Sipsey picnic area

[Mudslide]

Do you guys know if this trailhead is accessable?

[squidbilly]

Just got this from Wildsouth:

 
 
 
 Friends,
Due to tornado damage, the entire Bankhead National Forest has been closed. Thankfully, our office perched on the Forest's edge was spared. I heard from our Alabama staff this morning and they, their families and homes are safe. There is widespread damage throughout the community, however, and Mark reports that North Alabama is mostly dark and non-functioning, with no power for at least another five days.
All Wild South activities scheduled in the Bankhead this weekend, including hikes and the Hardwood Restoration Tour, have been postponed until further notice. If you live in Alabama and are lucky enough to have power, please pass this message on to your neighbors who may not.
We appreciate everyone's thoughts and kind inquiries over the past few days -- thank you. If we can help you get in touch with family or friends through the Asheville office please get in touch with us and we will do what we can to help connect you. We are grateful that everyone we have heard from in Alabama is safe.
Please stay tuned for any news and updates from the field.

With gratitude,
Tracy Davids, Executive Director

 
 Confirmed by this

Not sure if this means you are not allowed in or just that the facilities are closed. Don't know if they can really keep you out.



 
 

[buttermilkmeeks]

According to a friend who works for the National Weather Service (and who reads this site regularly), on the 27th of April a large tornado (larger than the one that struck the western part of the Sipsey on the 20th) was tracked moving from the Hubbard Creek area to the confluence of the Thompson and Parker and on toward the Northwest Road.

It appears this tornado took a very similar path to the one on the 20th - but it was bigger and likely caused much more damage.

I would imagine that many roads throughout Winston and Lawrence counties are blocked by trees or roadblocks at this time. I think it might be sometime before we get a clear picture of the total amount of damage in the Wilderness - or even the damages in populated areas all over the northern part of the state - from all of the recent storms.

Of course, my statements are only preliminary until we get eyewitness/official reports - take them with a grain of salt.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Confirmed by this
Not sure if this means you are not allowed in or just that the facilities are closed. Don't know if they can really keep you out.

I may be wrong, but the page actually lists all recreational facilities (which would include the picnic area) as closed and FS-208 as closed, not a blanket forest closure. That said, I'd stay the heck away for a few weeks, it sounds pretty torn up and you'll just be getting in the way right now.

[squidbilly]

Got to agree with Joshua, unless you are there working you should probably stay away.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Yeah, and even if the forest itself isn't that bad, and it looks like it is pretty bad, several surrounding communities used to access the area were hit very hard, and folks who don't need to be in the area should stay away for a few days, to avoid getting in the way of ongoing rescue, recovery and repair operations.