NOTABLE HIKES

Falling Rock Falls

Did you know there’s a 90-foot waterfall easily accessible from MONTEVALLO? And that you can explore a cavern behind it? It’s an easy hike to the top of the falls and more difficult to take trails down to its base. Catch it after rain for the most impressive flow. Distance: 1.8 miles round trip. Access it from 1601 Landview Road, Montevallo, AL 35115.

KING’S CHAIR OVERLOOK

You’ll have to work hard to get this view out over miles of wooded ridges, but it’s well worth the climb in Oak Mountain State Park in PEHAM. Your reward is a rock seat named “King’s Chair” on this overlook. Note that it costs $5 per person to enter Oak Mountain State Park. Distance: 4-mile loop. Access it from the park’s North Trailhead.

Dunnavant Valley Greenway

Although technically a greenway, you’ll quickly feel miles away from Highway 280 as you traverse along Yellow Leaf Creek on this natural surface trail and cross footbridges over the creek near MT LAUREL. Distance: 1.8 miles one way. Access it from the Alex Dudchock Shelby County Services Building parking lot on Highway 280 or from a parking lot on Dunnavant Valley Road (Highway 41) between Birch Creek Drive and River Birch Way.

Find this 65-foot tall, spring-fed waterfall at the top most ridge in Oak Mountain State Park. There are several routes to the falls but the fastest is short but steep, and well worth the trek, especially when there Distance: 1.6-mile loop. Access it from Peavine Falls Road, Pelham, AL 35214