Getting to Crew Accessible Aid Stations

Getting to Crew Accessible Aid Stations inside Oak Mountain State Park

Directions to Meeting Center at the Cabins - The START/FINISH

GPS Coordinates: 33.35030, -86.71911

Directions from the start at Redbud Pavilion from the South Entrance of the Park at Hwy 119 - From Interstate-65, exit to Hwy 119 and go west. Immediately past the interstate turn left onto State Park Rd. Continue on State Park Rd for 1.8 miles to the traffic circle and go to the third turn heading to the left into the park. The entry fee to the park is $5 per person. Continue straight ahead for 4.4 miles to Tranquility Rd on your right. This is the location of the BMX track. Park in the large field on your right before reaching the pavilion.

The Dam Aid Station (open Saturday only)

GPS Coordinates: 33.37358, -86.69481

Directions from the Start at the Cabins to The Dam - Leave the Aid Station location driving back out to Findley Drive, the main road through Oak Mountain State Park. Turn right on Findley and drive 2.5 miles. The aid station is on your left at the edge of the Lunker Lake Dam. Park in the large parking lot on your right. DO NOT park on the left by the aid station. The Dam aid station is not open Friday but crew members are welcome to meet there runner at the location.

Terrace Aid Station

GPS Coordinates: 33.32194, -86.76163

Directions from the Start at Redbud to Terrace Aid Station - Leave the Cabins and driving back out to Findley Drive, the main road through Oak Mountain State Park. Turn Left on Findley and drive 2.7 miles to Terrace Drive and turn left. Continue on Terrace Dr for 1.3 miles to the large field on your left. Total distance is 4.3 miles. The aid station is in the field on your left. Park in the large paved parking lot on your right and walk over to the aid station.

Peavine Aid Station

GPS Coordinates: 33.30175, -86.76223

Directions from the Cabins to Peavine Falls Aid Station - Leave the Cabins and driving back out to Findley Drive, the main road through Oak Mountain State Park. Turn Left on Findley and drive 2.7 miles to Terrace Drive and turn left. Continue on Terrace Dr for 2.2 miles, past the Terrace Dr Aid Station on your left, to where Peavine Falls Rd turns off to the left. The road ahead is blocked by a gate. Continue up Peavine Falls Rd for 3 miles. The road dead ends into the Peavine Falls Parking Lot. The aid station is in the pavilion to your right.

NOTE: From Terrace Aid Station parking lot to Peavine Aid Station, turn right on Terrace Drive and continue up Peavine Falls Rd 3.8 miles to the parking lot.

Getting to Crew Accessible AID STATIONS OUTSIDE THE PARK

Summit Lake Aid Station

GPS Coordinates for Summit Lake: 33.36838, -86.68162,

Directions from the Start at the Cabins to Summit Lake - Leave the Aid Station location driving back out to Findley Drive, the main road through Oak Mountain State Park. Turn right on Findley and drive 3.7 miles to the North Gate of Oak Mountain State Park. Turn right on Hwy 119 (Cahaba Valley Rd) and drove 3.2 Miles to Hwy 280. Turn right on Hwy 280 and drive 3.2 miles, over Double Oak Mountain and down the other side, to the North Shelby Baptist Church on your right. Just before the church, turn right on to Belcher Ln. which runs beside the church. DO NOT park in the church park lot. Continue straight ahead for about 1/3 mile to the large gravel parking lot on your left. Total distance to the parking lot is 10.3 miles. Park in the lot and walk back to Summit Lake. There is a $5 per car charge to park at the trailhead. You must have a credit card to park there.

PLEASE NOTE: If you leave the park to go to Summit Lake at night, the north gate is locked at 5PM. It will then be necessary to leave through the south gate and drove around the park to the southeast. See the second set of directions below. This route Summit Lake is 20.2 miles. You will pass the ”Train Station” location on the way. Also, if you return to the park from Summit Lake after 5PM you must drive around to the South entrance.

HIKE TO SUMMIT LAKE: Walk back to Belcher Rd and turn left up the road. Walk past the closed iron gate and continue on the gravel road for 0.5 miles. At the “Y” the road splits and passes around Summit Lake on both sides. GO RIGHT at the split and back left at the road that follow the right side of the lake. You will see signs and flagging directing runners along the northwest shore of the lake. You may follow the gravel road to the aid station or the marked trail the runners are using. The aid station 0.31 mile further, or a total of 0.81 mile from the parking lot. It it’s late in the day, take a flashlight or headlamp!

Directions from the Start at the Cabins to The Trail Station - 14.9 Miles - Leave the Aid Station location driving back out to Findley Drive, the main road through Oak Mountain State Park. Turn left on Findley and drive out the South Gate of Oak Mountain State Park. Continue to the traffic circle at 5.4 miles and continue straight ahead on CR33 for 0.4 mile to the stop sign at Oak Mountain Trail (CR35) and Turn left. Stay on CR35 for 1.9 miles to the left turn, staying on CR35 another 1/2 mile. At the signal light and intersection with CR 52, turn left again for exactly one mile. CR 50 “Ts” into Hwy 11. You will turn left on 11 so move to the left lane as you head up the long hill.

Turn left at the signal on Hwy 11 and continue for 5.6 miles. As you approach the train tracks, there is room for 2 or 3 cars to park along Hwy 11 just before crossing the racks. DO NOT drive down or park on the gravel road to your left. This is a private road and the park strictly enforces NO PARKING on this road. If you can’t, or do not want to park in the space along Hwy 11, cross the Railroad Tracks, turn right into the BP Gas Station on your right. Park along the outside edge of the parking lot close to CR 36. Do not park in front of the stores or Tacos El Paisano restaurant. From the station, first cross CR 36, then follow Hwy 11 facing traffic across the RR tracks. Be sure to check for trains before stepping onto the tracks. Some trains come through moving fairly fast. CR 11 is a busy road day and night. Be careful! When you reach a point directly across from the small parking area, cross over to your right and follow the gravel road down to the road angling right past the iron gate. This year, the aid station will be located by the gate. Be sure to have a headlamp of flashlight if it getting dark

GPS Coordinates for The Trail Station: 33.32779, -86.70625

Parking to hike to the Train Station:

Only park in the areas highlighted in green on the map. If there is room in the area along Hwy 11, just before the RR Tracks, park there. If there is no room along 11, park in the BP Gas Station parking lot where marked in green. Park so you do not interfere with traffic in and out of the gas station and do not interfere with business in any way. The owner is kind enough to allow us to park there, so if you make a purchase, please let them know you are with the Blood Rock races and thank them.

NOTE: The BP usually have the best prices on gas in the area. They also have some pretty good breakfast biscuits in the morning and sandwiches around noon. The Taco place is supposed to be good. It certainly has a lot of lunchtime business.

El Paisano