Sipsey Wilderness Report & Pictures

“ Myself, My brother Scratch, our friend Hoytt, & his son Slim Jim met Steve Hiker at the main Trail head. Steve Hiker was crashed out in the gravel as we pulled up. After a final shake down of gear, we headed out trail #209 (Sipsey Fork Trail). 1/2 mile in we crossed Borden Creek. Another 1/2 mile brought us to a nice little waterfall. We only walked about 5.5 miles the first day and made camp in Bee Branch.
I started to set up a tarp but wound up sleeping out under the stars. Steve Hiker did the same. Hoytt & Slim Jim tried to snore & fart each other out of the tent.
The next morning we headed to the back of Bee Branch to see the waterfall and a 500 year old tree. We then joined up with the Bunyon Hill Trail (#224) where we weaved through much blow down. We reached a trail head and turned right on the Borden Creek Trail (#200). We only walked .2 of a mile and made camp by the creek. The next morning we only had 2.5 miles left along Borden Creek to finish the loop back to the vehicles.
We didn't cover many miles for a 3 day walk but it sure is a beautiful wilderness.
Steve Hiker and I tlked about doing an ECT hike there next year.

Here's the rest of the pictures”

“COOL!!!
All my links worked right!!!”

“Great pics WD. Sounds like you guys had a very nice, laid-back walk in the woods. When you plan the next hike in the Sipsey, count me in.”

“I'll do it man”

“Thanks for the report. Sipsey is a wonderful place. I'll be able to go if there is an ECT trip there. By then our baby, which is due any day now, should be big enough for me to go without leaving mom in too big of a lurch. A 30 mile loop is possible. This loop hits all 4 of the "great" places in the Sipsey.”

“Things I learned from the Sipsey trip:

1. GET SOME REST before hitting the trail. I foolishly drove all night (no sleep) Thursday night to Sipsey, arrived just before dawn and got a couple hours of bad light sleep, then hit the trail when the gang showed up. Bad, bad idea.

Got a horrendous headache Friday and felt so bad I couldn't fall asleep even the NEXT night, Friday. The result was no sleep at all for 55 hours, until Saturday night when finally I was able to slip into unconsciousness and slept from sundown till Sunday morning.

2. BRING PLENTY OF GOOD FOOD. I didn't take this trip seriously because it was "only a weekender" and was in relatively level ground. So I threw a couple of Mountain House meals and granola bars in my food bag and headed out. Another bad mistake that I instantly regretted the first night. Fortunately the other guys were generous with their abundant supply of food and I lived. Next time plenty of good food, including cheese and some Crystal Lite powder (great stuff!) to drink instead of plain water.”

“Wow, it looks like you had a great weekend! I've made that mistake with the sleep before steve hiker. It's not something you want to repeat! Great trip report walkindude. I loved the way you worked the pics into it.”

“No worries about the food SH. When I BP with them boys, we always got plenty of good grub.
I did like the Crystal lite idea though. That stuff was good!

Also, My pack weighed about 23 pounds at the start. At the end of the trip it weighed between 15 to 20 pounds. I like that light weight BPing thing!”

“If anybody needs a map of Sipsey Wilderness, You can buy them at Wild Alabama Trading Post in Moulton Alabana just north of Bankhead NF. They cost $3.95 for the good ones.”

“Thanks for sharing walkingdude!”

“Very nice dude!.....i like the way you linked the great photos in the report..........thanks for sharing the experience! I have to get up to that neck of the woods next ...fiery gizzard or sipsey.....

SH...I can relate to the no sleep thing...similar experience for me at shining rocks....drove 9 hours after being up all night before leaving, and hiked in at midnight with no supper...i felt really "queazy" in the morning...didnt feel like eating but knew i had to...my fuel canister was "frozen"..like i was after i got out of my warm cocoon...dang, even my grits froze in the pan before i could eat them....
gatorade or crystal light or tang is a good idea for sure .. ramen noodles are good for that queazy thing too. it must be that electrolyte balance thing ??
i learn at least one new thing everytime i get out there...no matter how prepared i think i am before i go...”

“Thanks Everybody!
Glad yall enjoyed it.”

“I love the photo of borden creek--it looks like a painting. Refreshing to go outside with you mr.walkindude.”

“Thanks Dude! Great pics... looks like you guys had fun!
I liked the Borden creek area... photos #17 and #19 were my favorites.”

“I like the Borden Creek trail....and the way you linked the photos. Thanks for sharing!”

“Steve Hiker & I talked about doing an ECT hike out there next year. The Borden Creek Trail will deffinatly be in the plan. Sipsey River itself is really pretty too.
Thanks yall.”

“I was reading back over my report and it looked as if to read that the 2nd day was only .2 miles. That was just the distace from the end of Trail #224.
The whole trip was probably about 15 miles”

“WD,
Great report and pics. Sorry I missed you and Steve I'll be sure make the next trip.”

“I'm surprised that there was so much water in the creek. The eastern part of Alabama is in a fire alert (Sipsey is west Alabama). We haven't had rain in about 3 weeks. I'm glad the creeks were running and that you got to see some of the waterfalls.”

“cool. looks like a place i might visit with some folks.”

“Good report, dude.

Do you think the Trading Post will be open on Thanksgiving day? I'll need a map... or will I?”

“Love the rock along the Borden Creek Trail. Thanks for the peak at part of the South I've never come close to.”

“Another thing I learned:

3. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR STUFF. I left my almost-new Pur Hiker at the first campsite (when I was spaced out from lack of sleep) and just now had to spend $59 to replace it. A drag, man.”

“Ouch! Somebody's gonna get a free filter.”

“LMAO SteveHiker, you looked like you pulled an allnighter in that group pic.

Great pics!”

“If I can't get a map, will there be a trailhead kiosk with one? I can jot down a route from it.”

“Gojo
Send me your address and I'll mail you a map to use.
walkindude32@home.com”