Backpacking the Big Tree Loop Trail, Sipsey Wilderness, Alabama

Описание: This is a short, 1 night, 12.5 mile (20 km) backpacking trip in the Sipsey Wilderness of North Alabama that features passing through the Needle's Eye, exploring a historic salt peter mine, and the biggest tree in Alabama -- "The Big Tree". This hike includes some small waterfalls (mostly dry in the fall, more impressive in the spring), hiking along the Sipsey Branch and a lovely evening in camp.

This loop trail is easily my favorite route in the Sipsey Wilderness. Some friends asked me to show them the Big Tree, so we made a one night backpacking trip out of it, though someone who is fit can easily do the entire loop in one day and if you are really in a hurry, you can take the Big Tree Shortcut route and cut the trip to about 6 miles round trip. Most of the route we took is pretty flat, following along creeks and streams with only some small ups and downs, many times to avoid fallen trees. The only section with any altitude gain (about 300 ft) is the Big Tree Shortcut trail that we took out on Day 2. If you plan to camp, then I recommend hiking this loop in the counter-clockwise direction. That takes you first to the Needle's Eye (always fun to go through) and then along the Sipsey Branch of the Black Warrior river. For a long time I've been wanting to find the rumored salt peter mine and I was pretty sure I knew where it was (by process of elimination if nothing else). You have to go off-trail and bushwhack through the brush a bit, but we found it. The trail up Bee Branch has a lot of downed trees, making it a lot more difficult than you would expect from distance and elevation contours alone. We ended up staying at a camp site very near the Big Tree that is partially covered by a rock overhang and is up off the valley floor. However, the spot only really has room for one tent, and we squeezed in two with the side effect that a couple of times in the night, I had to crawl back up to the uphill side of the tent due to gradually sliding down as I slept.

The Sipsey Wilderness lies within the Bankhead National Forest in northwestern Alabama. Sipsey was the first designated wilderness area in Alabama in 1975 and now encompasses about 24,922 acres (10,086 ha). Rivers and streams have carved canyons and valleys in the limestone and sandstone of the local plateau resulting in a wide range of micro-climates in a short hiking distance, some amazing natural features, a few historic sites, as well as endless nooks and crannies to explore. Wilderness camping, building campfires, hunting, and fishing are permitted. Sipsey is a "Leave no Trace" area (https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/) with, despite appearances, no designated fire rings, camp sites or facilities. Unfortunately, there are many traces of the hundreds who hike and camp here every year. Please be considerate and do not add to the already extensive damage in this special place.

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Big Tree Loop Trail info: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/tra...
Sipsey Wilderness info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sipsey_...
Sipsey Wilderness Hiking Club: http://www.sipseywilderness.org/home....
My maps of the Sipsey Wilderness: https://drive.google.com/drive/folder...

Title card music by Lobo-Loco: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lob...

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:22 Map
01:54 Thompson Creek Trail Head, Day 1 Start
02:27 Auburn Falls
03:33 Needle's Eye
04:39 Sipsey Branch
06:30 Salt Peter Cave/Mine
09:18 Camp Site
10:30 Day 2 Start
10:44 The Big Tree
12:38 Big Tree Shortcut Trail Out
13:12 Big Cliffs
14:57 Old Road Crossing
15:39 Intersection with 206 Trail
15:49 Thompson Creek Trail Head