Making new paths: Double Oak Park opens with new hiking, biking opportunities
As Shelby County continues to focus on parks and recreation, the county’s newest park has recently opened. County Manager Chad Scroggins said it has a view that will rival the King’s Chair overlook at Oak Mountain State Park.
Double Oak Park became the latest addition to Shelby County’s 51 parks after a ribbon cutting on Nov. 10.
The 750-acre property was purchased in August 2021, and crews went straight to work. The trail system was designed, and the county awarded the contract to Anniston-based Flomotion Trail Builders for construction. The $200,000 contract for the first 7 miles of the trail was paid using county funds.
After the contract was complete, a second, $25,000 contract was approved to create a beginner loop approximately a mile in length near the Shelby County 43 trailhead.
The new park features a pavilion, restrooms (including a shower) and ample parking at the trailhead just off Shelby County 43. It includes 8 miles of single-track trails and 8 miles of double-track trails for bikers and hikers.
Trey Gauntt, Shelby County chief facilities management officer, said no more land was cleared than necessary at the trailhead, to be as environmentally sensitive as possible.
A new park position
While most of the parks in Shelby County are maintained by cities, the county maintains 13 of them and maintains trails for 12 others. It’s a big job, so a position was created for a trail construction and maintenance supervisor. Jack Aured was hired in March 2021 and brought with him a wealth of experience.
“Jack came out of the private sector after working for two different trail contractors,” Gauntt said. “He brings a lot to the table not only from the trail maintenance, but also doing some trail construction in house. Jack has been a huge asset to the county. He lives and breathes the trail world. He has really discovered a job that's not like work. He enjoys it so much, it's worked out good for him and for us.”
Aured said he has been riding mountain bikes and building trails in the woods since he was about 13 (just more than half his life). He started off being a foreman, then worked building trails in the Appalachian Mountains before accepting his position with Shelby County. He said the job is different from anything he has done before and feels like his expertise makes him valuable to go in and make sure things are done to high standards.
“I feel like I jumped onto the other side of the fence,” Aured said. “It's kind of mind blowing. This is an amazing opportunity, and I can’t find anyone else in the country with my job. It’s a pretty unique position for the county to have trail maintenance, and everyone just calls me the trail boss.”
Aured attended high school in Tuscaloosa and moved back to the area eight years ago. He said Shelby County is very passionate about trails and wants to be a destination in the Southeast. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to make the place near where he grew up a destination, and he no longer has to travel to find great trails.
Each day is different for Aured. He could be out with a chainsaw cleaning up debris, making signs, completing inspections, mapping trails or answering a trail maintenance call.
“I usually have everything planned out each day where I'm going to be,” he said. “Another aspect of my job is doing a lot of Geographic Information System field work for the trails, where I collect new data for the team to compile into a map. Other days, I’m editing that data or uploading it for the public to access. I never have two days that are the same.”
Aured created the digital design for Double Oak Park and wanted it to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their trail experience. He said about 30% to 40% of the trail is beginner friendly and accessible by everyone. Another 25% to 40% of the trails cater to those who have been trail running or mountain biking for at least six months to a year.
The process to create the trail at Double Oak Park began with Aured walking the property to get the lay of the land. He said one of the most challenging aspects in creating a trail is for it to meet the specific grade requirements slope for each difficulty level.
Next, flags are put down every 15 feet to mark the trail. From there, he gives the information to Gauntt before the contract is put out for bids. Once a contractor is approved, Aured will talk with them about the design and continue to work with them throughout the process.
“Once we reach the budget limit, we come in with mapping of the final product and make sure everything is ready for the grand opening before passing it off to the facilities department,” Aured said. “It’s really a huge collaboration process for everything to come together once everything is up and running smoothly. Then I will continue to monitor the trail for any maintenance issues.”
Aured said the best way to describe Double Oak Park is extremely scenic. It features an overlook where two or three mountain ranges can be seen. He said from a mountain biking perspective, it’s fast and flowing with a lot of elevation gain and loss and has a bigger mountain feel than other parks in the county.
“It's gorgeous, beautiful, rocky and technical, and something we plan to grow over time,” he said. “I think the public will benefit from it.”
Importance of parks
Shelby County has roughly 14,000 acres of public parks, including over 11,000 at Oak Mountain State Park. Gauntt said it’s very important to the county’s mission to maintain a high standard when it comes to outdoor recreational offerings for residents, as well as those traveling to visit the county. He said that whenever a comprehensive study is done, recreation opportunities always rank at the top of the list.
“These investments will last for generations to come and only become more and more valuable over time,” Gauntt said. “As the surrounding places are developed, it will become more and more valuable. … I think people will look back at the purchase of Double Oak Park and think whoever developed this was a genius. Who has a 1,000-acre park in their back door?”
The county will apply for a Recreational Trail Program grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs in 2023. If awarded a grant, Gauntt said there are plans to add 12 miles to the existing trail. There are future plans for a connection between Double Oak Park and the 10.5-acre Dunnavant Valley Park.
Kendall Williams, the county’s manager of tourism and events, said she is excited to be able to open Double Oak Park to both residents and visitors. She added that the hiking and mountain biking trails are challenging, yet rewarding once visitors get to witness the incredible views.
“We look forward to hosting many events in the future that welcome athletes, families and friends from across the nation who are eager to discover all Shelby County has to offer,” she said. “This park is just one way we are able to help preserve the beauty and recreational opportunities of Shelby County for generations.
The Making of Double Oak Park
2021: 750 acres of property purchased in August
2021: Awarded the first contract for to FlowMotion to construct the first 7 miles
2022: Awarded the second contract to FlowMotion to construction a 1-mile beginner loop trail near the Shelby County 43 trailhead
2023: plans to construct additional trails using in-house forces and pursue grant opportunities to build an additional 12 miles of trails (~$600K)
So Many Parks!
The 51 public parks in Shelby County offer approximately 14,000 acres, including over 11,000 at Oak Mountain State Park. The county operates and maintains 13 of those parks, totaling around 40 miles of single-track trails.
Almont Park: 0.25 miles paved trail (4.5 acres)
Forest Park: 2.3 miles single track (100 acres)
Beeswax Park: 2.8 miles single track (85 acres)
Cahaba River Park: 23 miles of single track / 8 miles of double track (1,838 acres)
Dunnavant Valley Greenway / Dunnavant Valley Park: 2 miles single track (10.5 acres)
Gorman Park: 0.2 miles single track (15 acres)
Heardmont Park Trail: 1.2 miles paved trail / 0.85 miles stone trail (74 acres)
Pea Ridge Park: 0.2 miles paved trail (3.3 acres)
Shelby West Corporate Park: 1 mile double track (6 acres); Shelby West Corporate Park Lake (24 acres)
Sterrett Park: 0.2 miles paved trail (2 acres)
Vandiver Park: 0.2 miles paved trail (6.5 acres)