Hiking_AL-6

Introduction

The last time we met, I mentioned that there was good news for hikers in Alabama, as the state’s land protection agency, Forever Wild, was purchasing more and more land and turning it over for recreational use. This time there is even better news to report.

In a nutshell, Alabama has truly become a hiking destination. Through the efforts of Forever Wild and the new Alabama Trails Commission (see sidebars included with the hike descriptions) and the emergence of more volunteer trail-building organizations, the number of trails that are available to hike in Alabama has grown exponentially, so much so that it was really tough putting this edition together. Each weekend I would have a schedule of trails that I wanted to hike for the book, and inevitably I would discover a new one that I wanted to hike and include. I had to make some tough decisions, but that’s a good problem to have—which trail to hike.

There is always a downside to everything, and once again weather plays into this edition. Last time it was the remarkable hurricane seasons of 2004–5 that ravaged the Gulf Coast. This time it’s tornadoes. In April 2011 strong tornadoes ripped through the North and Central regions of the state. The 2011 storms actually spawned several twisters, including an EF5 that resulted in over 100 fatalities and almost 2,000 injuries. The destruction was devastating. A few major Alabama state parks suffered severe damage, forcing them to close hotels, restaurants, and campgrounds, and several trails were left barren.

But Alabamians are resilient people. The area is returning to normal. The state parks and national forests are back up and running again. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, a few of our favorite trails from the past weren’t so lucky, and while they are open to hikers, it will take years for the land to recover.

On a brighter note, as I said before, Alabama has become a hiking destination for people from around the country and the world, with many new and exciting adventures available.

If this is your first outing on the trails of Alabama or if you are unfamiliar with the topography of the state, you’re in for a surprise. There is literally something for everyone when it comes to hiking here.

The state is divided into four distinct regions: the Highland Rim, the Piedmont Plateau, the Black Belt, and the Coastal Plain. To the extreme north is the Highland Rim. Thousands of years ago the entire region was covered by a shallow ocean. As the waters receded and the land began to rise, ancient shell banks and coral reefs dried out and died, forming the limestone bedrock that makes up the mountains of north and northwest Alabama. Over the years the action of the elements on the soft rock created huge crags, cliffs, and caves. Areas such as Cane Creek Canyon Preserve in Tuscumbia and Borden Creek in the Sipsey Wilderness provide excellent opportunities to explore these mammoth outcroppings and rock shelters that usually come equipped with spectacular waterfalls.

Just as the receding ocean created the Highland Rim, so, too, did it unveil the Piedmont Plateau. As the land thrust upward, forming the southernmost end of the Appalachian mountain chain, it created the highest peaks in the state. It’s in this region that you’ll find Alabama’s highest point, Cheaha Mountain, which stands just over 2,400 feet above sea level. You’ll also encounter the largest canyon east of the Mississippi, Little River Canyon, carved by the Little River, the longest mountaintop river in the country.

The fertile Black Belt, the land from Montgomery to just above the coast, has gently rolling hills and notoriously rich soil that makes this region prime agricultural territory. Here rivers flow and create sanctuary for a multitude of birds and wildlife.

And finally there is the Coastal Plain. This region has some of the most pristine white beaches to be found along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the second-largest river delta in the country. The Tensaw River Delta is one of the largest protected areas for wildlife in the state, with many endangered species calling the area home. Such locations as the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Historic Blakeley State Park allow us to visit this wildlife firsthand.

The history of the state is just as remarkable. Native American history can be traced back to 7,000 BC. Europeans came to the region in the 1500s—first the Spanish, then the French, and then the British, much of which can be experienced at the Fort Toulouse–Fort Jackson Historic State Park in Wetumpka. The United States finally took control in the early 1800s, following such bloody engagements as the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, where General Andrew Jackson took down the last of the Creek Indian defenses.

Time and time again, the Civil War pops up in our travels. The last major battle of the war was fought near Mobile in what is today Historic Blakeley State Park. Tannehill State Historic Park is the site of a major foundry, rebuilt to its original condition, where munitions for the Confederacy were forged, and the state honored their veterans by establishing a retirement home at what is now the Confederate Memorial Park. But don’t think that all of Alabama was behind the secession of the South: Winston County, where the Sipsey Wilderness is located, actually declared itself a free county and aligned itself with the Union.

