I did a thing, I did a thing! Are you looking for some local beauty while getting some steps? Please go visit the Moss Rock Preserve. First, getting to the Preserve is relatively easy. It's located within a community, which eases the mind when you solo trek. The trails are laid out nicely with clear paths. The natural stepping paths are quite easy to maneuver for beginners like me. The beauty of the rocks and boulders are amazing. Bring your kids to see all the natural beauty of the caverns and waterfalls. I love this place! Alabama is such a beautiful place. Take the time to experience this natural beauty in your own backyard. Yes, it is a true workout. Skip the gym and come outside. We outside, we outside! read more

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Moss Rock Preserve offers beautiful walking trails, streams, waterfalls, and giant rock formations. It provides a great outdoor experience within minutes of downtown Hoover. We've had a great time hiking here, and it's pet friendly so our fur-babies have been able to enjoy the trails with us too. If you love the outdoors, Moss Rock Preserve is a must-visit. read more

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It's a nature preserve with hiking trails. Very shaded. Generally not a lot of people.

Great places to rock climbing. With no rain the creek was dry. No marks on the trails, nice if trail were marked. read more

Moss Rock Preserve is an absolutely beautiful place within the heart of Alabama. Despite being just outside Birmingham and in the city of Hoover, it only takes a few minutes to get immersed in the trails and you completely forget about the surrounding city. The trails are relatively well maintained but they are natural, so be wary of visiting after a significant rainfall event. There are plenty of trails that take you to massive rock formations and even a beautiful miniature waterfall. I highly recommend this to anyone seeking a little adventure! Just be mindful that it is a bit easy to get lost if you do not stay explicitly on the trail and/or follow the scattered signs and paint markings created by the volunteer crews and scout organizations! read more

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Great hiking. Kids enjoyed the rocks and streams. My wife an I enjoyed the nature. We will definitely be going back. read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

Less than three miles away from my own neighborhood, Moss Rock Preserve is a fun place to visit: mostly for hiking and occasionally for photography. I have found one parasitic plant (beechdrop) and a variety of mushrooms here. read more

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Moss Rock Preserve is one of my favorite places to hike! Several different trails, climbing rocks, and a picturesque waterfall make this a favorite with my kids. Conveniently located in Hoover, this spot is breathtaking and next to several dining options so you can have a meal before or after your hike. The trails are clear and easy for the most part. Lots of people bring their dogs. Go check it out! read more

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I decided to hike on at Moss Rock Preserve after work. there is a dedicated parking lot for those wanting to hike in the preserve. It is right before the middle school parking, and you'll see a whole bunch of school buses parked in the parking lot. The trailhead is pretty easy to find. The trailhead at the school bus parking lot takes you on the white blazes trail. I follow the white blazes, but I didn't finish the whole loop. It's hard to keep track of the markers, sometimes it would disappear and you won't find it for another 60 ft or so. You just have to look out onto the trail and you can catch limbs of trees with the white markers. The preserve is an interesting place. I veered off to another trail to find boulders and huge rocks. There's a tree with a tiny door located at the base along the white trail which was really cute. Lots of tiny creek crossings. Bring shoes that give you a lot of ankle support. read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

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So after three weeks of Winter Break for the kids and hubby, I decided we were going to go do something together as a family before the older one went back to college. No more sitting on the couch binge watching Outlanders, and we were going to have fun, doggone-it! We piled in the car after I looked at the maps online, and off we went. Of course I didn't print the maps, and could I find the same link using my phone---no. And I'm too cheap to pay for the geo-enhanced app. We decided on the Waterfall Loop and parked at the Boulder Field trail head. Didn't really want to have my phone out all the time, so I figured the trails would be well-marked and we consulted the sign map....which was labeled nothing like the online map. That's okay; we'll wing it. This proved to elicit multiple opinions on where we were going, who's leading this thing, and is he even looking at anything or just seeing how quickly we can get to lunch? At some point we decided that there were no trail signs, and we kind of wandered aimlessly over streams and rocks (though always on what looked like a well-worn path. Had a pretty good time, as the weather was pretty nice after a few days of rain. About a half-hour in, we found painted markings, and then a few broken signs and sign posts, so our haphazard meandering may not have completely been our fault. Though I am pretty sure that we were going backwards on much of the trail--oops. Sorry if you were one of the many people out there that day enjoying the weather and trails. So while the trail signs being repaired and replaced may also help, we did enjoy our walking and climbing, and will be happy to go back again for some required family fun. read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

