Bee Branch Trail
The Bee Branch Trail, located in the Sipsey Wilderness within Bankhead National Forest is featured in the Alabama Hiking Guide (http://www.amazon.com/Hike-Alabama-Alabamas-Greateast-Adventures/dp/0762...), and looks like it would be a terrific trail for Philmont practice, as well as just a fun hike.
Regulations and Fees:
Information is available at http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=WildView&WID=556&tab=A.... Crew size is limited to 10 people. My best guess at fee is $3/person.
Directions to trail head Parking Lot: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Huntsville,+AL&daddr=34...
Briartech map with GPS coords: http://www.briartech.com/sipseyonepagea.pdf
Route:
- N on FT201 for 0.3 mi
- E on FT202 for 2.6 mi
- Ford the Sipsey River
- N on FT209 for 1.6 mi (which follows the Sipsey River and then bends W)
- N on Bee Branch trail for 1.2 mi
Total trip: 5.7 mi one-way, 11.4 mi two-way.
Some reports of folks who've hiked the trail:
- http://www.secretfalls.com/hiking/140-bee-branch-trail
- http://www.alabamatrail.org/hikingAL/Sipsey/Bee.htm
- http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGS282-030
Have you hiked this trail? What are your thoughts?
