"WILDLIFE WEDNESDAY"
Get Outside!
Flint Creek Multi Use Trail
(Bankhead National Forest)
Wildlife Wednesday is all about encouraging people to take a look around at the natural world, to spend time outside exploring, and ultimately to get away from the civilized life of concrete, pavement, air conditioning, television, and couches. This week we are talking about getting outside to explore the Bankhead National forest's Flint Creek Multi Use Trail. A "multi use trail" is one that is designed to allow access to areas that are suitable for hiking, mt. bikes, horses, and OHV's.
There are thousands of miles of roads and trails on public lands that are appropriate and accessible for Off Highway Vehicles (OHV's) use. OHV's are a fun and exciting way to experience America's natural treasures. Here in the South we love our OHV's, whether it be an ATV, UTV/SXS, Dirt bike, or 4x4 (jeep, truck, etc.).
Backcountry roads and trails provide a wide range of recreational opportunities for responsible Off Highway Vehicle users on public lands. These opportunities range from vehicle touring to vehicle access for hiking, hunting, fishing, and other public land uses, as well as unconfined vehicle use at designated "OHV Open Areas". Fees and seasonal restrictions related to OHV use may vary from site to site. ($3.00 per rider at Flint creek).
Flint Creek Trails
We recently decided to take a trip to check out this OHV area in Bankhead.
My son and I love to ride dirt bikes and every chance I get to go to a new location I normally jump at it. My son often gets annoyed when I like to stop on the side of the trail to check out a rock formation, waterfall, or cool looking plant. The Flint Creek trail system did not disappoint. It is just under 17 miles of trails. Depending on the season there may be lots of wildflowers, rushing water and plenty of rock formations. The trails are not very difficult by our standards, but please use your own judgment if you decide to take on the adventure. This area is very remote and recovery efforts would be a real pain.
Practice Good Stewardship of OUR Trails / Roadways:
You can help to take good care of our trails and roadways so that others may enjoy these areas for years to come by practicing some of the following actions:
Don't Litter... take along a trash bag or other receptacle for collecting your trash so that you can deposit it in the proper trash receptacle.
Make sure that you ride on the designated trail or roadway in that area. Check with your destination ahead of time to ensure that the area you plan to ride in is currently allowed.
Don't ride in areas where it is not permitted. These areas have been declared "off limits" to riders to protect wildlife, vegetation, or for your safety.
Leave gates as you find them.
Yield the right of way to those passing or traveling uphill.
Assist in the management of your public lands by reporting inappropriate behavior, natural resource damage or hazards you may encounter.
Respect the environment and other trail users. By using common sense and common courtesy, what is available today will be there to enjoy tomorrow.
To learn more about responsible OHV riding, go to the Tread Lightly website at:
http://www.treadlightly.org
While on the trails we encountered several other users on atv's, utv's. and horses. This area is easy to access and has a nice gravel parking lot. Camping is allowed in the forest. The maximum width of OHV is fifty inches. This knocks out many of the RZR/UTV riders. The trails are well maintained and lots of fun.
(parking area)
The National Forest website hosts some information about the trails available in Alabama.
Invite some friends and get outside to enjoy the forests on your OHV!
UNTIL NEXT WEEK
BE SAFE, BE CAREFUL, BEHAVE, DON'T DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL, IMMORAL, UNETHICAL, OR JUST PLAIN STUPID
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