Want to get out, be active, and maybe find a shady trail to enjoy this summer? There are many paths for walkers, hikers, runners, and bike riders of any skill level to be found throughout Montgomery and the rest of the River Region.
Trails are on the way from the non-profit group River Region Trails . Projects in the works include a Selma-to-Montgomery Trail , the Cypress Nature Preserve , and the Jackson Cut rail-to-trail conversion project that'll stretch from Riverwalk Stadium to Oak Park.
Some of the River Region Trails projects that you can enjoy now are the Riverfront Greenway at Riverfront Park (which has plans to expand this year), the Park & Arts Trail that connects Blount Cultural Park with Ida Bell Young Park, and the Old Cloverdale Trail that has shared-use lanes on College Street and Cloverdale Road that are linked by sidewalks along Fairview and Felder avenues.
East of Montgomery, work is also continuing on the Pike Road Natural Trail , which Pike Road Mayor Gordon Stone said showcases the town's natural blessings.
This trail system is being constructed in phases, the first of which runs alongside Meriwether Road between U.S. 231 and Pike Road, with a trailhead at each end. Another trailhead is at Veterans Park, near Pike Road's Old Town Hall site at the corner of Meriwether and Pike Road. A branch also runs alongside Marler Road. Phase III is under construction along Wallahatchie Road.
The plan is to complete a trail network that connects the town’s neighborhoods and future recreational sites — and by doing so improves quality of life there.
"We were able to receive a grant, and that started the evolution of the Pike Road trail system," Stone said. "Now we have more than 35 miles of trails approved and in our master plan."
Stone said Pike Road's trails are natural surface which can be used by walkers, joggers, bikes, and horses.
"We are currently in the process of adding trail stops," Stone said. "We have numerous trail heads with different features, from a vegetative trail head to a historical trail head."
There are many more trails and walking areas throughout the region — supervised by a variety of groups and agencies — that people can enjoy now:
Alabama Nature Center
- Where: 3374 Lanark Road, Millbrook
- Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Type: Five miles of trails and boardwalks.
- Extras: It's a 350-acre outdoor education facility. The area is also home to the Alabama Wildlife Federation Headquarters, the Alabama Nature Center and Historic Lanark.
- Contact: 334-285-4550
Three loop trails and a path at Auburn University at Montgomery
- Where: AUM campus is at 7400 East Drive, Montgomery. A gravel parking area for the trails is available near the baseball stadium.
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Three hiking trail loops adjacent to the campus. They're segmented as red (2 miles), blue (1 miles), and yellow (1 mile). There's also the 1-mile purple path. They're available for hiking, walking, and biking.
- Extras: Trailheads can also be accessed from AUM Drive.
- Contact: 334-244-3000
Bartram Nature Trail
- Where: Fort Toulouse - Fort Jackson Park, 2521 W. Fort Toulouse Road, Wetumpka
- Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Type: 1 mile hiking trail
- Extras: Recreated 1751 Fort Toulouse, Creek Indian houses, 1814 American Fort Jackson, a 1,000-year-old Indian mound
- More info: 334-567-3002 or fttoulousejackson.org
Blount Cultural Park
- Where: 1 Festival Drive, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Long walking paths
- Extras: Park is home to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and Alabama Shakespeare Festival. It has picnic areas, a dog park, huge grassy spaces, duck ponds, and statues.
Buddy Watson
- Where: 1801 Taylor Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunup to sundown, except on game days
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Baseball/softball fields, batting cages, playground, picnic shelter
- More info: 334-625-2300
Calhoun Park (Twin Gates)
- Where 4121 Gateway Drive, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunup to sundown
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Basketball court, benches, playground, tennis court
- More info: 334-625-2300
Cloverdale Road Park
- Where: 3124 Cloverdale Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunup to sundown
- Type: Walking trails — part of the River Region Trails Old Cloverdale Trail , a 2 mile loop.
- Extras: Playground, benches, gazebo
- More info: 334-625-2300
Creekwalk
- Where: 127 W. Main St, Prattville
- Hours: 24 hours
- Type: Walkway
- Extras: Picnic tables
- Contact: 334-595-0800
Dorchester Park
- Where: Dorchester Drive, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunup to sundown
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Playground, pavilion, benches, open play space
- Contact: 334-595-0800
Exchange Club Park
- Where: 850 Coliseum Blvd., Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Baseball and softball fields, pavilion
- Contact: 334-625-2300
Fitzgerald Park
- Where: 840 Felder Ave., Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trails
- Extras: Benches and a fountain.
