Ruffner Mountain

Need an oasis from city-​living? Head here. Ruffner trails are well-​marked, are true trails (no two-​tracks in sight), and are exceptionally well-​maintained. Whether you are walking or running, you can get elevation (helllloooo cardio!), great vistas, or just your nature fix. Because of the diversity in trail length or intensity you can put together a short outing (30−45mins) or something longer (3hrs) without a lot of pre-​planning. An asset to our sweet city!

Really cool spot to check out in Birmingham. It isn’t the biggest park I have been to. But it is up there in the coolness factor. There are a lot of different trails to choose from with varying difficulties. It will certainly give you a good hike if that is what you are looking for. And as it was said in other reviews, there are some incredible views here. It would be a great place to check out a sunset. But unfortunately they are close by sundown. Most of the trails are in good shape and in the shade. Definitely a gem in the Magic City.

Great views of Birmingham with trails that span all skill levels!
The Nature Center on 81^st St has some great meeting places. For the best views, start at the ball fields entrance on Ruffner Rd. From here, you can get to Overlook Trail pretty quick (.5miles). Ridge-​Valley trail is tough but takes you to Winter Overlook.
Trails will keep you in the shade and take you over plenty streams.

Great getaway out in Irondale! When you see the Dead End sign, just go a little further and you’ll see the entrance. It’s not the size of Oak Mtn by any means, but there’s still a decent view once you make it up to the ridge. We hiked the hardest trail to get a feel for difficulty, and it was tough enough for what we wanted that day lol
Def want to return and explore the other trails soon

It took two-​and-​a-​half years of living in Birmingham for my wife and I (and our son, and my mother) to visit Ruffner Mountain and hike up to the overlook — boy have we been missing out! Before hitting the main overlook we got caught up in the views down into the old quarry site, but those were nearly forgotten when we dodged the last couple spiderwebs, cleared the treeline, and stepped out into the open, rocky ledge looking over downtown Birmingham. Wow. That was a view, and definitely worth the hike.
Maps of the park are readily found at the nature center and pavilion near the main parking lot for the reserve, and the trails are clearly marked with large signposts and color-​coded signs to match up with the trail colors on the maps.
The hike up to the main overlook is around a mile and a half of moderate trails. We took the Quarry Trail and connected to the Overlook Trail on the way out, and then mixed things up with the Silent Journey Trail and Hollow Tree Trail on the way back to the car. The trail crisscross at several places for easy mixing-​and-​matching of your routes, and some of the options look pretty challenging.
If you don’t live in the East Lake area, I found that the easiest ways to get to the park are via Oporto-​Madrid Blvd from I-​59 to the north or I-​20 to the south. As you follow the last road up to the park, you’ll see a «Dead End» sign, but keep cruising along and you’ll suddenly transition from neighborhood to nature reserve.

Over 1,200 acres of preserved green space within city limits!!! Fantastic trails with panoramic views of Jones Valley and Birmingham City skyline, not to mention historic mining sites scattered throughout…
Be sure to stop by the Treetop Nature Center. A great place for kiddos to see wildlife and learn more about the great outdoors.
Also tune in to their ongoing events calendar — all kinds of great happenings that guarantee fun for all ages!

Great spot hidden away in the city… Per city officials, this park is bigger than Central Park in NYC, making it one of the largest urban parks in the country (true?).
The nature center is well run and has lots of great things for the whole family to do, mainly guided tours and exhibits of different native species found in the park.
The nature center hours are a little unusual, so double check before you come. Though I believe their trails are open during daylight hours.