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Complete this questionnaire to allow us to help you plan.
Please complete this questionnaire to allow us to help you plan.
From I-59 North
- Take exit 131 and keep right onto Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
- Continue on Oporto-Madrid Blvd. to Rugby Avenue.
- Turn left onto Rugby Avenue.
- Continue to 81st Street South.
- Turn right onto 81st Street South.
- Continue on 81st Street South until it ends at Ruffner Mountain.
From I-59 South
- Take exit 132 to 1st Avenue North.
- Turn left onto 1st Avenue North.
- Continue to Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
- Turn left onto Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
- Continue to Rugby Avenue.
- Turn left onto Rugby Avenue.
- Continue to 81st Street South.
- Turn left onto 81st Street South.
- Continue on 81st Street South until it ends at Ruffner Mountain.
From I-20 East
- Take exit 132A at Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
- Turn left onto Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
- Continue for 1.6 miles to Rugby Avenue.
- Turn right onto Rugby Avenue.
- Continue to 81st Street South.
- Turn right onto 81st Street South.
- Continue on 81st Street South until it ends at Ruffner Mountain.
From I-20 West
- Take exit 132 at Montevallo Rd.
- Continue straight, through the light, keeping right toward Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
- Turn right onto Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
- Continue for 1.6 miles to Rugby Avenue.
- Turn right onto Rugby Avenue.
- Continue to 81st Street South.
- Turn right onto 81st Street South.
- Continue on 81st Street South until it ends at Ruffner Mountain.
From Downtown Birmingham:
Take I-20 E/I-59 N
Take Tallapoosa Street exit (#128 )
Keep right at fork to merge onto Hwy. 79/Tallapoosa St
Continue on Hwy. 79 for approximately 11.9 miles
Turn left onto Narrows Road (at intersection of Hwy 79 and AL 151)
Turn right onto Turkey Creek Road
From I-22:
I-22 to I-65 North
Keep right onto US-31 toward Fultondale
Keep left onto US-31 North toward Fultondale
In 2mi, turn right onto Carson Rd N
In 6.5mi, turn left on Pinson Valley Pkwy/AL-79
In 3.2mi, turn left onto Narrows Rd
Take slight right onto Turkey Creek Rd and arrive at Main Gate
From Huntsville:
Take US Hwy. 231 South
Follow 231 for approximately 60 miles
Merge onto Hwy. 79 South
Continue on Hwy. 79 for approximately 23.5 miles
Turn right onto Narrows Road (at intersection of Hwy 79 and AL 151)
Turn right onto Turkey Creek Road
Frankfurt Drive Entrance: 2011 Frankfurt Drive, Birmingham, AL 35211
From Interstate 65: Take Lakeshore Parkway Exit (Exit 255) headed west (toward Bessemer) for approximately three miles, turn right onto Frankfurt Drive. Park entrance is at the very end of the street in the cul-de-sac. Parking is directly across the street from the entrance; veer to the right onto Lyon Lane and immediately turn right into the parking area.
Venice Road Entrance: 2019 Venice Road, Birmingham, AL 35211
From Interstate 65: Take Lakeshore Parkway Exit (Exit 255) headed west (toward Bessemer) for approximately 3.5 miles (past RMP sign). Right on Sydney Drive/Wenonah Oxmoor Road. Right on Venice Road. Straight for approximately 0.5 miles. Right into parking lot.
From Ishkooda Wenonah Road:
Southeast on Venice Road from Dan’s Grocery. First left into the parking lot.
Turkey Creek is shallow and meanders through the park over several rocky sections. There are no improved boat launch facilities.
Bicycles are not permitted on any of the trails at Ruffner Mountain, but Turkey Creek Nature Preserve and Red Mountain Park have several multi-use trails. You can also visit RideBHM for some downhill mountain bike excitement.
Next on the horizon is East Side Park, a universally accessible nature space. Learn more here.
Jefferson County Greenways is a Public-Private Partnership between the Jefferson County Greenways Commission, which accepts public funding from the state, county, and many municipalities that contribute to the maintenance and operations of the greenspaces alongside the Jefferson County Greenways Foundation, which accepts donations and grant funding.
We recommend the main entrance at 1214 81st St S. You’ll find our Nature Center, Picnic Pavilion, and Restrooms at the main entrance. There are two other trailheads on the Irondale side of the Mountain. The Eastern Trailhead has parking for 5 cars. The Irondale Trailhead does not have parking but is located across the street from the City of Irondale’s Ruffner Ball Park.
The park drive is one way from the main entrance at 3906 Turkey Creek Road to the Highlands Recreation Area at the back gate. We recommend using the main entrance to access all that Turkey Creek has to offer. However, if you would like to avoid the more populous areas of the park to find some solitude on the Highlands Trail, Thompson Trace, or Hanby Hollow, you are welcome to access the Highlands Recreation Area through the back gate.
They are not open at this time. We are currently evaluating options for the future of the adventure courses.
We do not allow entrance to the mines due to their unstable nature and to protect sensitive bat habits. We offer several ways to learn more about the mining history at our greenspaces.
We do not offer overnight accommodations at this time nor we do we permit camping on park grounds.
Jefferson County Greenways and its three greenspaces (Ruffner Mountain, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, and Red Mountain Park) are not wildlife rehabilitation facilities and we do not rehabilitate any wildlife of any kind, and we are legally unable to accept any wildlife drop-offs. If you have found a hurt animal, please visit the Outdoor Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitators page to find your closest rehabber.
Please note that it is illegal in Alabama to rehabilitate raccoons, bats, foxes, and skunks. There are no rehabbers that take these species. If you have found a raccoon, fox, skunk, or bat, please do not touch it and call DCNR at (334) 242-3469. If you or a pet have had physical contact with a raccoon, fox, skunk or bat or the bodily fluids of a raccoon, fox, skunk, or bat, please call your doctor or veterinarian immediately.
If you have found an injured bird, please call the Alabama Wildlife Center at (205) 663-7930 ext 1.
If you have found a squirrel, call Georgie Waldrop in Shelby County at (205) 260-6675.
If you have found a deer, call G&G Farms in Autauga County at (256) 391-2002.
The closest rehabilitation facility for all other mammals is the Environmental Studies Center in Mobile, AL. If you have found an opossum, a rabbit, or any other mammal, please call the Environmental Studies Center at 251-221-5000.
If you have found a reptile or amphibian, call Riverview Animal Clinic at (205) 991-9580.
For further questions, please reach out to our Wildlife Care Specialist at (205) 705-3801.
Please reach out if you still have questions at wildlife@jeffcogreenways.org