Rainbow Mountain Trail
Features Balance Rock a 100 foot balanced boulder
Description:
The Rainbow Mountain Trails park was initiated in an effort to promote the conservation of Madison’s last remaining undeveloped areas. The area of the trails is located on 130+ acres of city land at Stoneridge Park. The trails offer a panoramic view of the Madison areas stretching for miles to the southeast and southwest. Rainbow Mountain, like Monte Sano Mountain is part of the Southern Appalachian Plateau.
Directions: (See map below)
From Hwy. 72 (University Dr.); turn south onto Hughes Road.
From Madison Blvd. (old Hwy 20), turn north onto Hughes Rd.
Follow the brown Rainbow Trails signs.
Once on Hughes Road, turn east onto Lynnbrook Drive into Stone Ridge subdivision across from Discovery Middle School; turn right onto Concord Drive then take a left on Stoneway Trail to the top of the hill; bear right at the T intersection and go to the parking lot at the water tower (app. .6 mile).
State: Alabama
County: Madison
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: 2
Trail viewed 336 times
User: Dave Pittman Title: Great quick hike! Rating: 4
Date: Sat Sep-12-2009
Trip Type: Day Hike
Report:
The Rainbow Mtn Trail is my new favorite afternoon hike! It is a short loop; only 1.5 miles (2.5-ish if you add the partially-developed Jamooko Loop) but it has enough elevation changes and shifts in terrain to make it interesting. As of this writing, the Jamooko Loop is fairly overgrown, and there are a few blazes for secondary paths up by the northernmost section, which can easily be mistaken for the “main” trail.
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| Miles | Trail Name | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Land Trust Loop | Loop along the western side of Monte Sano Mountain |
| 10 | Old Railroad Bed Trail | The Land Trust's Monte Sano Preserve consists of over 1,120 acres with 18 miles of public trails |
| 12 | McKay Hollow Trail | Trail down the ridge of Monte Sano Mountain to O'Shaughnessy Point |
| 12 | South Plateau Loop Trail | Trail around the southern plateau of Monte Sano Mountain |
| 12 | North Plateau Loop Trail | Trail along the northern plateau of Monte Sano Mountain |
| 12 | Stone Cuts Trail | Named for the deep cuts in the limestone walls along a portion of the trail |
