Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, Trail Map

While there is no paddling at Ruffner Mountain, Birmingham's highest elevation point, there are a number of nice hiking trails, in this tucked away little preserve. Several months back, I went for a hike/run there and really enjoyed the place (a write-up on another blog I keep can be found here). As a result, I thought I'd make a trail map available for easy access, here. Additional information about Ruffner Mountain Nature Center can be found at ruffnermountain.org.

Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge, Boundary Map

Because part of the Hargrove Shoals run on the Cahaba River is such a good run, and because the put-in for that section lies within the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge, it's nice to have an easily accessible boundary map of that refuge. So I have made one available, here. The put-in for the Hargrove Shoals section is at Piper Landing on River Trace Road and runs about seven miles down to a take-out at the Pratt's Ferry Preserve on County Road 26. Tyler and I did this run back in July. For additional information about the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.

Mississippi River Hyperbaric Classic

I recently received an email from the marketing and fundraising coordinator, Heidi Grey, for HOLLI (Helping Others Live Life Initiative), a non-profit dedicated to making hyperbaric oxygen therapy available to those who suffer from traumatic brain injuries, MS, and autism, all of which conditions hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been proven to improve.

One of the first events HOLLI is hosting is the Mississippi River Hyperbaric Classic, a 30-day paddling (kayak/canoe) trip down the Mississippi River. The event his be held in June 2012. The registration fee is $500 for teams with a minimum of 3 people; for each additional person, the fee will increase by $100. Paddlers will be provided with a box lunch every day, and provided by sponsors with a meal at night. At each stop, sponsors will be putting on a vendor fair where there will be entertainment, demonstrations, and much fun.

For additional information, you can email Heidi Gray and/or visit HOLLI's website.

Kayakers Take on Noccalula Falls...Survive

So it's possible to paddle over Noccalula Falls, but it may not long be permissible. Here's the link to a story about three paddlers (Pat Keller, Isaac Levinson, and Chris Cragtmans) who did so recently: Blog.AL.com. And the video is up as well, and can be found here.

Noccalula Falls (c. 2003) :: Mamiya M645, Sekor C 45mm f/2.8

Recreation on the Black Warrior River and Tributaries, Impaired Segments

The Black Warrior Riverkeeper has recently compiled a list of impaired segments of waterways in the Black Warrior watershed, in the greater Birmingham area. Their goal is to have the classification of these segments changed to include 'swimming', so that the public can require greater protection for these segments of river.

Locust Fork at Kings Bend

In order to accomplish this change in classification, the Riverkeeper must supply documentation (either written or photographs) of recreation occurring, either currently or historically, on these segments. So they are seeking people to submit photographs or other forms of documentation of themselves using the impaired segments (below) for recreation, such as swimming, paddling, etc. You can submit them to the Riverkeeper's email: blackwarriorriverkeeper@gmail.com. You need only include the following information: on which portion of river the activity occurred, and what type of recreation you participate in on the segment.

Five Mile Creek near Brookside

 Area of the Black Warrior River you use for recreation:   

• Warrior River      
• Warrior Lock and Dam to Oliver Lock and Dam             
• Oliver Lock and Dam to Hurricane Creek                     
• Locust Fork        
• Hwy 61(Maxine) to U.S. 31                                   
• U.S. 31 to Hayden/County Line              
• Hayden/County Line to Its source                                
• Mulberry Fork
• Burnt Cane Creek to Frog Ague
• Frog Ague Creek to Junctions of Mulberry, Sipsey    
• Junctions of Mulberry,  Sipsey Its source                                
• Sipsey Fork            
• Junctions of Mulberry, Sipsey Lewis Smith Dam                   
• Lake Lewis Smith to Sandy Creek                           
• Sandy Creek to Its source                                
• Five Mile Creek    
• Warrior River to Payne Lake (Talladega)          
• Locust Fork to Its source                 
• Hurricane Creek, Warrior River to Its source                                
• Davis Creek, Warrior River to Its source                                
• Valley Creek      
• Warrior River to Blue Creek                               
• Blue Creek to Its source                                
• Locust Fork to Bayview Lake Dam                
• Bayview Lake Dam to Its source                                
• Turkey Creek, Locust Fork to Its source                                
• Self Creek         
• Locust Fork to Bradford’s water intake          
• Bradford’s water intake to Its source                                
• Gurley Creek, Self Creek to Its source                                
• Calvert Prong       
• Little Warrior River to Oneonta’s water intake            
• Oneonta’s water intake to Its source                    
• Blackburn Fork, Little Warrior River to Inland Lake Dam        
• Graves Creek, Locust Fork to Its source                                
• Slab Creek, Locust Fork to Its source                                
• Lost Creek          
• Mulberry Fork to 2m upstream of Wolf Creek   
• 2m upstream of Wolf Creek to Cane Creek                             
• Cane Creek to Its source                                
• Wolf Creek, Lost Creek to Its source                             
• Burnt Cane, Mulberry Fork to Its source                                
• Blackwater Creek, Mulberry Fork to Its source                                
• Ryan Creek, Lake Lewis Smith to Its source                                
• Crooked Creek, Lake Lewis Smith to Its source                    
• Brushy Creek     
• Lake Lewis Smith to U.S. 278                                        
• U.S. 278 to Its source                                
• ClearCreek, Lake Lewis Smith to Haleyville Water Supply         
• Rock Creek, Lake Lewis Smith to Its Source

Sipsey Wilderness Trail Maps

While not strictly related to paddling, I thought this might be of interest. The Sipsey Wilderness Hiking Club (whose blog we've linked to below) has compiled a great deal of information about hiking that portion of the Bankhead National Forest. Because members of this club are interested in both hiking and paddling the Sipsey Wilderness and Sipsey River, respectively, I thought it would beneficial to make information available here as well.

Sipsey Wilderness, Sipsey River

 [Note: Each of the below links will prompt you to open a PDF that contains a trail map of the portion of the park described. Additionally, more trails and more extensive descriptions of the trails are available at the Sipsey Wilderness Hiking Club's website. Those trails mentioned here are of the most immediate interest to club members.]

A thorough map of the entire Sipsey Wilderness, which includes both foot trails and points of interest, can be found here. The park's most popular and easily accessible foot trail, with parking at both of its ends (the southern parking area also has restroom facilities and requires a fee for parking), is FT 200, which follows Bordens Creek. FT 202 passes by two old cemeteries and eventually intersects with FT 209, where 202 dead-ends. FT 209 branches from both FT 201 and FT 200; your access point will depend on what direction you're coming from. 209 follows the Sipsey River for its entirety and creates access to several creeks, which contain noted and notable waterfalls, but to which there is no maintained trail.

Sipsey Wilderness, Grey Tree Frog on Orange Bracket Fungus

As with any map, trail conditions may change either abruptly or gradually, due either to natural or human interference. There is no substitute for preparedness and common sense. Do no really only on the provided maps. These maps have been provided as a resource, but the North Jefferson Kayak Club can take no responsibility and is not liable for any experiences, positive or negative, you encounter while appropriating resources that have been made available.

Sipsey Wilderness, Sipsey River

Recent Changes

We have recently overhauled the North Jefferson Kayak Club website. We folded the website and blog into one site and simplified the navigability. The same important content for paddling maps, and paddling runs on the Cahaba and Locust Fork is still available. And we'll still update the site with paddling news in Alabama, and with photos and videos from NJKC trips. But now it'll all be at one location, while maintaining the same familiar web address. I hope you enjoy; we're excited about the change.