Caves and Cabins in the Sipsey

[elbowman]

Hello Everyone,

I have spent alot of time catching up on all the great posts here at Alatrails. There is a lot of good information and I have lots of future plans to explore the areas off trail based on the posts. I definitely think the little ugly branch is a must do this fall.

I read an article about the bats in the area and there are over 150 caves in the Bankhead Forest. I have hiked alot of the trails and searched thru the bluffs over the past year, but have never come across what I would call a true cave. Is a over-hang at the bottom of a bluff considered a "cave"? If there are true caves in the area, can someone direct me  to an area to look in?

I am also interested in visiting the Rippley Family Cabin above the ridgeline at the eye of the needle. But have not been able to clearly see from the trail where it is located. I have read at the sipsey wilderness hiking web site that it is located near the intersection of the three trails around the corner from the eye, but am wondering if it visible from the trail or is there bushwhacking involved.

Thanks Eric

[Joshua Szulecki]

I know of one "true" cave in Sipsey that isn't underwater. It is called "Devil's Well" and is a highly guarded secret as vandals have already done damage to some of the cave. You will not find any information beyond what quarter of the wilderness it is in on the internet, and you probably won't get any answers from those who have visited it, and few have.

There is also a smaller "cave" that was the source of saltpeter (from bat guano) for gunpowder during the Civil War.

There are a number of caves within Bankhead National Forest that are not readily listed or mentioned often. The overhanging bluffs are generally called "shelters" in Bankhead.

[WolfVanZandt]

When it was found that just touching a cave formation can "kill" it, people have become much more protective of caves.

[McDowra]

I don't know where any caves are, but does anyone know where some old still sights are?

[toph]

I know of at least 3...1 near Hurricane Creek, 1 in upper Quillan and 1 in upper Riddle area.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I believe I've heard there is a still in a side canyon near Parker Branch, along with one near White Creek, where I heard somebody at one point claimed their family were the ones running it.

As a side note, several months ago I ran into a guy who indicated that prior to the NFS purchase, his family owned the land where Sougahoagdee Falls is located. He indicated that the original name for the falls was tied to the family. I forgot the name, but if I ever find him again, and can confirm the ownership, I'll start calling it by that name, because it would be first in time.

[McDowra]

I know of at least 3...1 near Hurricane Creek, 1 in upper Quillan and 1 in upper Riddle area.

You wouldn't happen to have any gps coords would you?

[dayhiker]

I know of at least 3...1 near Hurricane Creek, 1 in upper Quillan and 1 in upper Riddle area.

In Riddle?  Heck, it's probably next to the hands up tree we couldn't find that time.  I've been pretty far up Quillan.  Is it further up than where the old mill was?  Mill might not be the right term.  There are some old steel parts in the creek bed below a cascade.  That's what I'm referring to.

[toph]

The one in Riddle is not too far from the trailhead.  Rather than drop down into the drainage on the left immediately, continue straight across the ridgetop until you reach the first side drainage flowing downhill to the left.  The remnants of the still are down in the creek bed.

As for the one in Quillan, when Arnold Motorway meets Quillan Creek, you'll want to take a right and go upstream where you'll eventually find another old road and the still is off to the left after a bit.  You can continue on this road and it will drop you back out near the Arnold Motoroway trailhead. 

Pretty sure I have coordinates for all 3 if you want 'em...

[Joshua Szulecki]

Toph,

Just for posterity's sake... You guys are talking about the stills now, right?

[southmark]

Hello Everyone,

I have spent alot of time catching up on all the great posts here at Alatrails. There is a lot of good information and I have lots of future plans to explore the areas off trail based on the posts. I definitely think the little ugly branch is a must do this fall.

I read an article about the bats in the area and there are over 150 caves in the Bankhead Forest. I have hiked alot of the trails and searched thru the bluffs over the past year, but have never come across what I would call a true cave. Is a over-hang at the bottom of a bluff considered a "cave"? If there are true caves in the area, can someone direct me  to an area to look in?

I am also interested in visiting the Rippley Family Cabin above the ridgeline at the eye of the needle. But have not been able to clearly see from the trail where it is located. I have read at the sipsey wilderness hiking web site that it is located near the intersection of the three trails around the corner from the eye, but am wondering if it visible from the trail or is there bushwhacking involved.

Thanks Eric

The Rippy Family Cabin is on the western side of the river just off trail 201. It is located at the end of an old road bed. As a matter of fact 201 uses this old road bed for a distance. The cabin access is to continue east on the old road bed where 201 turns left into the woods and starts it's decent to the river.

[elbowman]

Hello All,

I have found an interesting article detailing some cave reports in the Sipsey area. Since it does not supply coordinates or locations of the caves, I thought I could share it here with the readers.


"Ridgewalking the Forest, Doug found a number of caves,  describing the “most common type” as “a cave containing one or more levels, the lowest of which contains a stream.” He goes on to say, “Most [Bankhead] cave entrances are either springs or associated with springs.” the article also mentions forays into Wilkerson’s, Borden Creek, Mountain Springs, and Flannigan Creek Caves.

Ridgewalking the Borden and Braziel Creek areas in the March 1975 BGN described such a weekend, during which Cemetery, Bridge, Braziel Creek, and Crisscross Caves were found and entered, and surrounding areas walked.

Survey trips, still mounted monthly, began to range into karst areas north of the Forest, in Lawrence County around Moulton, Alabama, and it was on one of these on the snowy day of January 12 that Singing Spring Cave was found. (Singing Spring was later found to have several hundred feet of passage and 7 entrances. It was so named because the stream that flows through the cave makes weird noises that sounded like someone singing strange, tuneless songs somewhere down the passage.)

I thought the above was interesting, and the area has many surprises hidden to those who will spend time searching them out.

Eric

[Joshua Szulecki]

Eric,

Can you provide a link to that, or at least what publication it came from? I know I've read it somewhere...

[elbowman]

Hi,

Link follows:

http://www.bhamgrotto.org/bham/BGN/JULY2006.pdf

and this has good article on Bat Caves:

http://www.caves.org/comm...april06_for%20screen2.pdf

Eric