Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park
Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, located near McCalla in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, is home to the impressive Tannehill Ironworks. Spanning over 1,500 acres across three counties, the park offers abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation, including hiking and camping. Visitors can also enjoy a delightful ride on a miniature railroad amidst the beautiful pine forests. The park’s charm lies in its ability to transport you back in time, with skilled artisans demonstrating traditional trades like blacksmithing and milling from spring to fall. Craft shops in restored pioneer cabins provide polite chats with guests. Tannehill’s cotton gin, pioneer farm, and fully operating gristmill showcase its rich heritage. The Iron and Steel Museum highlights Alabama’s 19th-century iron industry and the park’s spectacular stone furnaces.
Fishing:
Tannehill offers fantastic creekside fishing, with its main creeks stocked annually with rainbow trout and abundant native fish like brim. Ropes Creek, flowing into Shades Creek and the Cahaba River, is home to unique plant species, including the rare Cahaba Lillies.
Visitors can purchase a $2.00 fishing permit at the Country Store, alongside a valid Alabama State fishing license, to enjoy fishing in the park.
Hiking Trails:
Tannehill’s park trails offer pleasant walks, mostly along wide dirt roads, once essential routes connecting towns and regions. One such trail is the Bucksville Stage Road, which passes by Camp Jack Wright, a popular Boy Scout area.
The trails, ranging from one to four miles long, are easy to navigate. You can purchase a trail map at the Country Store or Museum Gift Shop.
Address: 12632 Confederate Pkwy, McCalla, AL 35111, United States
Phone: +1 205-477-5711
Email: contact.tannehill@gmail.com
Area: 8.349 km²
Built: 1859-62
Added to NRHP: July 24, 1972
Size 2,063 acres (835 ha)
NRHP Reference Number: 72000182
Hours:
Opens and Closed: 7 am – 7 pm