Enchanted Weekend in Bankhead

Enchanted Weekend in Bankhead

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Bankhead National Forest is a land of mystery and enchantment.  Every canyon is filled with magic and will keep you captive.

We took this overnight trip in mid-October and caught some amazing fall foliage! Here’s our favorite website for fall foliage predictions so you can plan a fall trip anywhere in the continental US!

Long weekend in Brevard? Follow our footsteps! Above is a Map of places we visited!

Sipsey Creek Farm

We stayed at an awesome “glamp-site” that came with pretty much everything we needed including a small kitchen, bathrooms, shower, BEDS, etc. We highly recommend staying here.
Airbnb Link

Mize Mills and Turkeyfoot Falls

Mize Mills Falls is one of the many amazing waterfalls in Bankhead. We have a guide here we highly suggest checking out!

Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge is the longest rock arch east of the Rockies and its right here in Alabama! We have a guide here, but it is absolutely not necessary for your visit. 

Caney Creek Falls (Bonus)

View of Caney Creek Falls in Bankhead National Forest Alabama

We didn’t venture here on our trip, but if you get a chance, this is well worth checking out! You should read the guide here.

View of Caney Creek Falls in Bankhead National Forest Alabama

Kinlock Falls (Bonus)

We didn’t venture here on this trip, but we highly suggest checking it out. You don’t need a guide here, but the guide might help you with parking.

Our Itinerary

Day 1: Drive to Bankhead National Forest (Stopped for lunch at Cardinal Drive-in and for fast food it was pretty good! Hike to Turkeyfoot Falls and Mize Mill Falls. Go check-in to campsite, see the animals, and play on the playset. Visit Natural Bridge. Come back for dinner/s’mores/camping activities. Star Gaze.

Day 2: Breakfast and pack up. Hike on the property to see the caves and waterfall (which we didn’t have time to make it to!).

We were pressed for time, but if you have more time, I suggest looking at visiting Kinlock Falls and Caney Creek Falls. Both are fairly family-friendly and absolutely beautiful!

Cost

Gas from Huntsville to Bankhead National Forest and back: 160 Miles / 20 miles per gallon * $3.50 per gallon = $28

1 night at Sipsey Creek Farm AirBnB: Abount $100/night * 1 night = $100

Driving around Brevard and seeing the waterfalls: 50 Miles / 20 miles per gallon * $3 per gallon = $7.50

Bankhead Hiking is Free

Total: $135.50 for 2Days/2 adults and 2 Children

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Balcony Sink

Balcony Sink

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 1.5 miles
Cost: Free

Balcony Sink is a beautiful open-air cave with a stunning waterfall. A permit is required to enter. You cannot go to this cave alone. 3 adults are required to go to this cave. In order to enter the cave, you must have vertical caving gear and knowledge. The sinkhole and waterfall are a sight to see even if you do not go into the cave. In order to get the expertise needed for vertical caving, you can join the Huntsville Grotto.

In this guide, I will go over how to get a permit. Directions to the cave are given when you receive a permit.

Nearby Vertical Caves:
Stephen’s Gap
Neversink Pit

You’re forgetting this gear. Here’s the most underrated gear you’re missing.

To start, go to the SCCi Permit website. Click the button “Click here to register” and register an account. SCCi will send you a confirmation email. After you have successfully set up an account, move on to the next step.

https://permits.scci.org/

Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials 
Outdoor Sandal

After you create an account, go back to SCCi Permit website and log-in. After you log-in, move onto the next step.

https://permits.scci.org/

After you log-in, if it does not automatically land you on the New Permit page, click the “New Permit” button. From here you can Fill out a New Permit.

After you fill out a new permit, SCCi will send you a release form. All members of your party must sign the release form. After the release form is filled out, SCCi will need to approve your permit and you will receive a permit you will need to print out and put on your dashboard as well as directions to get to the cave.

After you sign the release form, SCCi will send you an email with your permit which you will need to print and put into your dashboard. Directions and other instructions will be sent in this email as well.

Happy Caving!

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Fall Colors in Huntsville

Fall Colors in Huntsville

Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
Distance: Depends on hike. Details for each hike below
Fee: Free except for Monte Sano
Leave no trace.

Here is an interactive map to show the BEST times to hike to see fall foliage. 

Huntsville, Alabama is home to one of the prettiest falls in America. Get out and explore local hikes with some fall colors!

This guide is JUST a TASTE of what you can find in the fall in Huntsville. Be sure you check out other Local Hikes in the area!

Everything in this guide is located in or around Huntsville. Parking is tagged for each location below.

Blevin’s Gap

Blevins Gap
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 3 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Guide: Follow “Certain Trail” and you’ll be fine. You can read this guide, but not necessary.

Check out our Gear suggestions!
Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials 
Outdoor Sandal

Monte Sano Pavilion Overlook

Monte Sano Pavilion Overlook
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: less than 100 yds
Difficulty: (Depends) Easy
Guide: No Guide. Overlook located here.

