At SoulGrown, we hold a deep passion for showcasing the beauty of Alabama. From bustling city centers to peaceful natural landscapes, there is a story to be told from every corner of our state. We seek to highlight all our state has to offer through series like our State Parks Passport, which explores the diverse collection of state parks open to adventurers and those seeking to appreciate the area’s natural beauty.
Fueled by a similar appreciation for our state’s natural offerings, the Alabama Tourism Department recently held the official launch of their Year of Alabama Trails campaign at Vulcan Park and Museum overlooking downtown Birmingham. The goal of the multi-year campaign is to celebrate the state’s extensive trail systems and their positive impact on tourism, conservation, quality of life, and economic development.
“For more than 20 years, our ‘Year Of’ campaigns have introduced visitors to the people, places, and experiences that make Alabama unique,” said Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell. “Trails offer one of the most immersive ways to explore our state—whether from the seat of a bike, the path beneath your boots or the pull of a paddle. This year, we’re inviting everyone to get outside and experience Alabama’s natural beauty in a way only our trails can provide.”
(Ginnard Photography/Contributed)
We had the pleasure of speaking with Sentell, who gave insight into his vision for the campaign. “I think it’s great that so many people have gotten behind the idea of the Year of Alabama Trails,” he shares. For him, the campaign is a way for Alabama natives and visitors to enjoy time with their loved ones while exploring all that Alabama has to offer. “We’re blessed to have such great state parks from Florence down to the Gulf Coast—there’s so much that people can enjoy to generate memories for their families.”
He points to Alabama’s incredible diversity as a major area of distinction for the state, “As we say, from the mountains to the beaches, Alabama has so much diversity. That’s what we’ll be talking about for the next two years—the different choices that people have,” shares Sentell.
Alabama’s diversity of landscape is also a key area of interest for Rusha Smith, Executive Director of Freshwater Land Trust, a campaign partner and speaker at the recent launch. As we spoke with Smith to learn more about Freshwater Land Trust’s hopes for the campaign, she shared, “I hope that, first of all, Alabama residents and visitors to Alabama will take advantage of the state we live in, which is one of the most biodiverse in the country.”
(Ginnard Photography/Contributed)
Smith and team are currently working on the ambitious Red Rock Trail System, which hopes to create a 36-mile trail loop around the greater Birmingham metropolitan area. The premier trail network system would connect the area’s three largest green spaces—Railroad Park, Ruffner Mountain, and Red Mountain Park—as well as other key locations. For Smith, the trail system is an ideal way for locals and visitors to enjoy the county’s natural beauty to its fullest. “I hope that it encourages more users on the trail system, both locals and visitors, and brings awareness to both people inside Alabama and outside of Alabama about the amazing natural resources that we have here, particularly when it comes to outdoor recreation,” shared Smith.
The Red Rock Trail System is one of the Alabama Tourism Department’s 25 Must-Tread Trails for 2025. Other trails include well-known favorites and lesser-known gems that adventurers from around the area are sure to enjoy exploring:
25 Must-Tread Trails for 2025
- Monte Sano State Park – Huntsville
- Black Creek Trails – Gadsden
- Chief Ladiga Trail – Cleburne and Calhoun Counties
- Coldwater Mountain Trails – Calhoun County
- Walls of Jericho – Stevenson
- Richard Martin Rail Trail – Limestone County
- Sipsey Wilderness – Winston County
- Sunset Drive Trail – Marshall County
- Pinhoti Trail – Coosa, Talladega, Cleburne, Calhoun and Clay Counties
- Cheaha State Park – Clay County
- Cahaba Blueway – Jefferson, Bibb and Dallas Counties
- Hatchet Creek Canoe/Kayak Trail – Coosa County
- Red Rock Trails System – Jefferson County
- Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve – Birmingham
- Red Mountain Park – Birmingham
- Oak Mountain State Park – Shelby County
- Vulcan Trail – Birmingham
- Yoholo Micco Trail – Eufaula
- Forever Wild Trails at Beaver Creek – Dothan
- Chewacla State Park Trails – Auburn
- Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trails – Tallapoosa County
- Black Belt Prairie Trails – Livingston
- Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trails – Orange Beach
- Perdido River Canoe Trail – Baldwin County
- Bartram Canoe Trail – Mobile and Baldwin Counties
Ultimately, connection is at the heart of the Year of Alabama Trails campaign. As Sentell shares, “To me, it’s the highest compliment when we educate people on the different kinds of experiences that their family can have—particularly for people from up north who are coming through the south for the first time. They’ll say, ‘I had no idea Alabama is such a beautiful state,’ or ‘I had no idea that there were so many waterfalls in North Alabama.’ It’s aha moments that we hope to trigger in people.”
