I have always been a big fan of Lakeshore Trail since my now 20+ year olds were little. The trail is long and paved and perfect for bikers, walkers, and families with young kids. Shades Creek runs along the side of the trail, so it is pretty. Along the way, there are plenty of entrances and parking lots, but because of the large, beautiful trees, the concrete and asphalt are hidden from the trail, and there is a lot of shade. My only wish is that, because of the distance of the trail, that they would put a few port a potties along the way. read more

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I come out here a lot!! It is very shaded and the miles were marked to help you keep up! As a woman, I feel completely safe coming out here alone. There are always lots of people out! If you are looking for a safe, long walking trial then this is it! read more

Lakeshore Trail - Hiking Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

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I love this trail. It is very safe for a young girl to walk with friends or even alone. Rarely are you ever alone on the trail so it feels safe. I love that it's along the river so you get a nice view. Some road noise, but that's to be expected. Nice outdoor area in the city. Nice paved trail with some benches and bridges as well. There are sections where you can choose to take unpaved paths if you want. I wish there was more wildlife though. I often see runners, bikers, walkers, etc. THIS TRAIL IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE SHADES CREEK GREENWAY read more

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Nice 2.5 mile trail. Normally park ay the O'Henry's where you can find some shade from the office building or underneath the Target if you want to be sure. The Birmingham running club has a lot of group run that start at the O'Henry's if you check their Facebook page. read more

I second the motion to change name to Shades Valley or Lakeshore Greenway. If Google Maps named it then that's what folks will look for. Beautiful trail I have run and walked on for years. I have always felt safe unless I just didn't see anyone for miles. I have run will my young son rode his bike or skateboarded. It's never so crowded you can't get done what you went there for. Would love to see more port-a-potty's and drinking fountain where convenient. So many people exercise here they might as well build a small building with bathrooms and water fountains. Just a thought City of Homewod. read more

This is a fantastic running trail for so many reasons. Seems like an appropriate time for a list. Pros - It is long (for average/active runner). The main trail is almost 5.5 miles from one end to the other, then back again. -It is flat. There are only two or three very slight inclines. -It has lots of shade. I'd venture to say 80% is shaded. -It has mile markers. These can be either encouraging or depressing. -It is great for people watching. Tons of folks out and about. -It has parking on both ends. -It has water fountains on both ends. Heads up, they aren't exactly chilly. Cons -It can be really crowded. Not a huge deal. -Cyclist frequently speed by. Not a big deal. It's just alarming.. and those shorts and all. Plus, can they really get a good workout there? For real. You'd have to ride this thing 20 times on a bike to break a sweat. -There are a couple of areas where the creek can really stink. It's a sulfur smell. Yay! I'm a fan. read more

Lakeshore Trail - Hiking Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

This trail makes running (or walking, skating, cycling, or other means of travel) fun! It is conveniently located off of Lakeshore in Homewood and really is a perfect trail for all kinds of exercise. I love the woodsy/natural feel of the area. The trail is paved, but it is cut through the woods with a stream running nearby. There are lots of friendly faces, both human and canine, along the trail! There are several places to access the trail along Lakeshore and plenty of parking opportunities at all of the entrances. I'm on this trail frequently; it's a great place to get in a jog! read more

I wish they would rename this "Shades Valley Greenway" because that is what it is labeled as on Google maps. This trail also has a facebook page called "Shades Creek Greenway (Lakeshore Trail)"... as a new Birmingham resident, it would be so much easier if there was just one name for this Greenway and to stick with it! Done with my rant now. We entered through the East entrance, which is right across the street from a frequently visited Target in Brookwood. I had no idea this greenway was back here until my friend told me about it (hence the googling and major confusion). The whole way is paved, there are 0.25 mile markers that are hard to miss, and the whole thing winds around different buildings and establishments. I would say it is 70% woodsy, but you get a view of the road, the Samford intramural fields, some businesses and other evidence of civilization. I really enjoyed it as it made bringing the baby along super easy in the stroller. It doesn't feel like a hike, but it's a great walk on a nice day. You can see bikers, people walking their dogs, other parents with their strollers, walkers, and joggers. It's great and shady as well, so that should help on some super sunny days. Great addition to the Birmingham area, really well thought out! We will definitely be back again soon. read more