History continues to be made in the state as humans reach for the stars. The city of Huntsville is home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where the Saturn V moon rocket was designed and the modules for the International Space Station were constructed, and where the new Space Launch System that will take us to Mars and beyond is being designed.

Since the first edition, I have been asked many questions about the book. One is why I chose to include some trails and leave others out. Many fantastic hiking experiences are available across the state, and it would be impossible to include them all. While the hikes within are day hikes, wherever possible I try to provide additional information to extend the length of the trip or to make it into an overnight (or two) backpacking trip.

Another question I am asked is why the many rail trails that are being developed in the state were left out. These new trails are great and offer a new way to get out and enjoy the Alabama scenery and history, but they are multiuse trails. I have tried to narrow down the trips in this book to nonmotorized, nonpaved paths. There are a few that cross paths with bike and equestrian trails, but for the most part, I have tried to include strictly traditional hiking trails. I have also tried to present hikes that offer a wide variety of experiences throughout the state, hikes that should interest everybody from novices to more experienced hikers.

Finally, a question I know you will all be asking is what happened to this trail or that trail that was in the last edition? I did keep some of my favorites in this edition, but there were so many great new trails that I moved several to honorable mentions to make room for them. So there you are. It’s time to hit the trail and explore Alabama the Beautiful!

Flora and Fauna

More than two-thirds of Alabama is covered in forest. On the whole these forests are southern yellow, red, white, loblolly, longleaf, and slash pine forests, though red cedar is also prevalent. Of the deciduous trees, you’ll likely encounter hickory, sweet gum, and several varieties of oak, including live oak. Favorite aromatic and blooming trees in the state include the magnolia and dogwood.

Alabama is blessed with a wide variety of wildflowers along its trails and roadways. Some of the more interesting varieties include bellwort, also known as merry bells. These flowers are part of the lily family and bloom from April to June throughout the state. The plant has very thin and delicate stems topped with hay-yellow bells.

Along the marshes and streams, the trumpet honeysuckle blooms into bright scarlet from late spring to late summer. In early March the vines of the Carolina jasmine will be found clinging to fences and trees. These vines with yellow flowers can be found throughout the state.

Another common wildflower is the yellow orchid, which blooms late summer through early fall and can be found along just about any trail. From late July through September, the yellow fringed orchid can be found in roadside ditches, bogs, woods, and fields.

Mountain laurel and a variety of azaleas line most of the trails throughout the state, adding bright colors and fragrances to the hikes in springtime.

Alabama has a varied wildlife population. Although the hiker is more apt to find white-tailed deer and gray squirrels along the trail, the state hosts many other species. Black bears roam from one end of the state to the other, with the largest concentration found in the Tensaw River Delta of the Gulf Coast. Bobcat (or lynx) are also quite common throughout the state but are rarely seen.

From north to south, wild turkeys scurry along the trails. The turkey population was once on a dangerous decline but made an astounding recovery in the middle of the twentieth century. (Farmers used the eastern wild turkey to develop all current domestic varieties of turkeys.) Armadillos can frequently be seen foraging through the leaves along trails.

The American alligator, one of only two species of alligator in the world, can be found in the South and Gulf Coast regions. Alligators feed on fish, frogs, snakes, turtles, birds, and small mammals. Luckily they tend to be wary of humans, but feeding or harassing them in any manner changes the rules. The alligator was declared an endangered species in 1967 due to overhunting, but the species has made a strong comeback and some states, including Alabama, have reinstated alligator hunting seasons.

Several species of wildlife that are currently considered endangered have found sanctuary within the state, including the Alabama beach mouse, the loggerhead sea turtle, and the brown pelican. The American bald eagle has also found a new refuge in Alabama.

Weather

The range of weather in Alabama is striking—from its subtropical climate in the south to the cold and snowy winters of the north. In general, the weather for hiking Alabama is near perfect, except maybe for the dead of summer when you’d better be near a lake, river, stream, or the Gulf to cool off in. Even in the northern part of the state in the higher elevations, winters are generally short-lived, with frequent springlike days scattered throughout January and February.

In the north, average temperatures range from 46°F in January to 80° in July. Colder temperatures are more frequent in the north, and, yes, significant accumulations of snow can occur, though rarely.

In the southern portion of the state, average temperatures range from 52° in January to 85° in July. Cold snaps of below 30°, even near zero, do occur, but they are seldom and only last a day or two.

