Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maps: USGS Perdido, AL;
DeLorme: Alabama Atlas & Gazetteer,
page 56 G4;
map available online at www.alabamaforeverwild.com
Trail contact: Alabama State Lands ADCNR, 64 N. Union St., Montgomery, AL
36130; (334) 242-3484; www.alabamaforeverwild.com
Special considerations: This trail is located in a state wildlife management area. In
the fall and winter, check hunting seasons and times before heading out at
www.outdooralabama.com/hunting and wear hunter orange during these times.
Finding the trailhead: From I-65 exit 45 in Perdido, take CR 47 west 0.1 mile.
Turn right onto Splinter Hill Road and travel 0.7 mile. The trailhead will be on the
left. GPS: N31 01.607' / W87 39.237'
The Hike
Several of the trails I have written about in this edition make mention of pitcher
plants. By now some of you are asking, “What exactly is a pitcher plant?” In a
nutshell, a pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant, like a Venus flytrap, eating any in-
sects that come its way. An unsuspecting insect is lulled into a false sense of se-
curity by fragrant nectar and enters the plant's long, hollow stem. The plant
doesn't actually “eat” the insect; rather, the nectar works to dissolve its prey.
There are several different species of pitcher plants around the world, like the
marsh variety that lives in the forests of Latin America. The extreme southern re-
gion of the American South, including the Alabama Gulf Coast, plays host to its
own variety, the white-topped pitcher plant.
The white-top is a long, beautiful, white-and-green tapered tubular plant. The
very top part of the stem is white with red or maroon vein-like patterns. The tube
is topped with a single large leaf. This variety is found in pine forest seepage
bogs, such as those found in south Alabama, and are currently classified as rare
and endangered.
Splinter Hill is located in one such bog, a 627-acre tract at the headwaters of the
Perdido River at Dyas Creek. The Perdido eventually flows south, forming the
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