introduction

[calicojack]

Hi guys. After taking a 14 year hiatus from hiking/backpacking with the scouts; i'm getting back into it. I've recently purchased most of my gear, and am just about ready to strike out on my own. I'm in montgomery, and am looking for some good trails.

That being said. I am planning on doing strictly solo journeys. With the way my work schedule is, i'd have to leave out the night after work, hike in a hour or so, camp, hit the trail the following morning, camp at night and head out the following day. so basically i'm looking for loops.

I went with pretty much light weight gear, as i've not done this in a long while and don't really want to kill myself.

just so you guys know what i'm packing:
Osprey Exos 58 pack
Tarptent Contrail shelter
Marmot Trestle trails bag
Big agnes air core pad

going to be eating mres for food to save some space (field stripped of course).

I remember liking sipsi and the horseshoe bend. i remember going other places, but to describe them would sound like most of the places i've read about on here.

If I can get away with not having to drive 3 hours to north alabama, i'd love it. I'm thinking i'd like to stay in the Metro or river heritage areas.

anyone got any good loops in that area?

[WolfVanZandt]

How long a loop? Chewacla (near Auburn) has some nice short hikes. Conecuh National Forest, way down south has some nice longer trails. There's a trail that runs from Montevallo University up Pea Ridge - they're trying to extend it to Davis Falls which is currently on private property. You could wander around in the southern section of the Talladega National Forest for some time but I don't know of any actual loops.

I've done a lot of hiking in this area but most of them were fairly short. Outside of the National Forests and State Parks, most of the land is farm, city, and hunting club. Urban trails have caught on and there are some interesting day hikes there. The Corp of Engineers maintain a string of nice parks along the Alabama River from Wetumpka to Mobile. In fact, the River itself is considered to be a scenic trail (a little wet, though).

[ednotmilkman]

the choices are limited between Conecuh N.F. and Cheaha Wilderness for overnight loops unless you want to incorporate some fire break / forest service roads into a hike on the southern end of the Pinhoti, Oakmulgee district of Talladega N.F. or maybe even a state Wildlife Management Area. Not sure about the regs, for backpacking on WMA's, but you might get permission outside of hunting seasons if you ask. Hiking a WMA would surely be an adventure as there are few trails, although the fire roads are shown well on the maps you can download. There may be a few hunters here that might know about them.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/contact/]

http://www.outdooralabama...g/wildlife-areas/wmamaps/] 

[Bahen]

There is a loop trail on Flagg Mountain which is not too far from Montgomery.  http://hikealabama.org/flaggmountain.html

[Rigormortis]

Welcome Calicojack:
I am not to far from you, I live near Eclectic, maybe I will run upon you on a trail nearby.

[SmokeDiver]

I'm not far from you either, down in Troy! I'm trying to discover Alabama trails since I always grew up hiking in North Carolina and Virginia. Moved down here six years ago and really dragged my feet getting outside on the real trails. Fortunately there's plenty of private forest down towards where my parents live for me to romp through.

[WolfVanZandt]

And I'm in Selma - but I'm not much into extreme hiking since my heart problems. I still manage some pretty interesting trips, though.

[greened]

Wetumpka here... Several of us in the area it seems... Cheaha isn't a long drive from M'gomery.