Trail 205
NOTE: Rumor has it that this trail is effectively gone. The trail goes through many pines on the ridge top where were recently killed by the pine beetle and have fallen down on the trail. I can not confirm this, but after seeing the devastation after a recent trip on these ridges I believe the reports.
This trail is marked but unnamed on the Carto-Craft Map and indicated as TR205 on the Backcountry Surveys map. The trail branches off of
TR209 just south of Eye of the Needle and travels 3.4 miles to TR224. Neither end is marked, it will be a challenge to find. It is north of the TR209 ford of the Sipsey as indicated on the Backcountry Surveys map rather than south of it as indicated on the Carto-Craft Map. If you are looking for it you should be able to see the south end of the trail. It is right near a number of orange blazes indicating private property. The trail gets some obvious use and follows an old road bed up from the junction with TR209. The trail appears to no longer be officially maintained, there is evidence of previous maintenance and some usage.
The trial goes up the side of the canyon beside a small stream. This stream will be the last opportunity for water along the trail. The trail and old road then follow the ridge top for 3 more miles or more to TR224. The trail goes through some pine groves that have had severe ice storm damage and through which you will have to follow side trails to get around. Just keep coming back to the old road bed and you won't be lost. The damage is not nearly as bad as other places where you couldn’t get through at all without clearing, but it will be awkward. There is one camping site with a fire ring but no water along the trail. Also at one point a fairly heavily used side trail seems to cross, this trail apparently goes from Bee Branch into another side canyon, but it is becoming eroded and its use is not encouraged. The trail finally ends at TR224. There are no markings at this end and it will be much more difficult to find. It will be on the west side of the road just a few minutes south of the TR208 junction along the first ridge. You can kind of see where the old logging road went, the entrance is blocked so go around that and then follow the obvious road bed which should show some signs of use.
This trail is a good way to get out of the bottom of the canyon if you want to see some hardwood forest and might be useful in a loop, but isn't really very special - probably the reason why they no longer seem to maintain it. It gets a two star rating, is easy, and has no recent maintenance other than the side effects of an occasional hiker.
Last hiked: January 2000
This site is brought to you by the Alabama Hiking Trail Society, dedicated to completing the Eastern Continental Trail and increasing hiking opportunities in Alabama. We hope you find the information useful and will consider supporting the AHTS. Before you leave please visit the AHTS web page to learn more about us and the work we do.
Please help make this site interactive by providing your feedback and updates on the trails and signing the guestbook. The guestbook and discussion board can be found under "Trail Talk."
About Lee, webmaster and author of Hiking Alabama
Last Updated: April 2003
© 1999, 2000, 2001 M. Lee Van Horn. All text and photos on this site are the exclusive copyright of M. Lee Van Horn and the Alabama Hiking Trail Society unless otherwise noted. No text or photos may be reproduced without consent of the author. No page herein may be reproduced or contained within another page or window. Links to this site are greatly appreciated and should be directed to this page.