garden resort with a butterfly house, a lake beach, a chapel and a 10-mile bike trail.
Heads-up: Beach open in summer only. No strollers in the butterfly center.
Photo: Matthew Gordon, CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · Cave · 29 min north
Guided tours through a living cave about a mile long, plus a big pool fed by cave water.
Heads-up: Tour has 365 steps, 110 at the exit. Reserve ahead; tours can sell out.
Photo: Ryan Cragun, Public domain
#8 · State park · 1 hr 26 min east
The highest point in Alabama at 2,407 feet, with rock overlooks, a lake, CCC history and access to the Pinhoti Trail.
Heads-up: The old hotel was torn down; a new one is planned. Dog park on site.
Photo: dmtilley, CC BY 3.0
#9 · State park · 1 hr 44 min north
A mountaintop park above Huntsville with about 20 miles of hiking, 14 miles of biking, CCC cabins, a Japanese garden and fall views.
Heads-up: Trails close 30 min before sunset. Don't follow GPS on Bankhead Highway if towing.
Photo: Allen Patterson from Auburn, Alabama, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#10 · Historic site · 1 hr 45 min southeast
The site of the 1814 battle that ended the Creek War, with a tour road, river views and trails.
Heads-up: Phone 256-234-7111 for current conditions.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain
#11 · Wildlife · 2 hr 37 min west
Big refuge near Starkville spread over three counties, with lakes and hiking trails.
Heads-up: Hunting seasons apply in parts of the refuge.
Photo: Kmvl11, CC BY-SA 4.0
#12 · Bike trail · 2 hr 11 min east
A long paved rail trail that runs west from Smyrna toward Alabama through woods, trestles and small towns.
Heads-up: Bring water; services are spread out on the western sections.
Photo: Marc Merlin, CC BY-SA 4.0
#13 · Bike trail · 2 hr 15 min east
A paved rail trail loop project linking city parks, food halls and public art. The Eastside Trail is the busiest stretch.
Heads-up: Very busy on weekends with walkers, bikes and scooters. Ride slow and yield.
Photo: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
#14 · Bike trail · 2 hr 22 min west
A 43.6-mile paved rail trail from Houston to New Albany through farm country and small towns.
Heads-up: Little shade in summer. Bring water.
Photo: Thomson200, CC0
#15 · Hike · 2 hr 38 min east
Bare granite outcrops, rare plants and a long paved path for walking and biking east of Atlanta.
Heads-up: Rock gets hot in summer. Stay off the fragile plant pools on the granite.
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve (27 min), Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park (35 min), Noccalula Falls Park (59 min), Chief Ladiga Trail (1 hr 9 min), Lake Lurleen State Park (1 hr 17 min), Cook Museum of Natural Science (1 hr 17 min), Pinhoti Trail (1 hr 19 min), Wind Creek State Park (1 hr 24 min), Lake Guntersville State Park (1 hr 38 min), DeSoto State Park (1 hr 39 min), Burritt on the Mountain (1 hr 40 min), Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail (1 hr 48 min), Joe Wheeler State Park (1 hr 54 min), Buck's Pocket State Park (1 hr 57 min), Chewacla State Park (1 hr 59 min), Sweetwater Creek State Park (1 hr 59 min), Bonita Lakes Park (2 hr 7 min), Fernbank Museum of Natural History (2 hr 20 min), Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (2 hr 22 min), Etowah Indian Mounds (2 hr 23 min), Red Top Mountain State Park (2 hr 29 min), Chickamauga Battlefield (2 hr 31 min), Chattahoochee Nature Center (2 hr 31 min), Panola Mountain State Park (2 hr 32 min), Stone Mountain Park (2 hr 33 min), Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (2 hr 35 min), F.D. Roosevelt State Park (2 hr 40 min), Rowan Oak (2 hr 47 min), Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (2 hr 54 min), Frank Jackson State Park (2 hr 56 min), High Falls State Park (2 hr 58 min), Hard Labor Creek State Park (2 hr 59 min)
Our top picks are Tishomingo State Park (2 hr 16 min), Dismals Canyon (1 hr 45 min), Cathedral Caverns State Park (1 hr 55 min), Little River Canyon National Preserve (1 hr 56 min) and Cloudland Canyon State Park (2 hr 7 min). The page lists 47 places in all.
47: 4 under an hour away, 19 between 1 and 2 hours and 24 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 35203.
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, about 27 min northeast of Birmingham.
9 need no pass or fee, including Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, Chief Ladiga Trail and Pinhoti Trail. Fees change, so check each place.
36 of the 47 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.