A few friends and I are planning on going camping in a few weeks and have tasked me with planning the ordeal. I suggested we go the primitive hike in-hike out route. None of that drive your truck up to the pre-prepared campsite at somewhere like Joe Wheeler. I'd like to park somewhere and hike our way to a general camping area, stay for 3 days, and hike back out. There will be 4-6 of us, so it'll require some logistics planning as far as food goes. My main question is there anywhere local (let's say Cullman to southern TN and across the breadth of the state) where that's possible? Say Bankhead or another park? All suggestions are appreciated.

Dugger Mtn. Wilderness in the Talladega National Forrest

If you have some decent legs on you, Walls of Jericho on the AL/TN border. A more strenuous than long, but the Walls are a unique bit of scenery and the whole valley is beautiful. Good parking on the east rim of the canyon. Most that hike-camp set up tents at the bottom.

Screenshot of topography. Park at red dot, valley floor is black dot and the Walls/grotto is the blue dot.

Attached File

We hiked that trail earlier this year and encountered a nice camp area that was being occupied by several tents. It was a beautiful hike with nonstop wonderful scenery. The last half of the hike back to the parking lot sucked as it was all uphill and sleeting heavily on us We were cold, wet, and exhausted by the time we got back to the truck, but had a good time. I may float the idea of going back to the group.

Must've posted over each other.

It is pretty. So is Duggar that the other fellow mentioned.  I think Duggar is the second highest mountain in the state.The Pinhoti trail runs through there. That is also Nat Forest and hunting seasons loom. Make sure to at least wear something hunter orange.

If you've not done the Sipsey Wilderness, that is an awesome area. I prefer it in cold weather (the place is a bug bog in warm weather). Also try and go when it's had some recent rain. The waterfalls are awesome.

So with Duggar you just find a suitable camping area and set up? Are there any designated areas, sign in sheets, fees, etc?

I'm not as familiar with Duggar. I took the family on a little loop hike. Parked at the Pink Burns trailhead (southern entry point of the Pinhoti). Hiked north on the Pinhoti about two miles, then caught an old logging road back south to the trailhead. There is a neat indian rock shelter jus west of that old logging road (point of the hike).

Dugger is located in the Shoal Creek ranger district, they can answer all those questions.

After some research I think we are going with the Randolph and Sipsey Loop Trail. It has a few good looking campsites along the creek and isn't punishing terrain-wise. Has anyone camped here, by chance? It looks to have plenty of good reviews and lots of good scenery judging by the pictures posted.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alabama/randolph-sipsey-rippey-loop

When I camp/hiked Sipsey, we parked at the Thompson Trailhead. It's the NW entry. Hiked south to the Shiprock/Eye of the Needle area. Slung hammocks just past Shiprock on the river, then hiked up Bee Branch to see the Big Tree.  From my study of the top map and from what I saw, the place is not that difficult. Not much elevation change because the whole thing is basically a cracked up, eroded slab of limestone. I think the highest cliffs we saw were only, maybe 200' feet higher than the creek/river banks most of the trail is on. Most less than that. You could get jacked up there, like falling in the river or whatever, but it's not that bad.

Be aware that the trails are obvious, from the traffic they see, but there are no blazes and I think we only saw one sign the whole time. Bee Branch sections had a lot of blown down timber. Some of that timber is amazingly large, too. That got rough with the packs, climbing over and under them. We actually ditched them hiking up to go check out the Big Tree.

It is an unusual place. I've not seen anything exactly like it in our state. It is rather primordial looking. I was told that the place was never timbered, ever. I find that easy to believe. I would advise carrying a topo map of the place or a GPS with topo software. An outfit in Birmingham makes a nice map of the Sipsey. "???????" Cartography, I forgot the name. I've seen their maps for sale at both Alabama Outdoors locations or you can get them at the cartography shop itself.

Great, thanks for the info! Humping in all that gear for this many people is going to be interesting. Though judging by the topo it looks to be a pretty easy, flat hike with a decline and incline going into and out of the creek bed. If I can’t source a paper topographical map I will print one off and laminate it. Alabama Outdoors in Florence is showing out of stock for theirs.

There are two OA stores in the Birmingham area. Homewood and Trussville. We also have new REI (though i no longer shop there for their commie stance on guns) If i recall, the cartography shop that makes them is in Homewood.

Edit/  i googled the shop. Here is their website:

https://www.cartocraft.com/index.html

The wife and I have done the Sipsey River loop many times and it's beautiful!  If you can check out the Pinhoti trail at Mt. Cheaha, that's pretty nice too!