The Shades Creek Greenway is a 1.3-mile City of Birmingham trail nearing completion along Shades Creek, connecting our corner of east Birmingham to the growing Red Rock Trail System.
The paved trail runs between the Flora Johnston Nature Preserve trailhead at Elder Street and Groover Drive at Shiloh Drive. From there, existing sidewalks along Stone River Road and Shiloh Drive carry you on to Mountain Brook’s Irondale Furnace Trail — putting our neighborhood at the heart of the regional trail network.
The project was spearheaded by District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams in collaboration with the Freshwater Land Trust, and most of the trail corridor sits on land already owned by the City of Birmingham.
- Mostly flat, following the elevated bank of Shades Creek.
- Open dawn to dusk, like a city park — there is no lighting along the trail.
- Dogs are welcome on a leash.
- Open to walking, running, biking, and any non-motorized mobility device.
- Community access points will let residents reach the trail from nearby streets.
- Location-marker signs along the trail tell emergency responders exactly where you are.
- No new parking is being built — the trail is designed to be reached on foot or by bike.
The final alignment may still shift slightly in a few spots while the city completes the purchase of four remaining parcels.
Live along the greenway? Sign up for construction updates on the Freshwater Land Trust project page, or call the Land Trust at (205) 417-2777.