- More info: 334-625-2300
Fox Hollow Park
- Where: 4690 Chrystan Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking path
- Extras: Picnic tables, playground, slides
- More info: 334-625-2300
Freedom Park
- Where: 481 Williamson St., Montgomery in Maxwell Air Force Base
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Benches, playground
- More info: 334-625-2300
Gateway Park
- Where: 3800 Davenport Drive, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trails
- Extras: Golf course (closed Mondays), Gateway Park Lodge, picnic areas, playground
- More info: 334-625-2300
Gold Star Park
- Where: 300 Ready St., Wetumpka
- Hours: Daily 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Type: Riverside walking trail
- Extras: Playground, picnic areas
- More info: 334-567-5147
Hyde Park (Burbank)
- Where: 5816 Hyde Park Drive, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Playground, picnic shelter, open play space.
- More info: 334-625-2300
Ida Bell Young Park
- Where: 5400 Vaughn Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Playground, tennis courts and picnic areas.
- More info: 334-625-2300
James A. Shannon Park
- Where: 2220 Edgemont Ave., Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Basketball court, football/soccer fields, tennis court, pavilion
- Learn more: 334-625-2300
John B. Scott Forever Wild Trail
- Where: Gold Mine Road, Tallassee
- Hours: Daily 6:30 a.m. to dusk
- Type: Trailhead. 4.4-mile loop trail
- Extras: Birding, hiking, and running.
Lagoon Park Trails
- Where: 2733 Gunter Park Drive E, Montgomery,
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: More than five miles of walking and biking trails with scenic lake and marsh views
- More info: 334-625-2300
Leu Hammonds Park
- Where: 389 Green Leaf Drive, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Baseball/softball fields, basketball court, tennis court, playground
- More info: 334-625-2300
Montgomery Whitewater trails
- Where: 1100 Maxwell Blvd., Montgomery
- Hours: Usually open during the park's normal hours. Trails are subject to close, usually due to weather and wet conditions. Guests should go to the park's website to see if trails are open: montgomerywhitewater.com/activities/mountain-biking-running-walking-trails/
- Type: Scenic views of the Alabama River on this mixed-use trail system for walking, running and bike riding. There are four trails on site : Substation Trail .5 mile, Gravel Trail .45 mile, Wetland Trail 1 mile, and River Trail 1 mile. These are free to use. You can bring your own bike, or rent one from Montgomery Whitewater.
- Extras: The park is free to enter. For a fee, you can book a whitewater rafting adventure there, or time in the rope course and zip lines. There's a restaurant, frequent concerts, and guests can watch as others go through the challenging artificial whitewater course.
- More info: 334-746-6530 or montgomerywhitewater.com
Oak Park
- Where: 1010 Forest Ave., Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Area for walking or jogging
- Extras: Lots of trees, playground, picnic area. It's connected to a botanical garden and the Gayle Planetarium.
- Contact: 334-625-2300
Peter Crump Elementary
- Where: 3480 Woodley Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset, or end of games
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Baseball/softball fields, playgrounds, picnic shelters
- More info: 334-625-2300
Swayback Bridge Trail
- Where: Jordan Dam Road, Wetumpka
- Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Type: Walking trails
Vaughn Road Park
- Where: 3620 Vaughn Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Tennis court, Vita course, playground, picnic areas
- More info: 334-625-2300
Virginia Estates Park
- Where: 3141 Peabody Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trails
- Extras: Playgrounds, shelters
- More info: 334-625-2300
Wares Ferry Park
- Where: 6425 Wares Ferry Road, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Benches, open space, playground
- More info: 334-625-2300
Washington Park
- Where: 2330 Dorothy St., Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trail
- Extras: Boat ramp, playground, shelter, amphitheater, benches
- More info: 334-625-2300
Wilderness Park/Bamboo Forest
- Where: 800 Upper Kingston Road, Prattville
- Hours: Daily 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Type: Walking trails
- Extras: Dogs allowed. Picnic tables.
- More info: 334-361-3640
Woodcrest Park
- Where: 4325 Thornwood Drive, Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trails
- Extras: Baseball/softball fields, tennis court, playground, Vita course, putting green
- More info: 334-361-3640
Woodmere Park
- Where: 5881 Woodmere Blvd., Montgomery
- Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset
- Type: Walking trails
- Extras: Football/soccer fields, playground, pond, Vita course
- More info: 334-361-3640
Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com . To support his work please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser .
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Hit the trail: A guide to walking and biking paths across Montgomery and the River Region