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This isn't about the Preserve but the neighborhood right now. I love love love Christmas lights and are always looking to find a good light show! I had read the neighborhood was decorated pretty through out and decided to drive through. It mainly white light but almost all the trees and homes are lit up! The night I went it was a little misty out so gave the illusion of a pretty Christmas village! So pretty!! The horse and carriage was there to escort those are who would enjoy a slow horse drawn ride through the village. We drove around and soaked up the view! Definitely worth a drive through during the holidays! read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Picture doesn't do justice!! Lovely drive through the entire village! - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

What an amazing place! My best friend for married here and the views were spectacular. The walk to the waterfall was a little daunting for this clumsy girl, but we made it and I was in awe of the running water. The ceremony was great and fortunately no one else crashed the party. The cave on the way back was fun for kids, too! read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Wedding in front of the waterfall. - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

Moss Rock Preserve is a great hiking spot in the Homewood area. We did a 3.5 mile loop trail that took us to waterfalls and a frog pond. The area is beautiful and trails are only of moderate difficulty. Some portions of the trails are not well-marked, so be sure to use an app or map to help you with navigation. The preserve is also pet-friendly. read more

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Not as much moss on the rocks as I wanted but was still a very enjoyable hike. I brought my family there and we had a great time. We found salamanders in the water, I like salamanders. If anyone likes salamanders you should go here because there are def some serious salamanders here. read more

We love the Preserve! It's right in our backyard so it's very convenient. I would recommend taking a screenshot of the map prior to starting, sometimes the paths aren't very well marked, and we've taken a wrong turn 2-3 times. Choose what parking lot you want to start at and start your trip! On a hot summer day, many kids swim in the creeks/falls. Great for kiddos and pups! read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

Awesome place to go for a day. Great hiking, beautiful scenery. We always have a great time. Bring the doggies and your poo bags! You can hike along the water and cross the streams if you want. Boulder field has giant boulders to climb on. A lot of them have an easy way to get on top or you can truly climb them if you want. Some of them have some really unique features. There are different places to park that take you into different areas. Download a map to see where you want to go. read more

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Great place to hike with your dog! I took my Maltipoo and she had a great time hopping over tree branches. Most of the trails are sand for some reason but the boulders were beautiful to look at. Also be careful by the water! My boyfriend and I slipped climbing those rocks lol. read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Trail map - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

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Very cool place to visit. I went on a Wednesday afternoon when the weather was perfect. There were a few people out there but once I hiked past the main attraction which is the boulder field, I felt I pretty much had the place to myself. The water In the stream is clear as can be and there's a lot of cool things to check out besides the boulders. A few people were relaxing in hammocks along the trail which I thought was a good idea. I definitely plan to go back again soon. Perhaps after a recent rain to check out the waterfall. read more

My date and I had never been to Moss Rock Preserve so we decided one Friday morning to give it a go! We parked in the free parking lot next to the little restaurants and shops (I would definitely love to come back and check those out!). We got out of the car and headed on what seemed like an obvious trail. We came upon some beautiful rocks, but we were confused because there really weren't any trail markers. Maybe we weren't on the right trail or in the right place? We walked around the huge rocks and made our way to a little river with a bridge over it. We sat on the bridge by the water for a little bit, and kept walking. We stumbled upon a little waterfall that emptied into the little river. We climbed up some big rocks to get closer to the falls and found more falls! It was gorgeous! There really weren't any people when we were hiking around so it was as it we had it to ourselves. I was really shocked to find some cacti growing on top of the rock! In a really wet place! Anyways, we will return another day where we can spend more time exploring the park and when it's not so hot/cold (this was on that random cold Friday in April). Loved it! read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Gorgeous waterfall! - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

