Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
After following the banks of the lake over a man-made earthen dam, the trail
turns and heads southeast into the woods, where it follows a nice, narrow 3- to
4-foot-wide dirt bed. Here loblolly and longleaf pine, sweet gum, and hickory fill
the forest. In the fall live oaks provide a sparkling display of color that reflects
from the surface of the lake. In early spring the dogwood blooms are particularly
beautiful. While hiking, be sure to watch for the many varieties of woodpeckers
that live here, including downy, hairy, red-headed, and pileated.
Eventually the trail moves away from the lake and begins to head up the side of
a ridge that has a grade that is much steeper than most other south Alabama hikes
covered in this guidebook, but the average hiker shouldn't find it too difficult. As
the trail nears the top of the ridge, it becomes an old dirt road. For the most part it
is maintained, but sometimes after heavy rains you may find a few washouts,
though nothing insurmountable.
At the top of a ridge, the trail comes to the very edge of the soft clay banks of a
large pit. Be careful here: There's a drop-off of 50 to 75 feet. Turn around and you
will have a nice view of the rolling hills surrounding the forest, something you
don't normally see this far south. From the dirt pit you will turn to the right
(northwest) and follow the old CCC Road downhill to complete the loop. This is a
dirt road and a really nice walk in the woods. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for
the stone craftsmanship of the CCC. Along the sides of the road they constructed,
by hand, stone culverts to keep water from washing the road away.
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