Dog walking in McCalla

Tannehill Historical State Park

From the 1820s until the end of the Civil War, McCalla was home to the Tannehill Iron Works. The preserved ruins, along with an adjacent historical farm and museum, are now part of 1,500-acre Tannehill Historical State Park. An extensive trail network welcomes on-leash dogs, as do the park grounds. (The museum and other buildings are off-limits for pets.) There is a small day-use admission fee to the park; given its proximity, you might invest in an annual pass. If you or your pup has a taste for industrial history, you're in luck! Birmingham's past as an iron-producing hub means you'll also find the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and the Irondale Furnace Trail closer to Downtown and the Brierfield Iron Works Park to the southeast. All of these sites feature dog-friendly walking to the ruins of old mill sites.

Red Mountain

Red Mountain Park is a mere 14 miles from McCalla. With so many dog-friendly activities in one place, you'll probably make it a regular weekend stop, even if it's just for some off-leash frolicking at Remy's Dog Park. This 6-acre fenced playground is Alabama's largest dog park, and the three separate enclosures fit any size and temperament. Red Mountain also provides more than 15 miles of dog-friendly hiking trails with some of Birmingham's best skyline views from two scenic lookouts. It's probably better to leave Spot at home when you're ready to try the zip-line course and repelling tower, but he can get a thrill of his own if you follow the boardwalk up into the forest canopy.to enjoy three trail-side treehouses.

Falliston

The southern Birmingham suburb of Helena is 15 miles from McCalla, and this friendly community has a fangtastic trail for a quick stretch. The Hillsboro Trail is over 2 miles long, with both forest scenery and paved accessibility. The western trailhead is behind Helena Middle School, or you can park at Cahaba Lily Park in the Falliston neighborhood and walk south through the pretty Old Cahaba housing development to catch the trail at its mid-point. Cahaba Lily Park has a walking trail of its own, too, that is lit at night for a safe stroll after sunset. The park's convenient wi-fi also means you can upload all those cute doggy pics you take while Spot is enjoying his workout.

Norwood

With a major city so close, your very best friend deserves some urban adventure. There's so much to do within the city of Birmingham, though, that it's hard to pick. Should you start with a dog-friendly farmers market at the Market at Pepper Place? Maybe a walk among the koi ponds at Railroad Park? Wait, we know: how about the 19-acre green space at Norwood Boulevard Park Trail in the Norwood neighborhood, just over 20 miles from McCalla! This landscaped urban trail has parking at Norwood Park. The paved path winds among well-kept homes, many of which are almost a century old. Flowering trees and park benches make the trail a pretty place to relax on a weekend afternoon, but you can use the good sidewalk network to veer off into the residential streets of this friendly middle-class neighborhood.

Oak Mountain State Park

Alabama's largest state park is only 25 miles from McCalla. Oak Mountain State Park sprawls over 9,940 acres of deep forest, waterfalls, and all the trails you could "shake a stick at" (as Southern grandmothers might say). 25 miles of trails are designated for hikers, and on-leash dogs are welcome throughout the park. The North Trailhead on Findley Drive is your jumping-off point for the Blue, White, and Yellow Trails, all between 6 and 8 miles each way. The Green Trail starts near the park office. Though steep, it's a reasonable 2 miles long and pawpular for its destination: the 65-foot Peavine Falls. All Alabama State Parks have dog-friendly campgrounds, so make it a weekend and bring your pups along for a wilderness vacay.