Field Trips

Explore Nature's Classroom

Join us at Jefferson County’s three largest greenspaces, where each of our locations provides its own unique learning opportunities for budding scientists. At Jefferson County Greenways, we believe that a passion for the natural world begins by being in it. Bring your learners to the great outdoors, where they can experience a variety of activities from hiking to Birmingham’s overlook, visiting old mining sites, and exploring creeks that are home to endangered species. Explore our three unique sites below and learn more about how to book a field trip with us.

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Download Our Field Trip Guide

Red Mountain Park

Spanning 1,500 acres, Red Mountain Park is situated about 7 miles south of downtown Birmingham and is known for its captivating industrial history as well as its miles of hiking and biking trails. Red Mountain Park blends adventure, nature, and local history- ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

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Ruffner Mountain

In the heart of East Lake, Ruffner Mountain is an urban greenspace encompassing 1,038 acres and is most well-known for its beautiful overlook of the city. Ruffner Mountain’s Nature Center houses live, native wildlife ambassadors who help us educate people of all ages about the natural world.

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Turkey Creek Nature Preserve

Located 1 mile from historic downtown Pinson, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve boasts around 900 acres of beautiful forested land and is home to its namesake, Turkey Creek, which supports the endangered Vermilion Darter and eight other threatened species.

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Availability

Field trips are scheduled Wednesday—Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. However, we understand the importance of flexibility and are happy to accommodate your scheduling needs if possible.

Please note the following:

Field trips are reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis. To ensure your spot, we recommend booking a minimum of three months in advance.
Currently, we can accommodate up to 40 students at Red Mountain Park and Ruffner Mountain and 50 students at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. If you have more, please book multiple days.
We can customize your program to meet your needs! If you would like a custom program, please Book a Field Trip and choose “Custom Program”. We will be in touch to discuss how to make your program the best experience possible!
If you are interested in providing a self-guided field trip, complete the Field Trip Request Form and select the program option for “self-guided”. Self-guided field trips require a $100 reservation fee. This fee serves several purposes: it reserves your spot and prevents overbooking, covers parking costs, grants access to the outdoor pavilion and entry to the Nature Center exhibits (*specific to Ruffner Mountain location only). Please note that self-guided field trips are only allowed at Ruffner Mountain and Red Mountain Park.

Cancellation Policy

Please provide a 48-hour notice prior to cancellation.
All programs canceled with less than 48 hour notice or without rescheduling will be charged a $200 cancellation fee.
Program coordinators will monitor the weather closely and notify your group the day prior to the event of a necessary rescheduling due to inclement weather.

Cost

Guided Field Trips are free for all schools within the Birmingham City and Jefferson County School systems. Field trips for schools outside of these systems are priced as the following:

A minimum cost $250 for a guided field trip for up 19 attendees (excluding teachers and teacher aides)
$13 for each additional student
$13 for each chaperone above a 10:1 student:adult ratio
Teachers and teacher aides always enjoy complimentary admission

Questions

Email us at programs@jeffcogreenways.org with additional questions.