Though the weather in Alabama is generally ideal for hiking, there are exceptions. The mix of heat and the 100 percent humidity of summer can make a deadly combination, with heat indexes that frequently soar well into the hundreds. On these days, outdoor activity of any kind is discouraged by weather services and state officials.

Also during the summer, extremely heavy and severe late-afternoon thunderstorms can pop up without warning. Although they are widely scattered and short in duration, the large amount of rain and dangerous lightning can make outdoor travel a challenge.

Finally, June through November is hurricane season. Though a hurricane will only hit a relatively small area with its full fury, areas hundreds of miles from the storm can still feel its effects. In fact, most injuries and deaths resulting from hurricanes come from flash flooding in areas that are not even in the storm’s center, and tornadoes often accompany the storms as they push inland.

When hiking during hurricane season, especially in September when most of the storms in the Atlantic Ocean make their way into the Gulf of Mexico, check the weather and be alert for any tropical disturbances before heading out. If there are any storms reported, keep tabs on their progress to determine if hiking is a good idea at that time. There is typically plenty of advance warning to react to a storm, so don’t let hurricane season discourage you from coming to Alabama to hike!

Restrictions and Regulations

Alabama has twenty-six state parks, five national forests, and a national monument and preserve. With the exception of high-altitude mountain climbing and desert hiking, these protected lands offer every type of hiking experience imaginable, from a short walk with endangered species through preserves to true wilderness hiking. As is the case across the country, the number of people hitting the trail is ever-increasing. Fortunately, state and federal agencies tasked with managing these facilities do an excellent job of maintaining the balance between use and preservation.

Alabama’s state parks provide an ideal setting for families looking for a quick getaway to the great outdoors or for those seeking a bit more of an adventure. Several parks now allow trailside camping or “backcountry camping.” Those that do are noted in the trail descriptions in this book. All state parks have primitive camping areas for tents and what are called “improved campsites” that have their own water spigot and electrical outlets.

Reservations are not required for primitive campsites at state parks. Reservations are recommended for improved sites and are accepted up to twelve months in advance. Generally up to eight people are allowed per site. Fees and additional regulations may apply, so be sure to check at the ranger station of each park for details or the website noted in the text.

Within the state’s national forests, camping is permitted along the trails at no cost unless otherwise noted in the trail description. The rangers ask only that you follow the policy of dispersal camping in which campsites are spread far apart and at least 100 feet from the trail. In some areas, others have already set up campsites close to the trail. If this is the case, rangers suggest using these sites to minimize any further impact of camping on the location. Some of the national forests have recreation areas set up for camping. Again, these have both primitive and improved campsites and fees may apply.

Most of the trailheads described in this book at the national forests charge a small day-use fee. Since you’ll almost always be within a stone’s throw of a lake, river, or ocean, you may want to try your hand at fishing; visit www.outdooralabama.com for license information.

Dogs are usually welcomed on the trails, but a leash is required unless otherwise noted. Also keep in mind that hunting is allowed in national forests and Forever Wild properties. Contact the national forest, district forest ranger, or the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for hunting seasons, which can restrict camping locations and hiking trails.

Getting around Alabama

Area codes: The area codes 256 and 938 cover Huntsville and northern Alabama. For the Birmingham area, the area code is 205. The area code for Mobile and the Gulf Coast is 251, and south Alabama (Montgomery area) is 334.

Roads: For road conditions, visit the Alabama Department of Transportation website at http://alitsweb.dot.state.al.us/RoadConditions, and for road closings and advisories, go to http://alitsweb2.dot.state.al.us/RoadConditions.

By air: Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) is Alabama’s main point of entry (www.flybirmingham.com). Your travel agent can best advise you on the least expensive and/or most direct way to connect from wherever you’re departing. Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) serves greater Mobile and the Gulf Coast (www.mobairport.com). Shared-ride vans and taxis serve each airport and surrounding areas.

To book reservations online, visit your favorite airline’s website or search one of the following travel sites for the best price: cheaptickets.com, expedia.com, priceline.com, travel.yahoo.com, or travelocity.com, to name a few.

By bus: Greyhound serves all major towns and cities in Alabama. Schedules and fares are available online at www.greyhound.com or by phone at (800) 231-2222.

By train: Amtrak makes stops in Anniston, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa. Schedules and fees are available online at www.amtrak.com.

Visitor information: For visitor information or a travel brochure, call the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel at (800) 252-2262 (ALABAMA) or visit its website at www.alabama.travel.