Central Region - Hiking Alabama: A Guide to the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures - page 254

Maps: USGS Chelsea, Helena, AL; DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer, page
31 G6; trail maps available at entrance gate or camp store
Trail contact: Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Dr., Pelham, AL 35124;
[phone]; www.alapark.com/oakmountain
Finding the trailhead: From Pelham on I-65 at exit 248, take AL 119 South / Ca-
haba Valley Road 0.2 mile and turn left onto Oak Mountain Road. Travel 2.7
miles and turn right onto Peavine Falls Road. Follow the winding road 3 miles to
the parking lot. Be careful on the winding turns and watch out for bicycles. The
Green Trail trailhead is on the northwest side of the parking lot. GPS: N33 18.155'
/ W86 45.735'
The Hike
Hundreds of people flock to Peavine Falls each weekend to view this 65-foot
beauty that cascades down a sheer rock wall into a clear pool. It's not quite true
that all trails at Oak Mountain State Park lead to Peavine Falls, but many do. First
there is the Green Trail, a rugged 1.9-mile climb up a ridge that starts at the park
office along Terrace Drive. You can also follow the White or Blue Trails from the
north trailhead on John Findley III Drive to reach the falls. Both of these trails are
long hikes, each over 6 miles one way, that require either a shuttle or a long walk
back to your vehicle.
An alternative is this little gem, the Peavine Falls Loop. The loop uses a section
of all three trails for some ridgetop views, wildflower viewing, creek-side cas-
cades, and, of course, the falls themselves.
The loop begins at the Peavine Falls trailhead. This is a large gravel lot capable
of holding a good hundred cars (which shows you the popularity of the falls).
There are two information kiosks here—one on the east side where the loop will
return, the other on the northwest side where we begin the hike—along with a
nice, clean portable toilet.
The drive up to the trailhead is on Peavine Falls Road, a long and winding dirt
road that you will be sharing with cyclists. They cross the road several times on