Oak Mountain SP- Alabama

“Any body been there? I was checking out the map lastnight and was thinking about going down there. Is it worth doing?”

“I went there about 17 years ago. I don't remember any difficult trails. Good for day hiking and car camping. Maybe you can get Gojo or one of the others living in the Birmingham area to comment.”

“Yeah, It didn't look tough at all. Just some small hills. 200 -300 ft gains. It looked like it might be a fun little weekender.”

“If you plan to camp in the backcountry, I don't think you can.”

“On the map it mentioned backpacking but It didn't list any backcountry sites though.”

“I dayhiked there two days ago. The blue trail is the best. There are a number of trail loops to suit anyone for a weekend. Yes,you can overnight,just register first. There is an extensive bike trail too. I forget what the overnight fee is,but I believe it is quite reasonable. It is a good weekender.”

“We stopped there once on the way back from Gulf Shores for a picnic.
The Blue trail was one I was looking at. Also the White & Green.
Can you camp anywhere Sandy? What's some of the Highlights of the park?”

“After walking about an hour from the North trailhead,I passes a level site where someone had recently camped(blue trail). Why don't you try 1-800-alapark. They could give you more info. Also,Alabama state parks on the web.”

“I live about 45 min from Oak Mtn, but have only car camped there. One place I would recommend, though, is the Sipsey Wilderness. I've dayhiked it and am going to backpack it a couple weeks. It's easy, but also very beautiful. Waterfalls are everywhere. It's about 1:30 to the NW of Bham. If you need any info john@struct-engr.com

PS. Sandy, where are you from? I live in Pell City”

“Oak Mountain requires a permit to camp on the trails, hikers must remain in the designated campsites, there are a number of things to do while in the Park besides hike, make sure you visit the hillside aviary, there is a hospital for birds of Prey in the park, those deemed unreleasable are kept in houses interconnected by an aerial boardwalk....a really neat place to visit.

I Second the Sipsey Wilderness, I backpack there often. Spring is the best time of year for it.

Dude, also check out the Dismals Canyon, I'ts a hike in and base camp, day hike sort of place, but the experience will stick with you for a long while...do a search on the net for alabama/Dismals....”

“This site has info on Oak Mtn and most other hiking locales in AL

http://public.surfree.com/fountain/alabama.htm”

“Dayhiker,down in Atmore,North of Pensacola. I have a national guard school to attend in Anniston,April 1-14. If possible,I plan to overnight somewhere on the Pinhoti saturday the seventh. or at least dayhike therebouts.”

“Sandy-
Just outside the back gate at Fort McClellan, there is an access to the TNF, look for the Pine Glen Campground, the hike from there to Coleman lake and return is an excellent area.”

“I've eaten at the Sweet Shop in downtown Atmore, AL. I've been on the Pinhoti around Cheaha, but I hear it's better north of Anniston. The Piedmont area is supposed to be good. The site I referenced above has trail reviews for the whole Pinhoti. The guy who maintains the site has thru-hiked it numerous times.”

“Is the Ruffian from Alabama as well?”

“sandy -
Do the Chinabee Silent/Pinhoti/Skyline loop. It's about 17 miles and makes for a perfect weekender.

dayhiker, ruffian -
How does the Sypsey compare to Talladega/Cheaha?

BTW -
Any of y'all done the Conecuh NF trail(s)? I did a two-niter last spring break that involved one day of bushwacking - all on (and off) the south loop. It's an easy - but surprisingly hilly - hike. Nice sites, too.”

“Chinabee is nice. As far as a comparison goes, they're a good bit different. Cheaha is mainly ridgeline or just off a ridgeline hiking (Chinabee being the exception). The part of Sipsey I did was pretty flat. It started out just flat woods for a couple miles and then the bottom falls out into the river valley. Once there it doesn't feel like Alabama. I've never been to the NW but it seems like my idea of the NW. I felt like I was in a temperate rainforest. There are a series of 100' bluffs that parallel the river. In between the bluff lines on each side of the river are VERY tall evergreens (not pine). They block out a good bit of light, so the floor isn't real thick with foliage. Ferns and waterfalls are everywhere. The largest tree in the state in there (21' diameter). I loved it and can't wait to go back. This site has a good map with prominent waterfalls listed http://www.eyrye.com/ There are dozens of waterfalls that aren't on this map. Sorry so long”

“Oops, that's 21' in circumfrence (sp) which is about 7' in diameter.”

“Dayhiker & Sandy
I've been to Sipsy once BPing. It is nice out there. Camped at Bee Branch. Beautiful area. I do wanna get back out there again.
And thanks for the info on Oak Mountain!
Talladega NF is a great place. Someday I'll get to through hike the Pinhoti.”

“I remember there being lots of caves in the Sipsey area. It's been about 20 years ago.”

“I wonder what an ECT turnout would be like for Sipsy, Oak Mountain, or Talledega NF would be like?

Anybody interested?”

“I'd be game.”

“Cool.”

“Big time!”

“Big time!”

“I would love too, what time frame we talking about, dang Army gets in the way sometimes.”

“I'm tied up most of April.”

“I'm possibly open May 19 & 20.”

“I think I can that weekend. Let me check with what the Mrs. has planned. She's out of town for a few days. I should know next week. Yall might want to check out the adventure thread before you go into the woods with me. ;>)”

“Like I said on the other thread. "Leave the Wagon at home and I'm in".”

