Mountain Biking Around Huntsville
Singletrack on Monte Sano, Wade Mountain and Chapman Mountain, double-track at Hays, and a bike-only trail at John Hunt Park.
Huntsville has a real mountain bike scene for a city its size, with singletrack on Monte Sano, Wade Mountain and Chapman Mountain, flatter double-track at Hays Nature Preserve, and a bike-only trail at John Hunt Park. Most of it is free.
Before you ride: Land Trust trails are multi-use, so expect hikers and, at Wade Mountain and Chapman Mountain, horses. Stay off the trails for 24 hours after rain. Trail conditions and closures are posted by the Huntsville Area Mountainbike Riders (HAMR) and on Trailforks.
Monte Sano State Park bike trails
Mountain biking on shared hiking/biking singletrack atop Monte Sano, with a beginner-friendly trail and skills area near the Biker's Pavilion.
- Alabama State Parks lists 20 miles of hiking trails and 14 miles of biking trails in the park (2,140 acres).
- Huntsville CVB says Monte Sano State Park plus the adjoining Land Trust preserve offer over 20 miles of bike trails, shared with hikers; novices are pointed to the Bucca Family Trail and the skills area near the Biker's Pavilion.
- Gate entry: $5 ages 12-61, $2 ages 4-11 and 62+, under 4 free, capped at $20 per standard vehicle; veterans and active-duty military free with ID.
- Trail conditions and open/closed status are posted by the Huntsville Area Mountainbike Riders (HAMR) and Trailforks, per Huntsville CVB.
Where: 5105 Nolen Ave., Huntsville, AL 35801 · Trail guide and homes nearby · Official page
Monte Sano Nature Preserve (Land Trust) trails
Multi-use Land Trust trails on the west face of Monte Sano that are open to hiking and biking and connect toward the state park.
- 1,107-acre preserve with 23+ miles of public trails built and maintained by Land Trust volunteers.
- Land Trust rules: trails are multi-use (hiking and biking), open dawn to dusk, dogs must be leashed, and users should stay off wet trails for 24 hours after rain.
- Land Trust preserves are free to access.
Where: Three Caves trailhead, 901 Kennamer Dr SE, Huntsville, AL (one of several trailheads) · Trail guide and homes nearby · Official page
Wade Mountain Nature Preserve trails
North Huntsville Land Trust preserve with singletrack shared by hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.
- Land Trust lists hiking, biking and horseback riding; horseback riders may use only the Spragins Hollow Trailhead.
- Trailheads: Spragins Hollow (10130 Spragins Hollow Rd NW), Pulaski Pike (6946 Pulaski Pike NW, about 1 mile via the paved city Wade Mountain Greenway), and Fleming (10044 Spragins Hollow Rd NW, limited roadside parking).
- Huntsville CVB describes 11+ miles of singletrack; the opening climb up Devil's Racetrack gains about 200 feet.
- Free; Land Trust preserves are open dawn to dusk, with a 24-hour stay-off-wet-trails rule.
Where: 10130 Spragins Hollow Rd NW, Huntsville, AL 35810 (Spragins Hollow Trailhead) · Trail guide and homes nearby · Official page
Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve trails
Land Trust preserve east of Huntsville off US-72 with trails open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.
- Huntsville CVB says the 650-acre property is open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.
- The Land Trust's rules page lists Chapman Mountain and Wade Mountain as the two preserves where horseback riding is allowed.
Trail guide and homes nearby · Official page
Hays Nature Preserve trails
City of Huntsville preserve along the Flint River with mostly double-track trails suited to riders of all skill levels.
- Huntsville CVB describes 'many miles' of mostly double-track trails, free to use, shared with hikers and in places with horseback riders.
- Managed by the City of Huntsville.
- The preserve is also a Flint River paddling access (mile 25.6 on the Huntsville CVB paddle trail list).
John Hunt Park
The city's big sports park in southwest Huntsville has a 4.1-mile bike-only mountain bike trail, according to the City of Huntsville, plus a skatepark and disc golf. Park guide and homes nearby.
Map
Questions
Where can I mountain bike in Huntsville?
Monte Sano State Park and the Land Trust's Monte Sano Nature Preserve have the most riding, followed by Wade Mountain and Chapman Mountain preserves, Hays Nature Preserve and the bike-only trail at John Hunt Park.
Do I need to pay to ride?
Land Trust preserves, Hays Nature Preserve and John Hunt Park are free. Monte Sano State Park charges a gate fee.
Want to live close to the trails?
We are a local, family-owned brokerage. Tell us what you like to do outside and how close you want to be, and we will send homes that fit, from walk-to-the-greenway neighborhoods to land near the mountain preserves.
Search homes for saleCall or text (256) 808-6861Sources: Monte Sano State Park (Alabama State Parks); Monte Sano State Park hiking & biking trails (Alabama State Parks); Bike the mountains of Huntsville: 5 must-try locations (Huntsville CVB); Monte Sano Nature Preserve (Wikipedia); Rules & Trail Tips (Land Trust of North Alabama); Huntsville's historic Three Caves (Huntsville CVB); Wade Mountain Preserve (Land Trust of North Alabama); Huntsville MTB directory (MTB Project); Huntsville Alabama paddle trail (Huntsville CVB); City of Huntsville - John Hunt Park; City of Huntsville GIS open data (parks, greenways, trails, trailheads, launches).
Trail, park and launch locations come from the City of Huntsville GIS open data and the official sources listed on this page, as of October 2026. Hours, fees, rules and trail conditions change, so check with the land manager before you go. Distances are straight-line miles. Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Wyze Realty is not affiliated with any park, preserve or organization named here.