Hiking
Oak Mountain State Park- Hiking Trails
- The Red Trail/Road, White, Blue, North Lakes Connector Trail, and Yellow Trails all begin at the North Trailhead, which is located on John Findley Drive about 6 miles inside the park if you are coming from the front gate. If you use the back entrance, it is about 1.5 - 2 miles inside the gate.
- The Treetop Nature Trail begins at the beach access parking lot.
- The Green Trail begins near the Park Office on Terrace Drive.
- The Yellow Trail also ends on Terrace Drive near the South Trailhead.
- The Lake Trail has entrances on Terrace Drive.
TRAILS OF OMSP:
The Red Road/Trail is a 5.5 mile trail and original logging road for the CCC to build the park in the 1930s. You must turn around and come back the way you came or pick up a connector trail to go a different way. It begins at the North Trailhead and follows a path similar to the Blue Trail but at a lower elevation and is an easier hike for most.
The White Trail, or the Shackleford Point Trail, is 6.4 miles long (one way). You must turn around and come back the way you came or pick up a connector trail to go a different way. It begins at the North Trailhead and follows a path similar to the Blue Trail but at a lower elevation. The White Trail does climb to the highest point in the park, which is known as Shackleford Point at an elevation of 1,260 feet. The White Trail ends at the Peavine Falls parking lot.
The Blue Trail, or the South Rim Trail, is 6.7 miles long (one way). You must turn around and come back the way you came or pick up a connector trail to go a different way. Beginning at the North Trailhead, the Blue Trail makes a steep climb up the ridge, going from an elevation of approximately 620 feet to approximately 1100 feet. Once the ascent is made, the trail follows the ridge to end at the Peavine Falls parking lot.
The Yellow Trail, known as the Foothills Trail, is approximately 8 miles long (one way). It begins at the North Trailhead and travels at a low elevation around Lake Tranquility to end at Peavine Road close to the South Trailhead area (off Terrace Drive). The Yellow Trail does make some climbs.
Maggie's Glen is a popular spot to hike to. It sits along a stream bank with many species of plants and trees growing there. It is a very quiet place to sit and relax. It can be accessed from the White Trail, the Yellow Trail, and the Red/Yellow connector.
The Green Trail, known as the Peavine Falls Trail, begins near the Park Office/Beach area on Terrace Drive. It is the shortest trail at 1.9 miles long, but it is also the steepest. The Green Trail goes from an elevation of approximately 550 feet to approximately 1,100 feet. The Green Trail doesn't lead directly to Peavine Falls (the waterfall) but ends at the Peavine Falls parking lot where you can get on the White or Blue Trail that will take you to the falls. About 1 mile up the trail from Terrace Drive, you begin a climb from approximately 800 feet to approximately 1,020 feet.
The Lake Trail is a multi-use hike and bike trail around Double Oak Lake located on Terrace Drive. There are 2 main entrances to the Lake Trail - you can park at the Marina and walk back to an entrance or you may park at the South Trailhead Parking lot and pick up the trail there. The Lake Trail is 2.3 miles long and can connect you to a section called Rattlesnake Ridge. It is popular with bikers because of the numerous switchbacks. You can observe scenic views of Double Oak Lake as you walk or bike around this trail. It has a gentle rolling terrain with some incline in certain areas.
The Treetop Nature Trail is a short 0.3 mile trail. It leads from the beach parking lot up to the Wildlife Center. It also connects to the Treetop Nature Trail (which is an elevated boardwalk with several cages housing birds of prey that have been rehabilitated after having been injured), the Yellow Trail, and the Orange Trail.
There are several connector trails so that you may make loops so that you don't have to walk the whole length of trail if you don't want or to give you a different route on the way back!
We have implemented a trail marking system on all of the hiking trails. This does not include the Orange Trail, or the Treetop Nature Trail. This marking system is designed to help us cut down on the search time when someone is hurt or lost. Each trail is uniquely colored and numbered. The posts are placed approximately every 1/4 mile and colored the same as the trail. Each post has a number and they do NOT repeat. A lost or injured hiker can call us and tell us the number of the last post that they passed & we can tell them the best way to get out or we can go almost straight to them in a short amount of time. The number to call is 205-620-2520.
- Blue Trail 1 to 26
- White Trail 27 to 51
- Green Trail 52 to 59
- Yellow Trail 60 to 86
- Red Road 100 to 121
Visiting for a day hike? Below is a basic checklist:
- water
- snacks
- sunblock
- bug repellant
- small first aid kit
- fully charged phone
- whistle
- flashlight
- light jacket
- map
- a friend
In the event you are injured or lost try to remember the acronym T.R.A.I.L.S.
Try to Stay Calm – It may take some time for someone to know you are missing, but once they do, we will be notified and looking for you.
Remain Where You Are – Doubling back or even pressing forward can lead you further away from where you initially got lost. So, it is important to stay where you are. This way we can find you faster.
Alert Somebody – Cell phone signals may be spotty. If you can, try texting someone, calling the park office or 911. Let them know the last intersection you passed. If you do not have the battery life or enough cell signal to text or call, use a whistle if you have one.
Insulate Yourself – Wear the light jacket to keep yourself warm and protected from insects at night or use it to shield yourself from the sun during the day.
Listen for People Calling for You – Once alerted to the situation, our search and rescue team will be looking and calling for you, so remember to listen. If you hear us, try to use your whistle, or flashlight at night, to alert us where you are located.
Save Your Supplies – Try to ration your water and snacks since it may be a little while before we find you.
Call 205-620-2520 for Park Rangers or 911 in case of emergency
