Five Mile Creek Greenway (Brookside)
The Five Mile Creek Greenway in Brookside is a 2-mile long segment of the 16.5-mile Five Mile Creek Greenway which follows the path of the abandoned Cane Creek Branch rail corridor through northern and western Jefferson County. The recreational trail, which opened in Brookside in June 2023, welcomes runners, walkers, cyclists and pets, but not motorized vehicles.
The trailhead is located at the intersection of Fieldstown Road and Coalburg Road, north of Brookside-Coalburg Road and west of Gardendale's Kenneth A. Clemons Recreational Complex and Gardendale Urban Trail System. From there the trail bends northward, skirting the western edge of Corner Stone Ranch youth camp and ending at Newfound Creek. The greenway was planned to cross over the creek on the massive Newfound Creek Trestle, but it was destroyed by fire in 2006. The cost of a new bridge to continue the trail over the creek has been estimated at more than $2 million.
Cornerstone Ranch opposed the development of a public greenway on the right-of-way that crosses the western edge of their 1,200-acre campground, and filed a federal lawsuit to assert its claims.
In addition to the Five Mile Creek Greenway Partnership, the Town of Brookside worked with the Jefferson County Department of Health and the Thompson Foundation to complete the segment. Vulcan Materials Company furnished crushed limestone which was hauled by Dunn Construction and placed by C & S Contracting. Dale Hyche constructed the gateway itself.
References
- Byington, Pat (June 2, 2023) "Open Now: Extension of the Five Mile Creek Greenway makes it the longest trail in the Red Rock Trail System." Bham Now
External Links
- Five Mile Creek at the Freshwater Land Trust website