Find the top rated trails in Athens, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Although less than a mile long, the Gateway Greenway's location in downtown Huntsville means it offers many interesting and unique things to see and do. The trail begins in Veterans Park, dedicated to...
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The Indian Creek Greenway, currently in two segments, runs along Huntsville's western border with the city of Madison. Future plans call for connecting the two segments and extending the trail north...
The Tennessee River Greenway is a short, but scenic, route in southern Huntsville with a forested area on one side and the river on the other. The trailhead at Ditto Landing offers a great place to...
Atwood Linear Park provides a short north-south route in southeastern Huntsville near the Flemington Heights and Willowbrook communities. Turn right (east) on 4 Mile Post Road from the trail's...
The Big Cove Creek Greenway travels nearly 3 miles through eastern Huntsville, connecting the Hampton Cove and Cove Creek communities with the natural habitats surrounding Big Cove Creek. Trail-goers...
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The Flint River Greenway is a scenic trail through the Hays Nature Preserve, a wooded area where deer, rabbits, birds and other wildlife are abundant. Here, you can enjoy hiking, biking, fishing,...
TVA Nature Loop in northwestern Alabama offers a short connection between Sheffield on the south side of the Tennessee River and Florence on the river’s north bank. The paved trail travels through a...
This is a rolling paved trail that follows along the shoreline of Guntersville Lake and is alongside Sunset Drive. Some of the hills are a little long, but there are plenty of flat areas as well. The...
The Swan Creek Greenway Trail offers natural beauty as winds its way through the forest along Swan Creek. Trail-goers will enjoy views of a covered bridge, gentle rapids and glimpses of wildlife. The...
This paved greenway trail is well maintained and follows Aldridge Creek, running parallel to Bailey Cove Road, from Mountain Gap Road to Green Cove Road. There are proposals to extend the greenway...
Bradford Creek Greenway is definitely a green way winding just over 2 miles through Madison under cover of a dense hardwood forest. The paved pathway begins at Palmer Road (at the entrance to Palmer...
The Redstone Arsenal Fitness Trail is located on a U.S. Army base southwest of Huntsville. It circles part way around Madkin Mountain and is partially built on a former rail bed. There is a 1.5-mile...
The Little Cove Road Greenway begins at Hampton Cove Elementary in eastern Huntsville. Here, the trail connects to the Big Cove Creek Greenway, which can take you north along the scenic waterway, or...
Much of the Decatur Biking and Running/Walking Trail is asphalt, and some is on-street, but at Point Mallard Park it turns into a shady, well-maintained gravel trail over smooth terrain. The...
The Little Cove Road Greenway begins at Hampton Cove Elementary in eastern Huntsville. Here, the trail connects to the Big Cove Creek Greenway, which can take you north along the scenic waterway, or...
The Swan Creek Greenway Trail offers natural beauty as winds its way through the forest along Swan Creek. Trail-goers will enjoy views of a covered bridge, gentle rapids and glimpses of wildlife. The...
Bradford Creek Greenway is definitely a green way winding just over 2 miles through Madison under cover of a dense hardwood forest. The paved pathway begins at Palmer Road (at the entrance to Palmer...
Much of the Decatur Biking and Running/Walking Trail is asphalt, and some is on-street, but at Point Mallard Park it turns into a shady, well-maintained gravel trail over smooth terrain. The...
The Tennessee River Greenway is a short, but scenic, route in southern Huntsville with a forested area on one side and the river on the other. The trailhead at Ditto Landing offers a great place to...
Although less than a mile long, the Gateway Greenway's location in downtown Huntsville means it offers many interesting and unique things to see and do. The trail begins in Veterans Park, dedicated to...
The Redstone Arsenal Fitness Trail is located on a U.S. Army base southwest of Huntsville. It circles part way around Madkin Mountain and is partially built on a former rail bed. There is a 1.5-mile...
Atwood Linear Park provides a short north-south route in southeastern Huntsville near the Flemington Heights and Willowbrook communities. Turn right (east) on 4 Mile Post Road from the trail's...
This is a rolling paved trail that follows along the shoreline of Guntersville Lake and is alongside Sunset Drive. Some of the hills are a little long, but there are plenty of flat areas as well. The...
Boasting an intriguing history, the Old Railroad Bed Trail (a.k.a., Monte Sano Railroad Trail) follows one of the country's oldest, and shortest-lived, rail corridors. In the late 1800s, as yellow...
