Alabama trails · McKay Hollow Trail
McKay Hollow Trail
A 2.4-mile network in Alabama, with 574 ft of climbing. Reaches Blue Spring. Managed by the state.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the final third — 95% of the ascent, between mile 1.6 and mile 2.4. It gives back about 572 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Blue Spring (spring)
Heads up
Getting there
McKay Hollow Trail access — parking nearby. About 24 min drive (12 mi) from Huntsville. 34.74296, -86.51761 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:25 a.m., the sun rises at 6:50 a.m. and sets at 6:12 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 6:38 p.m. (CDT) — 11 h 22 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 2.4-mile route takes roughly 1 h 11 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 8:01 a.m. — 10 h 12 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Warpath Ridge Trail + Rocky Nightmare + McKay Hollow Trail — 2.5 mi loop, 278 ft gain
- South Plateau Loop + McKay Hollow Trail + Bucca Trail — 2.7 mi loop, 373 ft gain
- Bog Trail + South Plateau Loop + McKay Hollow Trail — 3.5 mi loop, 518 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Arrowhead Trail — 1.9 mi
- Natural Well Trail — 1.9 mi
- Vernado Trail — 5.9 mi
- Fanning Trail — 5.9 mi