This trail started out fairly boring for us, by the end we were in stitches laughing and reminiscing over the hike. We finally found turtle rock and things just went up from there, finding the winding river and numerous water falls. It was absolutely beautiful, we also were attacked by bees and stung multiple times (because we accidentally left the trail) so that was fun. Def recommend this for families or a single person hike, very safe seeming area with lots to offer. read more

Welcome to the great outdoors! This is a nice rock sanctuary in Hoover. Very nice trails for exploring, hiking, rock climbing and creeks to get your feet wet. Bring your dog and get ready to have some fun. This place can get crowded on nice days. Especially in the common area where the boulders are. Please, please pay attention to which trails you are on and where you are. On hot days, beware of snakes. They are everywhere around the water out there. I really love to come here either with my dog or kiddos. There is so much you can do and explore. The kids love the rocks and hidden trails away from the crowds. Definitely worth the visit! read more

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This is my new, favorite place to hike in Alabama. A close second to Cheaha State Park. They have a few trails you can follow but be careful you can still get lost fairly easily. We tried to follow the signs but there will be little trails that can throw you off. We went during summer time so we didn't see much of a waterfall. It's still a great hike considering there's tons of shade everywhere. There are lost of big boulders too which is unusual. Last time I climbed on any boulders was in Arcadia national park in Maine. This reminded me of that so I had a great time going through the boulders. OH!! Not to mention they have an area right beside it call The Preserve. A very nice housing community and two restaurants. Both are patio friendly for dogs. Did I mention it's free to hike here! GO NOW AND GET YO FITNESS ON. read more

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What a find in the heart of Hoover! We went to Moss Rock Preserve in order to do a little hiking and taking in of all the nature. If you love creatures like me, you may stumble upon gorgeous shimmery teal damselflies, lizards, fish, and crawdads (sadly, they had passed onto another life). It was very peaceful to walk along shaded paths by softly babbling streams. There are a lot of paths to pick from of varying lengths and difficulties. I wished the paths could have been marked a little clearer since we had to double back a few times, but oh well. They seemed well-maintained overall. The boulders are super impressive. Be sure to check them out! I saw families (this is Hoover, after all), young people, exercisers, and dogs all enjoying the preserve. There are a few different places to park. The parking lot we used by Simmons Middle School was all out of maps, so I'm glad we had printed one off the website ahead of time. So printing out a map before you go may be wise. Also, I was impressed that the port-a-potties had toilet paper. No hand sanitizer, so BYO. I'm sure the Moss Rock Preserve has something for everyone. And the best part is that it's free! read more

If you enjoy rock climbing, this is a park with several large boulders for free climbing. There are also rustic trails with well over 300 acres of land for roaming. There is also a small creek with mini water cascades when it rains. read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Nature in the city. - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

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Great place. Love the park with food trucks and local vendors. Was a little hot in August but Fall will be nice

There are so many trails and so much to see! If you love hiking come here. Of course it can be a little bit crowded sometimes, but it's so worth it! read more

A moderately easy trail hiking wise. The water flows beautifully after heavy rain. There's a cute little village with some shops and a restaurant before the entrance to Moss Rock. It's honestly a really great place to relax and just enjoy nature. read more

I love moss rock it's so fun and good for kids,dogs etc. It's has a beautiful waterfall and awesome rocks to climb read more

If you are looking for great running trails, a nice hike, a place to climb, or just an interesting picnic spot, you've found it. The trail is plenty hilly enough to make it interesting, but not too challenging for any child or adult. There are boulder fields that offer climbing challenges for all skill levels. I generally go for my trail runs here. The boy scouts do a decent job of keeping the trails marked for my five mile (round trip) run. I did lose me my once, but was able to easily find the road and make my way back. read more

