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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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 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,...
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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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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. Currently,...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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. Currently,...
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 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 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 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...
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. Currently,...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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.
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!
This Greenway is really a path around a city park which contains a nice, extensive Memorial to Veterans. There is a nice parking lot near the middle of the trail. The greenway goes by the railroad track and under the highway overpass, going around the Veterans Memorial past various displays, memorials and extensive fountains. It is a short but great walk. For bikes, however, it is not so great. Many of the sidewalks are rather narrow, weaving around the memorials. I found no signage identifying it as a greenway or path but it is so short and in a compact area, you really can't get lost. I will go back for the walk but will leave my bike at home.
Nice paved trail through woods and running along side Bradford creek. This Greenway is shady and cool in the summer and good for a quick ride/walk/run in the morning or after work, as well as to travel to some local businesses. New pavement links it to a short path at the Mill Creek Dog park traveling along Mill Road, a distance of about a mile. From Mill Road south it is .7 miles to Palmer Park. From Mill Road north, it is 1.7 miles to Heritage Elementary school.
From the School, you can continue on a paved path running the length of County line road, from HWY 72 to HWY 20, a distance approximately 5 miles. (nearly complete as of 10/2016)
Park at Mill Creek Dog Park, Mill Creek Elementary, Palmer Park, Heritage Elementary or parking lots along County Line Rd. for access.
This is a great place to ride. Be careful of walkers and runners. They tend to be on the bike side of the path and cannot tell their left from their right. Otherwise a great place to ride.
In Huntsville for business. Came here for evening run. Started by the pool area ran along the water edged trail. Lots of people. Very nice!!
Having missed my run due to travel, I found this location on my way back from Nashville. It was so convenient to the interstate that I could change clothes, take a quick run and my hubby could get in his walk and we were back on the road. The shaded trail was perfect even when a quick rain blew in and we were hitting the trail in the heat of the day.
Look forward to trying the full route on the next trip...
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