Monte Sano has entry fees you can see here

Monte Sano North Plateau Overlook

Monte Sano North Plateau Overlook
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: No Hike
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: No Guide Necessary

Monte Sano has entry fees you can see here

Broken Road

Broken Road
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 2.5 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: Not Necessary

Following the Broken Road you will end up at the Monte Sano North Plateau Overlook above.

Monte Sano has entry fees you can see here

Bethel Springs

Bethel Springs
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: (Depends) 1.6 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Guide: Should read

Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk

Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 1 Mile
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: Not Necessary

Green Mountain Nature Trail

Green Mountain Nature Trail
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 1 mile
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: Not Necessary

 

Wildflower Trail

Wildflower Trail
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 1.25 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: No Guide

Three Caves Loop

Three Caves Loop
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 0.25 Miles
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: Not Necessary

Maple Hill Cemetary

Picture Source: Wikipedia
Picture taken by Scott Allman

Parking: Directions – Parking is along the street
Hike Distance: Stroll through the cemetery as far as you’d like
Difficulty: Easy 
Guide: No Guide

Find out the Gear you need for the outdoors!

Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials
Outdoor Sandals

Like this Tour? Check out our other tours!

Bankhead Waterfall Tour
Alabama Big Waterfall Tour
Fall Colors in Huntsville

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The Big Alabama Waterfalls Tour

The Big Alabama Waterfalls Tour

Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
Distance: Less than 1 mile (or 6 miles if you hike to the bottom of each)
Fee: Free
Leave no trace.

Northeast Alabama is home to the largest and tallest waterfalls in the state. This tour will take you to 5 of the biggest waterfalls in the state of Alabama.

This guide is JUST a TASTE of Waterfalls in Alabama. Be sure you check out other Waterfalls in the area!

This loop is located about an hour east of Huntsville.

Click here to bring up the loop on Google Maps!

High Falls

First stop: High Falls (35 ft tall)
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 100 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: Not necessary

Check out our Gear suggestions!
Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials 
Outdoor Sandal

DeSoto Falls

Second stop: DeSoto Falls (104 ft)
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: (Depends) 0 – 2 miles
Difficulty: (Depends) Easy or Moderate
Guide: Should read if you want a better view of the falls or hike to the bottom of the falls.

Little River Falls

Third stop: Litlle River Falls (45 ft)
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: (Depends) 0 – 2 miles
Difficulty: (Depends) Easy – Moderate
Guide: Should read if you want to hike to the bottom of the falls.

Grace’s High Falls

Fourth stop: Grace’s High Falls (133 ft)
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: No Hike
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: No Guide

Noccalula Falls

Fifth stop: Noccalula Falls (89 ft)
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: (Depends) 0 – 2 miles
Difficulty: (Depends) Easy – Moderate
Guide: Should read if you want to hike to the bottom of the falls

The park does cost to enter! Be sure to check out the Guide for more information.

Find out the Gear you need for the outdoors!

Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials
Outdoor Sandals

Like this Tour? Check out our other tours!

Bankhead Waterfall Tour
Alabama Big Waterfall Tour
Fall Colors in Huntsville

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Cloudland Canyon

Cloudland Canyon

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 1.5 miles
Cost: $5 Parking fee

Cloudland Canyon is a beautiful state park in Northwest Georgia. It is a heavily trafficked state park but offers beautiful views and several waterfalls. This park is kid-friendly, though the hike down to the waterfalls is tough. The views are accessible but ONLY by a cane. 

Find hikes nearby:
Foster Falls
Rock City

Find the best gifts for an outdoorsy dad

More Waterfalls

Cloudland Canyon is located a little over 1.5 hours east of Huntsville. It is a major state park in Georgia.

Google Maps Cloudland Canyon or look at our map above!

Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials 
Outdoor Sandal

Rock City Maps

You can find the park map here. Be sure to find the park signs and follow them!

Parking

There’s plenty of parking in this state park with bathrooms nearby.

Click here for parking.

Trail

The trail down to the waterfalls is steep but has stairs. There are 600 stairs in this canyon and it is very strenuous. You can find the stairs following the ridgeline back towards to entrance of the park (staring at the view, to the left).

Cherokee Falls

Cherokee Falls is the first waterfall you come to heading down the stairs. There is a trail fork where you can go down to the right and continue down the stairs or to the left to the waterfall. This is the second fork you come to. If you do not know if you have hit the second split, look for the signs. The second split tells you there is a waterfall to the left. When you are done at the waterfall, come back up the path until you hit the split and continue to follow the path down the opposite direction.

Hemlock Falls

Continue to follow the path down. You’ll hit another fork. Take the left path to get to Cherokee Falls!

When you’re done here turn around and find your way back up to the fork. You can continue down the trail and find another smaller waterfall or you can head back out.

Cherokee Falls

The view at the top is no slouch either. You can get here from the parking area just by following the ridgeline all the way to the end!

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