This is a really nice place to go hiking with good views. However, it is a pain in the ass to find your way around. A lot of the trails are not well marked or break off two ways with it being unclear which way to go. Of course, we got lost. We followed the signs for boulder field as soon as we got there, the signs kept saying we were getting closer and closer. But, then the signs just stopped having boulder field on them even though we never reached it. My mom was able to find it the next time she went and she said we were no where near it even though had followed the signs. It is a beautiful place and I'd like to see the boulder field next time, just needs to be more clearly marked. Also, it is very secluded in parts so be sure to have something to protect yourself just incase. read more

This place is beautiful. Cliffs for bouldering, trails through wooded hills and valleys, even a wonderful creek and waterfall over a rock face. I didn't get to explore everything, but I'd love to go back soon. The neighborhood is beautiful and there's even a restaurant nearby, although I haven't gotten to try it yet. As long as there exists such places as this and we make efforts to maintain them, there is hope for humanity. read more

We visited the park in late May. It was a really nice place to hike, and the boulder field was awesome. I give it 4 stars because there are very few markings on the trails. The directions on the map are not that clear either. It would be much nicer if the trails were better marked. We visited the waterfalls. Unfortunately there was no water. I guess there hadn't been much rain so the flow over the falls was literally in drops. Not the fault of the park, just a weather related item. Will go back again to see water going over the falls, it would be pretty cool. read more

Very large park that is great for getting the dogs out for an afternoon adventure. Several different access points to the park. They have large boulder fields that attract a variety of people interested in climbing activities. Lots of people hiking with their pets (everyone is so friendly out here). There are streams and rock formations that can easily be climbed. Also, there are several different paths that can be explored. The paths are all pretty well kept and wide. I can tend to get poison oak/ivy very badly and have never encountered any myself or on my dog. Great if you are looking for an outdoor excursion! read more

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Beautiful! I do hate that they keep taking away homes for the deer to create more homes for the people. People there are enough vacant homes for sale in other locations.... stop running the animals out of their homes! read more

Overall, I enjoyed the scenery around the creek and boulder field. However, I think the trails are not well maintained and need more frequent blazes. I am a moderately experienced hiker and I found myself needing to backtrack to regain the trail; the red trail ends almost entirely at the top of the hill and I had to go back down to the street to find the crossing. If you go here, you need to be sure to print off a copy of the trail map, you will likely get lost if you don't. read more

The kids love going hiking and/or climbing there. It's great for all ages. You can take the dog on a leash. They can enjoy running in the streams and waterfalls. (Bring a towel for kids and dogs) read more

Nice park. Clean. Huge. Lots of diversity in what you see. Streams. Huge boulders on the sides of hills. This allows you to climb one side or just walk on top from the other. Long expanse of water falls. One area has a massive slab of flat rock. Many kids are usually out and about exploring and many people with pets. Time of year you visit really doesn't matter. Just dress accordingly. For easy access Boulder Fields park at the entrance near the Preserve housing area. If you like the outdoors at all this should not be missed. read more

Moss Rock Preserve - Finn at the boulder fields. - Hiking Near Me - Hoover, Alabama

Very extensive trails and rock climbing. Great to take dogs and spend the day outside the streams and water falls are great

As far as moderate hiking trails go, this is a good one. Very nice trails. Very wooded... very variable, not too long if hiking/walking thru the woods isn't really your thing. Even if it is, there's enough to see and have a great time. Helpful to have a trail map of course, but the one I found online seemed to be drawn slightly off when coming to certain junctions/trail connections. Not all the junctions have signs with arrows, some do though. Also, if you happen to be on the white trail... the white paint on the trees, rocks etc has faded and unless you've seen how it's done in the other colors... you wouldn't notice that it's white paint. Blends in very well. Nice sights include a boulder field where people partake in rock climbing, a nice stream and small waterfall, and just good old mother nature! Once, in part of the boulder field, did come across a guy who appeared to be living there perhaps... or maybe a hippy just enjoying himself, not really sure. He had a small fire going with some canned food, was smoking, dirt black soles... *shrugs*. We spoke and kept it moving. Again, I enjoy this place. Next I need to check out some of the shops/restaurants at The Preserve! read more

I love Moss Rock! It's free to get in and dog friendly. The waterfall is absolutely beautiful!