Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 4
West Alabama and Tennessee Valley
WILLIAM B. BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST
Bankhead National Forest is located in the northwest portion of Alabama and contains some
beautiful sandstone canyons which hold the largest trees in the state. The crowning jewel of
the Bankhead is the 26,000-acre Sipsey Wilderness; the wilderness area is augmented by the
Sipsey Fork Wild and Scenic River which protects more than 61 river miles of the Sipsey and
its tributaries. Within these two areas, logging is no longer allowed and a rich and diverse hard-
wood forest is developing. Spring warblers here can be spectacular. The unique damp and cool
conditions in the canyons encourage beech, tulip poplar, and eastern hemlock trees to grow to
huge size and allow a wonderful mixture of songbirds which are usually easier to spot here
than in other areas.
The Sipsey Wilderness is an ideal place for day hikes or for week-long backpacking outings.
Deep in the heart of the area is Bee Branch, where the state's largest tree, a tulip poplar with
a 22-foot circumference, is located. Many of the trails in the Sipsey go through expansive up-
land mixed hard-wood and pine forests, and the birding there can be good at times. However,
it is in the cool, moist canyons that the best birding can be found. Describing the full trail sys-
tem and the birding possibilities within the wilderness area are beyond the scope of this topic,
but the remote areas of canyon forest can provide you with a birding experience similar to the
more accessible areas described below. If you want to combine a long backpacking trip with
good birding, the Sipsey Wilderness area is your best bet in Alabama.
