Sipsey Wilderness Backcountry Site (Trail 207 Site A)

Read below for a full review of Sipsey and this particular trip. This is a small site right along the trail with enough cleared flat space for a single tent and 2-3 people. It has a well-established fire put and a couple of rocks that could be used to sit on. It is also immediately adjacent to the stream but high enough on the bank that it is not at risk of flooding. If possible I suggest heading a little further down the trail to the next site but this is a good backup option if that one is already taken. One of the cool things someone set up at this spot is several flat rocks placed in the fire pit that will help protect the fire in case of wind and direct the heat towards the sitting area. I can see this being a real advantage if camping during the colder winter months. 

Sipsey Wilderness is a protected but unmaintained area in Northwest Alabama that is well known for its intersecting creeks, streams, and rivers that play together with the many waterfalls and magical rock faces. The wilderness area is contained within the larger Bankhead National Forest and is accessible from a variety of different trailheads many of which are only reachable on dirt roads. Hiking here you definitely get the feeling that you have left the rest of the world behind and are in complete wilderness. Different times of year provide completely different experiences whether its the exciting and boundless blooms of spring, the overgrown wild of summer, the bold and expansive colors of fall, or the high river levels and easy boating access of winter. Just make sure to always do your research and plan ahead since it can change so drastically depending on when you go. My favorite is either fall or spring since the summer can be particularly hot and buggy.

This trip we had planned to kayak down the river from the Sipsey River Trailhead to the Highway 33 Bridge take out but were thwarted by a recent lack of heavy rain and unusually low river levels for the season. Several sites online suggested over 4 feet gauge height would be fine but after talking to the Rangers we were told the only time that it was really navigable was in the winter or fall for a couple of days after a major rainfall. With that plan out the window, we decided instead to throw some packs in the car and move our gear around to make it a semi backpacking/hiking trip.