“i'm definately going to talladega in the next month or so. i'll tell y'all, a day or so before i leave. well, at least a few hours.”

“May 12+13 is best for me,but I could call in sick another weekend if necessary.”

“Well that's the weekend after the Cumberland Island trip and I try to give Susan at least every other weekend. Gotta keep da lady happy. The 26 & 27 isn't good either. That's the grandson's birthday.”

“I hope you folks don't consider it spam if I put in a plug for the Appalachian Trail Club of Alabama here, since there seems to be a lot of interest in Alabama trails on this thread. We meet the first Sunday of every month at the Vestavia Hills library at 2 PM in the 2nd floor meeting room, and do dayhiking, backpacking, and car camping trips in the Southeast and sometimes other areas. Sometimes we even make it to the Appalachian Trail, as befits our name! I, being the newsletter editor, would be happy to send you a copy of our current newsletter detailing future hikes and other stuff. Send an email to Schristian@libnat.com”

“Has anyone hiked on the Lookout Mountain Trail? I see it's mentioned in the "Alabama Trails" book. Where can I get more info on it?”

“I'm not familiar with that trail. Is it around DeSoto state park?”

“It's supposed to be about 100 miles long. From Noccalula Falls to Chickamauga National Military Park. I don't know if it's complete or not yet. It's in the "Alabama Trails" book by Patricia Stenger Sharpe.

It's a pretty good book.”

“Sorry for the delay. I'm not familiar with that trail. I looked it up in my "Alabama Trails" book also. It mentioned that it was under construction but the book was published in '93. You'd think it would be finished by now. I talked with a few friends and they'd never heard of it either. I have to go to Gadsden occasionally. Next time I go, I'll try to stop by the address listed for more info. PS. Is that hike still on? We recently found out we are expecting baby #2 and I already have a trip scheduled the first weekend in June, so two trips so close may be a problem. I'll have to be counted as a tentative commitment at this point.”

“Hello Dayhiker,SGT Rock and others.Have been keeping up with thread.Depending on time you decided I would like to tag along.Sgt rock have changed plains doing your route except nobo.Dayhiker is going along to neels gap.”

“I did not mean to run everbody off.....”

“Is anybody doing anything this weekend in the Alabama area?”

“Bama Hiker,

I'm still planning my AT trip June-July southbound from Wesser. I just thought an Alabama hike in April with some of the TT regulars would be cool, finally get to meet some of these guys face to face.

Anyway, Easter weekend looks to be the best closest thing I could do, and that is remote now because of some other stuff. After that I will be in Air Assault late April until early May, then field time in May to June, AT hike June to July, then more field time for the rest of July. It's too early for me to plan past July.

Even when I'm not hiking, I'm in the woods. I LOVE this job!”

“I'm tied up this weekend and am going to the A-day game (Alabama) the day before Easter. The next weekend I'm going to attempt to go camping with my wife again. If any of you read the wagon fiasco in the Adventure thread you know what I mean about attempt. I'm still a definite maybe for mid-May”

“I asked about this Lookout Mtn Trail at the ATCA meeting last Sunday. It's not well known around here. Some seemed to think it was incomplete and had been allowed to grow up in places. Most of the trail building effort in Alabama has been focused on the Pinhoti, extending it and maintaining it so that it will connect with the Benton MacKaye Trail in Georgia, which connects with the AT. It's pretty late to be planning for this weekend but ATCA has a trip planned this weekend to the AT in Georgia. E-mail me today at Schristian@libnat.com and I can give you contact info.”

“How is the extention of the Pinhoti going? What's the milage so far?”

“Last I heard it was near the state line. Parts of it in the northern section, from Dugger on, are probably growing up. Our club worked on Oakey a couple years ago and cleaned out stands of saplings growning up in the middle of the trail. Methinks that volunteers cannot do all the work. The Forest Service needs to spend more time on the Pinhoti, and less on cutting down the forest for the pulp industry.”

“Has any good maps or guide book of any kind came out for the Pinhoti yet? I've got all the topos to get me the Dugger Mountain but is there any "Official" pinhoti map to show shelters or campsites yet. It's been about 5 years since I've been to Talladega NF.”

“Yes, I've got the one for the Cheaha area. It shows the Pinhoti trail, as well as most of the trails of Cheaha SP. It also shows the shelters. I bought mine at the SP, but I believe they're available at any of the ranger stations. I think it's broken into 7 maps.”

“One thing about the Pinhoti maps, they suck. Heavy, not waterproof, easy to tear, and one (I foget which) had some bad errors on the trail location. And I'm not talking about the part of the trail that they have left to nature in the Cheha area or south where that is the intent, I'm talking further north. I walked for miles scratching my head trying to figure out WTF?

But hey, it was a nice hike. I hope to do the new section that connects into the BMT, going north from the trail head on HWY278 (I think that's right).

If I retire to that area, I plan on contributing my time to trail maintenance.”

“Sarge -
They're connected to the Benton MacKaye?!
No way!

That means it's complete with the AT hook-up!

Last I heard, there is a trail in progress from US 278 to the GA line, but nothing was in the works from the state line to Cohutta (BMT).

I'll check the AL Trails Assc. website...”