| Wild Wednesday hikes for children and families |
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At Wild South, every Wednesday in July is Wild Wednesday!
 Creeks, critters, canyons and culture will be the focus of our July hikes for families in Alabama's Bankhead National Forest. All ages are welcome to come learn about our forest, the Native Americans and pioneers who lived here and the ecosystems that are being preserved.
 These natural and cultural history hikes will take us through sandstone canyons of eastern hemlock and cool creek water, along the wild and scenic Sipsey River, and to rock shelters where Native Americans lived.
 Families will learn about the amazing diversity of life in the Warrior Mountains of the Southern Appalachians. Streambeds, creekbanks and the forest floor will be explored for insects, salamanders, reptiles and plants.
 Come to know your place, and learn where you can take your children on our public lands for a good healthy dose of outdoors.
 Here are the dates and destinations:
July 7 For part 2 of this hike, we will drive back down the hill to Hubbard Creek and go to Kinlock Falls, one of the major cascades in the Sipsey Wilderness. Here hikers can get in the water to cool off. July 14 This Sipsey Wilderness hike will begin at the Sipsey Recreation Area parking lot. We will follow Trail #200 up the Sipsey River, cross Borden Creek and follow Trail #209 to Fall Creek Falls. On the way back, there will be time to play in the river and explore.
July 21 The "low-pressure" bridge was a crossing on the Sipsey River before the Highway 33 bridge was built. For a long time, it was a favorite recreation spot for families as the water here is shallow but with nice swimming holes. A near-by creek flows into the river from a canyon. A short walk upstream leads to a large rock shelter with a waterfall.
July 28 The Payne Creek trailhead is located on Highway 33 just north of the Sipsey River and is one of the trails that is maintained by Wild South. The distance to Payne Creek is 1/2 mile. Down in the canyon is a huge rock shelterand a cold, rocky creek that is habitat for several different salamander species.
After coming out of Payne Creek, we will drive to the Caney Creek Falls trailhead on County Road 2. The walk to the falls is about 1 mile. Caney Creek falls is a year-round waterfall that feeds one of the best swimming holes in the forest.
Participants must sign up in advance by e-mailing
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or phoning 256-974-6166. Please include your phone number in your message. Group sizes will be limited and those bringing at least one child or teen-ager will have priority on the list. Hike destinations are subject to change due to weather, water levels or a better idea.
All hikes will begin by meeting at 9:30 a.m. at the Warrior Mountains Trading Company at 11312 Alabama Highway 33, Moulton, AL. Park on the south end of the building (away from the diesel pumps) and come into the store. There will be sign-in sheets on the table in the center of the store. This is where we will gather before heading into the forest.
Bring backpack lunch, snacks, plenty of drinking water. Other thing that may come in handy: camera, magnifying lens, walking stick, bandana, hat, Epi-Pen if insect allergies are an issue. There will be ticks and poison ivy.
Wear clothes that are comfortable for summer hiking and can get wet. Shoes must be sturdy with good tread for reliable traction on slippery rocks, creekbeds, steep slopes, rocky terrain.
Wild Wednesday hikes are free of charge, but your donation will be gratefully accepted and put to work right here in our Bankhead National Forest.
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