Alabama may not boast the big East Coast mountain ranges that can be found in nearby Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, but the Appalachian Mountains actually do extend into northern Alabama, providing an amount of topographic change that those unfamiliar with the state might find quite surprising. Even in central Alabama, large hills and rolling forests can be found, providing the perfect canvas on which to draw expansive networks of mountain bike trails.
While the names of the state’s top five trail networks haven’t changed in years, most have been significantly improved and expanded over the past decade. And though riders may still flock to destinations like Oak Mountain, the latest trail developments have introduced modern flow trails and aggressive descending options.
The riding in Alabama has never been better! Get started with these five fantastic trails:
Coldwater Mountain, Anniston
Coldwater Mountain has evolved from an ambitious work in progress into arguably the best trail system in Alabama, and it might just be hitting its stride as a legitimate world-class destination. With about 56 miles of singletrack now carved into the mountain, this network delivers on its original promise of diversity—everything from flowy cross-country trails and backcountry-style singletrack to jump lines and technical black diamond descents. The recent completion of the 8.5-mile Southern Traverse trail in 2025, built with over $1 million in new investment, opens up an entirely new zone on the south side of the mountain and brings that original 60-mile vision tantalizingly close. Signature trails like Bomb Dog have been reworked by professional builders from Rock Solid Trails and Flow Motion to improve sustainability while keeping the character that makes them must-ride trails. And now the system can boast that it hosts the most easterly Leadville qualifying race.
The trails drain exceptionally well thanks to the rocky, sandy soil. Nearly 1,000 feet of vertical separates the high and low points, and there’s virtually no traversing once you leave the parking lot: you’re either climbing or descending. For those intimidated by the climbs, the trail system is e-bike friendly.
Full article: “New trail opening brings Coldwater Mountain in Anniston, Alabama, to about 50 miles of singletrack“
Oak Mountain State Park, Birmingham
Oak Mountain State Park has been Birmingham’s premier mountain bike destination for years, with over 40 miles of singletrack, but it’s recently gotten a massive upgrade that has made it a legitimate gravity riding destination. The Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers (BUMP) have added three purpose-built gravity trails to the system, each over a mile long and dropping more than 400 vertical feet, with the black diamond line pushing closer to 500 feet of elevation loss. These aren’t just trails that happen to descend; they’re intentional jump lines carved into red clay, featuring machine-built berms and sculpted tabletop jumps. Trail Visions is handling construction on the intermediate flow trails, while BUMP is personally building the advanced technical gravity line with a more raw, rugged character that utilizes the natural rock features on the mountain. With $1.1 million in funding from Innovate Alabama backing the project, this development is part of BUMP’s larger effort to turn Birmingham into a Silver-Level IMBA Ride Center.
While riders always flock to the latest and greatest trails, don’t overlook the classic trails that made Oak Mountain famous in the first place. The approximately 26-mile Double Oak Trail (also known as the Red Trail) features about 1,600 feet of combined climbing and includes legendary sections like Blood Rock, a technical rock garden that tests even expert riders, and the fast-flowing Johnson’s Mountain descent. The system offers everything from the beginner-friendly Lake Trail circling Double Oak Lake to intermediate favorites like Rattlesnake Ridge, plus newer technical challenges like Storyteller.
Full article: “Purpose-built gravity MTB trails are coming to Oak Mountain State Park in Birmingham, AL“
Monte Sano State Park and Land Trust, Huntsville
Monte Sano State Park sits on top of a mountain overlooking Huntsville and the mountain offers over 60 miles of trails across more than 3,700 acres of public land. The system recently added new MTB-only downhill flow trails built by Barry Smith Trails, bringing purpose-built jump features to the mountain for the first time. On top of the plateau, beginner-friendly options like the Bucca Family Bike Trail and South Plateau Loop offer scenic overlooks at O’Shaughnessy Point, while trails that plunge off the plateau deliver some of the most technical and rocky riding in the state. Mountain Mist Trail rolls along just under the cliff line with countless rock features, the Goat Trail showcases the best rock gardens and switchbacks, and trails like Cold Springs, McKay Hollow, and Warpath Ridge feature genuinely challenging double black diamond descents that may require some hike-a-bike.
The Huntsville Land Trust trails on the east side add long backcountry-style climbs and descents that can be combined to string together epic 18-mile rides with over 1,600 feet of climbing. The Toll Gate-High Trail-Bluffline loop delivers everything from punchy climbs to fast technical singletrack to aggressive descents with significant drops, while the marathon Fagan Spring/Wildflower to Toll Gate to Cold Springs combo takes you from the valley floor all the way to the summit. The rocky terrain drains exceptionally well, making Monte Sano rideable even after heavy rain. With multiple trailhead parking options including the main state park entrance and the Land Trust parking lot on Bankhead Parkway, Monte Sano remains one of Alabama’s most complete mountain bike destinations.
Chewacla State Park, Auburn
Chewacla State Park sits just outside Auburn and offers 25+ miles of singletrack that caters to everyone from absolute beginners to expert freeriders. The Central Alabama Mountain Pedalers (CAMP) built and maintain this system entirely through memberships and volunteer support, and they’ve created something special—a true progression-based trail network where you can work your way up from the flat, one-mile CAMP Trail loop to genuinely challenging terrain. The Creek View Trail is the signature ride here, climbing up a bluff through wide-banked berms before reaching technical rock outcroppings perched above the creek, then swooping back down in ribbons of singletrack that include a 28-foot diagonal bridge crossing. For riders looking to session features, the Forbidden Zone delivers with a steep descent packed with dirt and wood jumps, step-downs, hips, a 33-foot road gap, and other freeride elements that demand a thorough pre-ride before you commit.
The variety at Chewacla is what makes it work as a family destination—the beginner-friendly Ranger Dell’s Trail introduces new riders to undulating terrain with gentle switchbacks and banked turns, while trails like Tiger Woods and CCC offer intermediate flow with punchy climbs and fast descents. Advanced riders can test themselves on technical rock gardens and black diamond sections scattered throughout the upper trail network.
Tannehill Historic Ironworks State Park, Bessemer
Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park near Birmingham is undergoing a dramatic transformation that will make it the largest adaptive mountain bike trail center in the Southeast. BUMP is expanding the system from about 14 miles to between 25 and 30 miles of singletrack, all designed to accommodate adaptive mountain bikes (aMTBs) while remaining fun and challenging for riders on traditional bikes. The trails feature wider tread, appropriately sized berms with longer tails, and technical features built to full width—no narrow squeeze-throughs or bridges that cut out riders on three- or four-wheeled adaptive bikes. Professional crews from Trail Visions are building alongside BUMP volunteers, and the difficulty ratings are based on technical challenge rather than how much assistance an adaptive rider might need, which represents a paradigm shift in how adaptive trails are designed.
The inspiration for this project came from the Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, a world-class Paralympic training facility with climbing teams, rugby squads, and track athletes—but until now, these athletes had nowhere meaningful to ride mountain bikes except fire roads at Red Mountain Park. The transformation at Tannehill, funded by grants secured through BUMP’s work with state economic development studies, positions Birmingham as a legitimate adaptive mountain biking destination just minutes from one of the country’s premier adaptive sports facilities.
Full article: “The Tannehill Ironworks trails in Birmingham, AL, will become ‘the biggest adaptive MTB ride center there is’”
Your Turn: What’s your favorite trail in Alabama?
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