Tannehill Ironworks Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Historical Significance · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This route takes runners on a scenic tour of Tannehill with a touch of history and plenty of scenery along a route with enough ups and downs to give you a good workout while you enjoy the sights.

Note that after heavy rain, parts of this trail become muddy, and you'll find several small streams suddenly crossing the trail.

This is a great run up past the old Tannehill quarry site. The run starts on the Furnace Quarry Trail where, along the way, you'll be able to see old drilling and blasting marks on the rocks near the top of the trail where the quarry blocks were formed. The trail itself has some semi-challenging with uneven surfaces and minor obstructions to navigate around and over as it heads toward the Tannehill Ironworks furnaces and the creek.

From here, you'll turn onto the Iron Works Loop and run part of the the old Iron Road (ca 1861) down which pig iron from the Tannehill Ironworks was hauled by eight-team mule wagons 18 miles to the railhead at Montevallo. There it was put on the cars of the Alabama & Tennessee Rivers Railroad headed for the Selma Arsenal.

You'll then connect to the Dam Trail. This section of the run is scenic with soaring overlooks of Mud Creek, this trail is at times very narrow and not well-defined. You'll make your through pine trees only shoulder width apart at times, and have a few short but steep descents or ascents. Rain can make some the steeper sections quite slippery and even with good shoes it is advisable to grip the close-by trees for extra stability.

The sound of running water from Mud Creek adds a cathartic element to this run, and you'll find yourself at a picturesque little waterfall near the trail's midpoint.

From the Dam Trail, hop onto short sections of the Iron Runner Trail, Tri-County Trail, and Pig Iron Trail (you may want to use the Trail Run Project mobile app for this section to make sure you stay on trail) before connecting back to the Furnace Quarry Trail to return to the trailhead.

Pine, oak, and small shrubbery. Deer, squirrels, fox, chipmunks, and many birds.