Sipsey Valley Trail Names

[DavidR]

I was planning my next hike and researching the route reading this article: http://www.alabamatrail.org/hikingAL/  , when i noticed that in 2000 T207 was just a continuation of T210. T203 was new at this time. It made me wonder why the trails have odd numbering like: 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210. What happened to 205? Why was 210 created before 207 & 203? Are there lost trails in Bankhead?

[Pully]

If I'm not mistaken, 205 is the trail you cross when you reach the ridge coming out of White Oak Hollow and down to West Bee. It's on the ridge between White Oak and West Bee and connects 224 and 209. I'm not sure why it's not named on maps anymore. Maybe there are some serious blowdowns on it that no one wants to clean up. But the part I've hiked seemed to still be slightly used.

[DavidR]

Thanks Pulley. Ok, after looking over the Briartech map I see that 205 was once a trail.

http://www.briartech.com/sipseyonepagea.pdf

Anyone been on it lately? Last few Months?

[Pathfinder]

David, here is a report of a hike a couple of years ago on Trail 205.

[/url]http://www.sipseywilderness.org/trips/2007/208-205-206/report.html[/url]

Hope it is informative enough to answer your questions.

[DavidR]

Yes, "Considerable difficulty," ...lol. I still want to give it a shot sometime. Thanks for the article Pathfinder.

[Uncle Wayne]

If I'm not mistaken, 205 is the trail you cross when you reach the ridge coming out of White Oak Hollow and down to West Bee. It's on the ridge between White Oak and West Bee and connects 224 and 209. I'm not sure why it's not named on maps anymore. Maybe there are some serious blowdowns on it that no one wants to clean up. But the part I've hiked seemed to still be slightly used.

During one meeting of the Bankhead Liaison we discussed which trails to clear from the deadfalls and storm damage while we had the pros from out west to do the clearing.  I suggested Trail 205 and was told the FS no longer recognizes it as a trail and so working on it wasn't an option.  Several objected when that was said but that's the reason you'll not see it on any of the later FS maps; they no longer recognize it as a trail.