After several days in the biting January cold, I finally learned to ride my bike – a purple banana-seated Christmas present from Santa with rainbow handlebar tassels – in the parking lot of the New Market Recreation Center. Being a county girl in the eighties, my neighborhood didn’t have sidewalks (so fancy!) and there was no way my Dad was going to let my sister and I loose on the hilly road where our house sat. The asphalt there was a little worse for wear, but I loved the wide open space to pedal as hard as I could once I got the hang of it.

Learning how to ride a bike is a pretty big deal when you’re a kid, and chances are good you’ll hold on to that memory for the rest of your life. That’s why it’s important for parents to put a little thought into where to go for that first lesson. We asked local parents about their favorite spots to take their kids bike riding safely in the Huntsville area.

I mean, there aren’t many places you can grow up learning to ride your bike on a paved Double Helix path…

Where Kids Can Go Bike Riding in Huntsville

We like the Double Helix Trail at HudsonAlpha for biking and scootering. There is a straight paved road that is good for learning to ride and then the actual path is curved and under the shade for a good portion of the length. – Ashley J.

The Aldridge Creek Greenway has a path for walkers and a path for bikers. It is fairly long and everyone seems cooperative no matter your manner of transportation. It’s right on the creek and has the mountains in full view. Also, there is a great park for after you’re done riding for the kids to play. – Robin C.

All the greenways, plus my kids like riding on the school running tracks (Whitesburg and Chaffee for us) because it’s like a raceway. Bonus is when then get tired you’re not 2 miles from the car! – Laura T.

Jones Farm Park behind Target in Jones Valley. Its nice for the younger riders because its pretty flat. If you have older siblings, they can ride ahead but still be seen from almost anywhere on the path. The smaller loops are good for little legs and the bigger loops for bigger kids. Our 12 and 5 year old love it! The little takes her time and the 12 year old zooms off. But we can see him while still keeping an eye on the little. – Meredith E.

We like the Bradford Creek Greenway. You can park at Palmer Park, Heritage Elementary, or where it crosses Mill Road. The greenway is flat, partially shaded, and there are several horse farms along the trail so we can stop to watch the horses. – Sara S.

The path around Optimist Park playground is good. – Derek M.

I like Indian Creek Greenway. I ask the kids to turn around and come back to me after 1-2 pipes. A lot of it is shaded and the creek is nice to listen to. Extra parking at the Old Madison Pike side has really helped. – Erica P.

Indian Creek Greenway is good and flat. If the weather is good there are places to play in the creek. You can see a good ways in front/behind you, so if an older kid needs, they can easily do long circles without being out of view. – Emilie W.

If you have access to Redstone (Arsenal) that is where we taught our boys. The roads are pretty much empty of the weekends so takes a lot of stress off making sure they are on a certain lane or line. – Jenna G.

We love Hayes Nature Preserve and the Flint River Greenway. Mostly flat, plenty of shady spots, plenty of places to stop and explore, and picnic tables by the river in Hayes. We found this last spring, and we’ve been going back ever since! Our 6yo and 3yo love it! – Allison K.

Sharon Johnson has the track by the soccer fields. – Tonya J.

Wade Mountain Greenway off Pulaski pike! Very wide, flat, paved trail. It’s next to a field to start and the second half is forested. It’s a tiny bit uphill riding toward the mountain/away from the parking lot, so new rider can get a little pooped by the end, but then it’s downhill and fun on the way back to the car. It’s just under two miles out and back. Plus if you need a little more, there’s a nice short hiking loop once you get to the end of the paved greenway. – Emily A.

If they’re just learning, an empty school parking lot on a weekend is perfect. – Amy B.

You Might Also Like…

• Outdoor Play Guide for Huntsville & North AL
• Where to Go Mountain Biking with Kids
• Adventure Friendly Land Trust Trails

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