I can't believe in all of my years in Birmingham, and exploring all the trails it has to offer, I haven't been to this one in my own backyard. It is the perfect trail for exercising. The concrete is all level with no cracks. It has lines all the way down to help keep cross traffic in their own respective lane. A nice blend of shade through a lot of trees and being out in the sun. I wouldn't say it has a ton of elevation changes, but definitely has some. We parked at the soccer fields off of Columbiana and went all the way to the end (Brookwood Mall) and back. The whole loop was 5 miles, which was a good amount. And they have mile markers every quarter mile. So you can make your journey any distance you want. We will definitely be back!! read more

Lakeshore Trail - Hiking Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

If you're looking for a relatively safe, flat, paved, long, and shaded place to run, Lakeshore Trail is perfect! I started at the Greensprings end of the trail. Boy, something stinks out at that end! Smells like a sewer for the first half mile, but then the smell clears up no problem. The area is beautiful and shaded. I was there on a Saturday morning with my running buddy, and there were plenty of people there, and it felt quite safe. It was not so crowded (at 0630) that we had difficulty passing people on the trail. There are few hills, which I appreciated, because I hate running hills. We ran out to the 2.25 mile mark and then came back. Each quarter mile is marked on the trail with spray paint. Over all, a really great, convenient, beautiful trail. Glad Birmingham has it! read more

This is a great running trail that allows for a pretty flat, partially shaded 5 mile run. You can stretch that to 6 if you go past the target to the end of Brookwood mall. The trail has lanes like a road to avoid any accidental collisions with any other runner, walker, cyclist, stroller or dogs (on leashes!) that are going the opposite way. It's pretty popular so be prepared to have to pass or be passed by others. There are mile markers that are helpful if you start at either end. There's also plenty of parking and a water fountain at each end. Although, I'd recommend just bringing your own water bottle. read more

A beautiful paved trail for running, walking or biking. It's usually very busy, but not to the point where you feel like you are right on top of the other people on the trail. The trees and streams around the trail are very relaxing and help you forget that the craziness of Lakeshore Drive is just on the other side of the treeline. The pale girl in me also likes that a good portion of the trail is covered with trees. It's nice to get out of the sun when possible. It's also a very well-maintained area. It's very rare that you'll even see a piece of trash on the ground. read more

I love this active living trail for many reasons. You can start at several different locations along Lakeshore and feel like you're on a whole new trail! When the weather is nice, you'll see lots of runners, walkers, cyclers, and more which I think makes exercise more enjoyable. It's extremely clean, but there must be some sort of crew that frequently picks up trash. My one issue with this trail is the lack of trash cans, which can be problematic if you have to pick up Fido's business at the beginning of your 5 mile walk. Overall a wonderful, pretty place to be active! read more

This is a really good running trail. It's shady, paved, and usually well-maintained. Drawbacks are that there aren't any trash cans (even though there are bags to pick up dog poop- just no where to put them) and that the trail floods when it rains. Don't plan on going the day after a heavy rain because it will be nasty. There is a nice little parking lot with water fountains off Green Springs Highway. read more

I visited this morning for a little fresh air and get a workout in. There were a lot of people on the trail but it's large enough for everyone to have room. Some parts of the trail are visible from lakeshore but for the most part the trail is pretty secluded. One word of advice, park in the lot for the trail. There is parking available in the soccer lot but parking there places you in the middle of the trail and not the beginning. Also, parking in the trail's lot gives you access to the ramps for strollers or bikes. read more

Perfect for running or biking. Right next to a river but the cars on the other side can get annoying during high traffic times

Pretty good trail, good shading and elevations are so so. The grounds and trail are always clean free of trash and other things. Scene is awesome regardless of where you park. Many times I park by the school and take the trail towards the mall this time I parked at the actually park and walked towards the office buildings, I will be taking that scene more often. read more

Lakeshore Trail - Hiking Near Me - Homewood, Alabama

This is one of the best, pure exercise trails in the city. It runs all along the creek from Brookwood Mall (between 280 & 31) almost to I-65. It is always very active where I see it most around 31/Homewood High. Bikers, walkers, roller bladers, runners, parents with strollers. Everything and everyone that wants to move along a two lane asphalt mini-road only made for people to exercise on is clutch in a city that everybody drives themselves around in. If it's not long enough for you, you can continue on Lakeshore East a bit 'til you make it over to the trail through Mountain Brook. It's in a safe part of town and I would think one could feel comfortable exercising along here just before sunrise to just after sundown; however, it's always safer and more fun to exercise with other people! read more

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Occasionally enjoy a brisk morning walk with neighborhood friends. I enjoy the fresh air and the path offers both sun & shade.