Decades ago, a train ran across the western part of Birmingham to the steel plants in Fairfield, bringing ore and coal from the mines of Red Mountain. Today, that same route has been transformed into miles of green space.

The High Ore Line Trail opened in 2016, spanning two miles from Midfield to Wenonah Road. The trail is part of the Red Rock Ridge and Valley Trail System and is a Freshwater Land Trust project, and was made possible by funding through the Jefferson County Department of Health and other partners.

Later this summer, a new portion of the High Ore Line Trail is opening and will connect to a new parking lot and entrance on the back side of Red Mountain Park. That means people using the High Ore Line Trail can easily transition into the 1500-acre park without having to drive to the front entrance off Lakeshore Parkway.

An official opening date has not been announced, and the city of Birmingham is still constructing the new parking lot and entrance.

The trail starts at U.S. Highway 11 in Midfield near the Jefferson County Department of Health’s Western health center. The trail continues through the West Brownville neighborhood on the former High Ore Line Railroad, which connected the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company’s Wenonah mines to the Fairfield plant. The trail’s new portion then goes on to connect to Red Mountain Park.

According to the Freshwater Land Trust, the path on the raised railroad line is an integral part of the city’s growing trail system. “As greenspaces around Birmingham help the Magic City make a resurgence, the High Ore Line Trail is a project that makes sure the western neighborhoods of Birmingham get their own piece of the puzzle,” a statement on the organization’s website said.