Hiking_AL-43

29 Treetop Trail

If you’re looking for a trail to keep the kids’ attention, this would be the one. The Treetop Trail is a short, easy walk along a dirt footpath with a cascading brook running next to it. Along the route you’ll see birds and raptors that cannot be returned to the wild because of their injuries and pay a visit to the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (AWRC), where sick and injured birds and animals are rehabbed so they can be released.

Start: Day-use parking lot on Terrace Drive

Distance: 1.1-mile lollipop

Hiking time: About 1 hour, longer depending on your stay at AWRC

Difficulty: Easy

Trail surface: Dirt footpath, boardwalk

Best seasons: Year-round

Other trail users: None

Canine compatibility: Leashed dogs permitted on the trail, not permitted in AWRC

Land Status: State park

Nearest town: Pelham

Fees and permits: Day-use fee

Schedule: Year-round, sunrise to 1 hour before dark

Maps: USGS Chelsea, Helena, AL; DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer, page 31 G6; trail maps available at gate or camp store

Trail contact: Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Dr., Pelham, AL 35124; (205) 620-2524; www.alapark.com/oakmountain

Finding the trailhead: From Pelham on I-65 at exit 248, take AL 119 South / Cahaba Valley Road 0.2 mile and turn left onto Oak Mountain Road. Travel 1.9 miles and turn left onto John Findley III Drive. Travel 2.6 miles and make a right turn onto Terrace Drive. Travel 1 mile and park in the day-use parking lot on the left. The trailhead is across the street from the parking area to the southwest. GPS: N33 19.501' / W86 45.447'

The Hike

Sometimes trying to get your kids outside more and to appreciate nature is a battle. It’s hard to fight those video games. But hiking in Alabama presents some truly remarkable adventures that can make your battle easier, and probably one of the best trails is at Oak Mountain State Park—the Treetop Trail.

The Treetop Trail combines two things kids love: animals and water. For most of the hike, you will be walking next to a beautiful little cascading brook. This is a seasonal stream, so it may not be flowing in the heat of summer.

Then there are the animals. Oak Mountain is the home of the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (AWRC), a nonprofit organization with a simple mission: “To provide medical and rehabilitative care for Alabama’s injured and orphaned native birds in order to permit their return to the wild and to educate people in order to heighten awareness and appreciation of Alabama’s native wildlife.” The center is the state’s oldest and largest such facility. On average it receives over 1,800 birds representing 100-plus species to rehabilitate per year.

Of course, some of the birds cannot be rehabilitated and would not survive on their own. AWRC provides a special home for them along the Treetop Trail. At the very beginning of the hike, you will make an immediate right turn to the southwest to pay them a visit. The trail here is an elevated boardwalk with large cages housing the birds. Informative signs next to the cages tell you about the birds, which include several owls such as barred, screech, and great horned, as well as turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks. Many times a volunteer from the center will be on hand to answer questions.

The trail before the boardwalk begins as a wide dirt path, almost a dirt road. After the boardwalk it becomes a narrower dirt footpath as it meanders up the hillside until it reaches the top of the ridge and the AWRC building itself. The facility is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Inside is an amazing display of educational exhibits as well as live birds. You may see hummingbirds and butterflies in the garden or watch as the volunteers feed orphaned babies. Outside behind the building is the Freedom Flight Cage, where red-tailed hawks in for rehabilitation can literally stretch their wings and freely fly about.

In 2011 the center began holding monthly educational programs on a wide variety of bird-related topics, everything from how to attract hummingbirds to raptor demonstrations. Be sure to visit their website for event schedules. And by the way, AWRC is always looking for volunteers to help out.

0.0	Start from the trailhead across the street to the south from the day-use parking area on Terrace Drive. A large wooden sign and a short footbridge over a ditch marks the way. Just after the bridge there is a Y; a kiosk here tells about the trail. Take the right fork and head up the stairs and boardwalk to view birds that cannot be released into the wild because of their condition.
0.2	Come off the boardwalk at a wide dirt footpath that heads to the left and right (northwest/southeast). This is the un-blazed Treetop Trail. Turn to the right (southeast) onto the Treetop Trail. A nice little creek flows alongside the trail. In less than 0.1 mile, you will cross the creek twice over short footbridges. Shortly after, you will be walking alongside a split-rail fence to your right between you and the creek.
0.3	Cross the creek again over a footbridge and make a short climb uphill over some rock stairs. In 100 feet cross the creek again over a footbridge.
0.4	The Yellow Trail enters from the left (north). Continue straight (southeast). In 100 feet come to a sign that shows the Yellow and Treetop Trails turning right (southwest). Do not turn here but continue straight to the south. The trail turns into a hard-packed dirt bed. You will be walking between several buildings on each side of the trail on top of hills.
0.6	Arrive at the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Take your time to visit the exhibits, talk to the volunteers, and visit the birds. When done, retrace your steps back to the boardwalk at mile 0.2.
1.1	Back at the boardwalk, instead of heading back over the boardwalk (although you can if you want to), continue straight on the wide dirt footpath to the trailhead. In 100 yards arrive back at the trailhead.

Option

To make a longer trip of it, you have the option of turning this into a lollipop loop, but be warned, it’s a rugged hike with several steep climbs. To make the loop, follow the Treetop Trail to just before making the turn to the rehabilitation center. Turn right on the Yellow Trail to the southwest. You’ll cross the Green Trail once and the Red Trail twice before coming to the Green-Yellow Connector Trail, which will take you back to the Green Trail. Turn south on the Green Trail and continue until you return to the Yellow Trail. Turn left (northeast) and head back to the Treetop Trail and the trailhead.

Hiking Information

Local Information

Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2200 Ninth Ave. North, Birmingham, AL 35203; (800) 458-8085; www.birminghamal.org

Local Events/Attractions

Birmingham Zoo, 2630 Cahaba Rd., Birmingham; (205) 879-0409; www.birminghamzoo.com. Fun and education for the entire family await you at the Birmingham Zoo. Some of the wildlife at the zoo include rhinos, giraffes, wildebeests, and zebras. Open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Lodging

Oak Mountain State Park Campground, 200 Terrace Dr., Pelham; (205) 620-2527; www.alapark.com/oakmountain/camping. Primitive and improved campsites.

Restaurants

Cafe Tretuno, 3018 Pelham Pkwy., Pelham; (205) 664-7887; www.cafetrentuno.com. Pizza, pasta, and more.

Hike Tours

Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Dr., Pelham; (205) 620-2520; www.alapark.com/oakmountain/Nature%20Programs%20&%20Events. Oak Mountain State Park has naturalists that love to talk about nature within the park. Contact them for information about setting up a tour, or visit the website for a list of special tours and events.