The Flint River Greenway is a scenic trail through the Hays Nature Preserve, a wooded area where deer, rabbits, birds and other wildlife are abundant. Here, you can enjoy hiking, biking, fishing,...
The Indian Creek Greenway, currently in two segments, runs along Huntsville's western border with the city of Madison. Future plans call for connecting the two segments and extending the trail north...
This paved greenway trail is well maintained and follows Aldridge Creek, running parallel to Bailey Cove Road, from Mountain Gap Road to Green Cove Road. There are proposals to extend the greenway...
TVA Nature Loop in northwestern Alabama offers a short connection between Sheffield on the south side of the Tennessee River and Florence on the river’s north bank. The paved trail travels through a...
There is a wonderful walking trail that leads to a beautiful walking bridge over the Tennessee River. The trail starts just above the Depot and is worth the walk. You walk from the Bridgeport Railroad...
The Big Cove Creek Greenway travels nearly 3 miles through eastern Huntsville, connecting the Hampton Cove and Cove Creek communities with the natural habitats surrounding Big Cove Creek. Trail-goers...
The Richard Martin Trail (a.k.a., Limestone Rail-Trail) is best accessed mid-route from a trailhead in the town of Elkmont, where you'll find parking, good signage, a historic depot (used for...
The Flint River Greenway is a scenic trail through the Hays Nature Preserve, a wooded area where deer, rabbits, birds and other wildlife are abundant. Here, you can enjoy hiking, biking, fishing,...
The Richard Martin Trail (a.k.a., Limestone Rail-Trail) is best accessed mid-route from a trailhead in the town of Elkmont, where you'll find parking, good signage, a historic depot (used for...
The Redstone Arsenal Fitness Trail is located on a U.S. Army base southwest of Huntsville. It circles part way around Madkin Mountain and is partially built on a former rail bed. There is a 1.5-mile...
Although less than a mile long, the Gateway Greenway's location in downtown Huntsville means it offers many interesting and unique things to see and do. The trail begins in Veterans Park, dedicated to...
The Big Cove Creek Greenway travels nearly 3 miles through eastern Huntsville, connecting the Hampton Cove and Cove Creek communities with the natural habitats surrounding Big Cove Creek. Trail-goers...
Much of the Decatur Biking and Running/Walking Trail is asphalt, and some is on-street, but at Point Mallard Park it turns into a shady, well-maintained gravel trail over smooth terrain. The...
The Tennessee River Greenway is a short, but scenic, route in southern Huntsville with a forested area on one side and the river on the other. The trailhead at Ditto Landing offers a great place to...
The Indian Creek Greenway, currently in two segments, runs along Huntsville's western border with the city of Madison. Future plans call for connecting the two segments and extending the trail north...
Bradford Creek Greenway is definitely a green way winding just over 2 miles through Madison under cover of a dense hardwood forest. The paved pathway begins at Palmer Road (at the entrance to Palmer...
TVA Nature Loop in northwestern Alabama offers a short connection between Sheffield on the south side of the Tennessee River and Florence on the river’s north bank. The paved trail travels through a...
Boasting an intriguing history, the Old Railroad Bed Trail (a.k.a., Monte Sano Railroad Trail) follows one of the country's oldest, and shortest-lived, rail corridors. In the late 1800s, as yellow...
There is a wonderful walking trail that leads to a beautiful walking bridge over the Tennessee River. The trail starts just above the Depot and is worth the walk. You walk from the Bridgeport Railroad...
The Swan Creek Greenway Trail offers natural beauty as winds its way through the forest along Swan Creek. Trail-goers will enjoy views of a covered bridge, gentle rapids and glimpses of wildlife. The...
Atwood Linear Park provides a short north-south route in southeastern Huntsville near the Flemington Heights and Willowbrook communities. Turn right (east) on 4 Mile Post Road from the trail's...
The Little Cove Road Greenway begins at Hampton Cove Elementary in eastern Huntsville. Here, the trail connects to the Big Cove Creek Greenway, which can take you north along the scenic waterway, or...
This paved greenway trail is well maintained and follows Aldridge Creek, running parallel to Bailey Cove Road, from Mountain Gap Road to Green Cove Road. There are proposals to extend the greenway...
This is a rolling paved trail that follows along the shoreline of Guntersville Lake and is alongside Sunset Drive. Some of the hills are a little long, but there are plenty of flat areas as well. The...
