Bartram Canoe Trail - SW Alabama - Question

[PastorLarryT]

Interesting in doing the Overnight Route #1 of the Bartram Canoe Trail in SW Alabama.  Wondering if anyone has already done this trail (any portion of it) and can shed some experience on it for me?  Thanks in advance.

[PastorLarryT]

Not yet!  Still on my "To Do List" though... I'll keep everyone posted.

[PastorLarryT]

OK BearLeader67!  Sounds good.  I haven't settled on a date yet, there are a couple of us at church who want to do this trail.  We have to get our calendars together...

I bought a kayak last year just to do trails like this.  The idea of "exploring" the "backwaters" and camping, etc. sounds like a great experience!  I want to get to some of the waters in the Florida Panhandle too.

[Haveuseen1]

I have looked at this trip several times and If you would like some extra company my son and I can load up for the trip.  I have a canoe and a kayak, but I think the kayak would be ideal for the trip. 

-Chris

[ednotmilkman]

This padding thing in the backwaters has me intrigued as well. The only problem is I don't own a paddle craft and have only rented one once. I've been watching canoes an kayaks selling within 100 miles of me on e-bay, but don't know enough about what I should try yet.  Do they have a shop near the trail that rents them for overnight use?

[Cuffs]

For 'fitting' of canoes and kayaks in the 'Ham area, go see Alabama Small Boats in B'ham on 280, they are now located inside the Mountain High Outfitter's shop, next to Whole Foods.

For a printed map of the BCT, contact

INFORMATION & EDUCATION
Kim Nix, Section Chief
Outdoor Alabama Magazine
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(334) 242-3151

You must reserve the floating tent platforms in advance, and this can be done online. 

I would highly recommend free-standing tents as it is difficult to tie out non-free standing tents on the platforms.  However, I have found that the posts that support the roof are PERFECT for hammocks.... 

I also suggest that you go in the cooler months (Dec, Jan, Feb) due to the large (both in quantity and size) of the bugs!

[PastorLarryT]

I have looked at this trip several times and If you would like some extra company my son and I can load up for the trip.  I have a canoe and a kayak, but I think the kayak would be ideal for the trip. 

-Chris

Sounds good.  But we still haven't chosen a date yet... As someone else said, it's best to do this one in cooler weather due to bugs.  Also have to consider water levels, etc.  When we firm up a date, I'll post it here.

[Peabody]

We kayaked and camped on the trail last weekend. We (4 guys) left out of Rice Creek Landing and paddled about 2 hours to the Jug Lake platform where we spent the night. The next day we paddled about 1 1/2 hours to the Indian  mounds. We  explored the mounds and ate lunch before heading back to Rice Creek Landing. The  paddle back took about an hour and forty-five minutes. We had a great time and the weather was perfect. We did have to endure a few bug on the platform at night though. I was worried about leaving my car over night at Rice Creek Landing but had no problems.

[PastorLarryT]

Thanks for the report Peabody!

[Firedog]

We paddled the Overnight Route #1 route back in April, 4 of us 3 in kayaks and me, (the mule) in my Discovery 158 canoe. We stopped at a store in Stockton for a few final staples and a local asked us where we were headed. We told him Rice creek. Then he pointed to our boats and said "in those, Good Luck". I thought , oh great, but we pressed on. We put in at Rice creek and right off the bat came past a huge cypress tree with a shrunken head on one of the knees. It was a little creepy. It made me think of of Marie Levoux. Turned out to be a doll head. We paddles around Richardson Island and up to the platforms near Dead lake Island just to look around. Came back down to, and through, Bayou Tallapoosa into the Tensaw River. Came down the river to the land based  camping area. On our arrival, we met the cast from Deliverence, banjo's and all but no boats, hmmm ??  Decided to continue on. Camped at the confluence of Bottle Creek and Bayou Jasmine. After a nice hot hobo steak dinner, slept like a rock. At about daybreak, was awakened by a pretty rough thunderstorm. The wind, the torrential downpour, vivid lightening, the whole enchilada. Lasted aboout 2 hours. We wanted to check out the Indian mounds but decided to head to the truck. Made it back to Rice creek. It was a very nice adventure and I highly recommend you seeing this part of our state. For the most part it was as Desoto & Bartram saw it. Lots of gator sightings, but none to worry about. When you would come around a bend you could see them in the water (the eyes and nostrils)and as you approached they would just submerge and we would go over them without incedent. This is truely a special place. Carl Wilson

[PastorLarryT]

Thanks for the report Carl.  The "shrunken head" was a hoot!  I bet it was creepy...

Maybe we will get to do this trail during '09.  Sounds like real wilderness (a rare commodity today).

[Firedog]

I would recommend this trip before may because of mosquito's. We went in the middle of April and they weren't a problem. Carl

Pastor Larry, I posted some of the pics in my gallery. Check them out.

[Bahen]

I would suggest staying on a platform rather than at a campsite.  The campsites are not maintained by the state and will sometimes be overrun with trash (mostly beer cans) and usually attract swarms of insects.  I would recommend reserving the Jug Lake platform and going out of Rice Creek.  You can go from there to the Indian Mound trail and then come back the way you came.  That makes for a very nice trip and it keeps you off of big water so you won't have to worry about motorboats.