Red Mountain (Birmingham)

Red Mountain
Red Mountain
	Birmingham as viewed from the highest point along Red Mountain.
Highest point
Elevation	1,025 ft (312 m)
Coordinates	33°29′12″N 86°48′23″W / 33.48667°N 86.80639°W
Geography
	Red Mountain Jefferson County, Alabama, U.S.
Parent range	Cahaba Ridges
Topo map	USGS Birmingham South
Climbing
Easiest route	Hike

Red Mountain is a long ridge running southwest-northeast and dividing Jones Valley from Shades Valley south of Birmingham, Alabama. It is part of the Ridge-and-Valley region of the Appalachian mountains. The Red Mountain Formation of hard Silurian rock strata lies exposed in several long crests, and was named "Red Mountain" because of the rust-stained rock faces and prominent seams of red hematite iron ore. The mountain was the site of several mines that supplied iron ore to Birmingham's iron furnaces. Most of Birmingham's television and radio stations have transmission towers located on Red Mountain.

Red Mountain is also home to Red Mountain Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States at 1,500 acres (6.1 km²).