It is listed as 10.2 but my GPS came up with 11 miles (22 round trip). It is a good one for solitude for sure. The small town of Elmont is basically right in the middle and makes for a nice rest stop. Except for Elkmont, AL and a couple of covered bridges there isn't much diversity along the entire trail. It's a 1 1/2 hour drive for me so I probably wont be back unless more is added to it.
I started at the Tennessee line TH and went to Athens and back. Within the first 1/4 mile a big black dog ran at me from the front of a house. He didn't have the cardio to keep up but something to watch for when near the Tennessee TH.
The path is compacted gravel like a driveway that's seen lots of use. The Athens half is pretty smooth but I was glad to be on a mountain bike for the other half. Occasional rough spots to beware of with some random big chunky rocks.
There was one road crossing I wasn't sure where the trail went and had to break out the phone to view the trail. Turned out it was straight across the road but hard to be sure because it was more grass than gravel. A little trail blaze would be nice there.
Rode today (Sept. 8, 2017) from the start in Athens to the end at the Tennessee state line and return to Athens. Very enjoyable with plenty of solitude. This type of trail will keep you on your toes as you must look carefully for obstacles (limbs, ruts and one area that had numerous loose fist sized chunks of rock). Very enjoyable trail to ride but I would advise caution.
Started in Athens and rode to Elkmont then back. Later drive car with bikes back to Elkmont where we toured Belle Chevre goat cheese place then ate at their sandwich shop. Excellent food. Bike trail was excellent, flat and very clean. Plan on starting in Elkmont next and riding North to complete total trek.
Great trail for easy biking. Decatur just added several miles and plan to add additional trails soon. Particularly good for family rides if you start at Point Mallard. Much of those trails are not shared with vehicles. Beginning near Market Street the paths are on city streets, but still well marked. The majority, if not all, of the trails are on asphalt. There is plenty of parking at all the trailheads.
This trail is part of the Huntsville Greenway system. The northern end of this trail is connected to the southern end of the Aldridge Creek Greenway at the entrance to Ditto Landing Park on Hobbs Island Road. There isn't a parking lot at this point but I guess you could park on the side of the road. The trail proceeds south for a short distance to the main part of the Ditto Landing Park. Although this trail has little or no markings or signs, Ditto Landing is small enough that it is hard to get lost. Just ride past the pavilion and south to the river, then turn east (left) and you will run into the main part of the greenway, a wide paved trail along the river.
A little ways down the trail, you will pass by an old warehouse with a large, flat concrete area going out to a docking port on the riverbank. This is the old State Docks which hasn't been used in decades. The trail continues on by the river to the Madison County Marina at the east end of the trail.
This is a short but pretty trail with good views of the river including the US-231 bridge. You will often see a lot of small boats on the river with the occasional barge going by.
Although it is a short trail, combining this with the Aldridge Creek Greenway (another nice trail) makes for a very nice ride.
We started in Elkmont at the caboose and traveled south. Beautiful tree tunnel almost all the way to Athens. There are gently sloping hills. We went early in the morning in June and there is a swamp area to the East with green algae that reflects beautifully. Beware of mosquitoes.
Awesome trail to run, walk, or bike. Runs along the creek, has multiple bridges, mostly flat surface, grass is cut on both sides to open up road. Saw rabbits, squirrels, cows, and horses along the trail.
Loved my hike including lunch in Elkmont. The dogs in Veto made me most uncomfortable. Won't be back.
This trail was nice… Mostly flat… Clear… And wide. We did the full 10.2 miles each way… Very scenic… This is a very well-kept trail… With very nice bathrooms at the start and at the end.
We started from the Piney Chapel Rd parking lot in Athens, Alabama.
Loved the town of Elkton...there is a really quaint Creamery right next to the trail that has a nice, covered picnic area and they sell amazing goat cheese!!!
We will definitely do this trail again!!!
I rode this trail recently for the first time in a few years and some problems still exist while some have improved. The Point Mallard end of the trail is still very nice and easy to follow. They have made improvements to most of the sections of the trail that previously had been very close to the water's edge, moving them several feet back.
The city of Decatur has a master plan to extend this trail throughout the city but work has been done in fits and starts. If you decide to take the northern end of the trail or the new part downtown by the railroad tracks, be sure to bring a map because markings for the trail are scarce.
We had a great time! It is a good trail for people of all ages and abilities. There were also some beautiful views!
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